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Visitor statistics

How many people visit Capitol Reef?

Last verified NPS Visitor Use Statistics1979–2025
1,388,476 recreation visits in 2025, #22 of 63 national parks. The record is 2024 (1,422,490). Every year since 1979, straight from the National Park Service’s own counts.
2025 visits
1,388,476
−2.4% vs 2024
Rank, 2025
#22
of 63 national parks
Record year
2024
1,422,490 visits
vs 2015
+47.5%
ten-year change
vs 1979
+380.7%
since the first full year
Busiest month ever
May 2022
221,889 visits

1979–2025

Every year since the counts began

Recreation visits per calendar year, as reported to the NPS Visitor Use Statistics office. The 2025 bar is highlighted; a missing bar means the park did not report all twelve months that year.
0711K1.4M1979: 288,860 visits1980: 342,788 visits1981: 397,789 visits1982: 289,486 visits1983: 331,734 visits1984: 296,230 visits1985: 320,503 visits1986: 383,742 visits1987: 428,808 visits1988: 469,556 visits1989: 515,278 visits1990: 562,477 visits1991: 618,056 visits1992: 675,837 visits1993: 610,707 visits1994: 605,324 visits1995: 648,864 visits1996: 678,012 visits1997: 625,680 visits1998: 656,026 visits1999: 680,153 visits2000: 612,656 visits2001: 527,760 visits2002: 525,646 visits2003: 535,441 visits2004: 549,708 visits2005: 550,255 visits2006: 511,511 visits2007: 554,907 visits2008: 604,811 visits2009: 617,208 visits2010: 662,661 visits2011: 668,834 visits2012: 673,345 visits2013: 663,670 visits2014: 786,514 visits2015: 941,029 visits2016: 1,064,904 visits2017: 1,150,165 visits2018: 1,227,627 visits2019: 1,226,519 visits2020: 981,038 visits2021: 1,405,353 visits2022: 1,227,608 visits2023: 1,268,861 visits2024: 1,422,490 visits2025: 1,388,476 visits1980198519901995200020052010201520202025
Show the full table (47 years) ↓
YearRecreation visitsChangeRank
20251,388,476−2.4%#22
20241,422,490+12.1%#23
20231,268,861+3.4%#22
20221,227,608−12.6%#22
20211,405,353+43.3%#20
2020981,038−20.0%#20
20191,226,519−0.1%#23
20181,227,627+6.7%#23
20171,150,165+8.0%#24
20161,064,904+13.2%#25
2015941,029+19.6%#27
2014786,514+18.5%#28
2013663,670−1.4%#28
2012673,345+0.7%#27
2011668,834+0.9%#27
2010662,661+7.4%#29
2009617,208+2.0%#29
2008604,811+9.0%#29
2007554,907+8.5%#32
2006511,511−7.0%#35
2005550,255+0.1%#34
2004549,708+2.7%#32
2003535,441+1.9%#34
2002525,646−0.4%#34
2001527,760−13.9%#33
2000612,656−9.9%#31
1999680,153+3.7%#30
1998656,026+4.9%#31
1997625,680−7.7%#33
1996678,012+4.5%#30
1995648,864+7.2%#33
1994605,324−0.9%#35
1993610,707−9.6%#35
1992675,837+9.3%#33
1991618,056+9.9%#34
1990562,477+9.2%#36
1989515,278+9.7%#38
1988469,556+9.5%#40
1987428,808+11.7%#42
1986383,742+19.7%#43
1985320,503+8.2%#42
1984296,230−10.7%#42
1983331,734+14.6%#41
1982289,486−27.2%#42
1981397,789+16.0%#39
1980342,788+18.7%#39
1979288,860—#39

By decade

The long view

1970s
288,860
avg · 1 yr
1980s
377,591
avg · 10 yrs
1990s
636,114
avg · 10 yrs
2000s
558,990
avg · 10 yrs
2010s
906,527
avg · 10 yrs
2020s
1.28 million
avg · 6 yrs

Seasonality: in 1979–1983 the three busiest months carried 49% of the year’s visits; in 2021–2025 they carried 43% — visits have spread out across the year.

Average visits by month

2021–2025 · NPS IRMA
JFMAMJJASOND
Monthly recreation visits: Jan 17,858, Feb 22,047, Mar 94,788, Apr 149,112, May 213,386, Jun 174,897, Jul 124,380, Aug 108,049, Sep 170,635, Oct 170,843, Nov 64,075, Dec 32,488.

Quietest: JanuaryBusiest: May

The weather page puts these crowd levels beside each month’s temperatures.

About these numbers

Figures are the National Park Service’s monthly recreation-visit counts, retrieved from its public statistics service and summed by calendar year. A year is shown only when all twelve months were reported. The NPS revises recent months occasionally, so small differences from a later nps.gov table are normal. Rankings compare the 63 national parks for the same year. See every park ranked for 2025.

Sources · 2

  1. 1.NPS Visitor Use Statistics — monthly recreation visits by park, 1979–2025 · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
  2. 2.NPS Visitor Use Statistics Definitions · National Park Service

FAQ

Capitol Reef visitor questions

How many people visit Capitol Reef National Park each year?
1,388,476 recreation visits in 2025, ranking #22 of the 63 national parks. The 2010s averaged 906,527 a year.
What was Capitol Reef's busiest year?
2024, with 1,422,490 recreation visits — +2.4% more than 2025. The single busiest month on record was May 2022 (221,889 visits).
Is Capitol Reef getting more crowded?
2025 visits were +47.5% compared with 2015 and +152.3% compared with 2005.
What counts as a recreation visit?
The NPS counts a recreation visit as one person entering the park for recreation; someone who leaves and re-enters is counted again, and commuters, through-traffic and staff are excluded. Counts come from gate and traffic counters with park-specific multipliers, so they are estimates.

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