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Visitor statistics

How many people visit Glacier Bay?

Last verified NPS Visitor Use Statistics1979–2025
740,044 recreation visits in 2025, #32 of 63 national parks. The record is 2025 (740,044). Every year since 1979, straight from the National Park Service’s own counts, including the years before it became a national park in 1980.
2025 visits
740,044
+0.5% vs 2024
Rank, 2025
#32
of 63 national parks
Record year
2025
740,044 visits
vs 2015
+34.2%
ten-year change
vs 1979
+713.0%
since the first full year
Busiest month ever
Jul 2015
182,324 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.
0370K740K1979: 91,032 visits1980: 95,005 visits1981: 85,071 visits1982: 90,354 visits1983: 92,057 visits1984: 108,297 visits1985: 130,943 visits1986: 136,877 visits1987: 130,926 visits1988: 148,756 visits1989: 150,270 visits1990: 186,427 visits1991: 203,653 visits1992: 211,424 visits1993: 242,276 visits1994: 250,614 visits1995: 252,265 visits1996: 304,374 visits1997: 347,046 visits1998: 403,512 visits1999: 442,607 visits2000: 384,684 visits2001: 380,114 visits2002: 408,143 visits2003: 366,319 visits2004: 353,686 visits2005: 359,829 visits2006: 413,382 visits2007: 438,211 visits2008: 418,911 visits2009: 438,361 visits2010: 444,530 visits2011: 431,986 visits2012: 454,337 visits2013: 500,590 visits2014: 500,727 visits2015: 551,353 visits2016: 520,171 visits2017: 547,057 visits2018: 597,915 visits2019: 672,087 visits2020: 5,748 visits2021: 89,768 visits2022: 545,758 visits2023: 703,659 visits2024: 736,282 visits2025: 740,044 visits1980198519901995200020052010201520202025
Show the full table (47 years) ↓
YearRecreation visitsChangeRank
2025740,044+0.5%#32
2024736,282+4.6%#30
2023703,659+28.9%#32
2022545,758+508.0%#36
202189,768+1461.7%#54
20205,748−99.1%#60
2019672,087+12.4%#33
2018597,915+9.3%#35
2017547,057+5.2%#39
2016520,171−5.7%#41
2015551,353+10.1%#36
2014500,727+0.0%#40
2013500,590+10.2%#35
2012454,337+5.2%#37
2011431,986−2.8%#38
2010444,530+1.4%#39
2009438,361+4.6%#38
2008418,911−4.4%#40
2007438,211+6.0%#39
2006413,382+14.9%#39
2005359,829+1.7%#45
2004353,686−3.4%#46
2003366,319−10.2%#44
2002408,143+7.4%#40
2001380,114−1.2%#42
2000384,684−13.1%#42
1999442,607+9.7%#38
1998403,512+16.3%#41
1997347,046+14.0%#45
1996304,374+20.7%#46
1995252,265+0.7%#47
1994250,614+3.4%#45
1993242,276+14.6%#46
1992211,424+3.8%#48
1991203,653+9.2%#48
1990186,427+24.1%#51
1989150,270+1.0%#52
1988148,756+13.6%#52
1987130,926−4.3%#52
1986136,877+4.5%#52
1985130,943+20.9%#51
1984108,297+17.6%#51
198392,057+1.9%#51
198290,354+6.2%#51
198185,071−10.5%#51
198095,005+4.4%#50
197991,032—#49

By decade

The long view

1970s
91,032
avg · 1 yr
1980s
116,856
avg · 10 yrs
1990s
284,420
avg · 10 yrs
2000s
396,164
avg · 10 yrs
2010s
522,075
avg · 10 yrs
2020s
470,210
avg · 6 yrs

Seasonality: in 1979–1983 the three busiest months carried 80% of the year’s visits; in 2021–2025 they carried 64% — visits have spread out across the year.

Average visits by month

2021–2025 · NPS IRMA
JFMAMJJASOND
Monthly recreation visits: Jan 228, Feb 173, Mar 243, Apr 7,505, May 82,478, Jun 107,978, Jul 117,153, Aug 114,531, Sep 88,442, Oct 43,949, Nov 213, Dec 210.

Quietest: FebruaryBusiest: July

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

Glacier Bay visitor questions

How many people visit Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve each year?
740,044 recreation visits in 2025, ranking #32 of the 63 national parks. The 2010s averaged 522,075 a year.
What was Glacier Bay's busiest year?
2025, with 740,044 recreation visits — the current record. The single busiest month on record was July 2015 (182,324 visits).
Is Glacier Bay getting more crowded?
2025 visits were +34.2% compared with 2015 and +105.7% compared with 2005. The low point of recent years was 2020 (5,748).
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.
Why does the record start before Glacier Bay became a national park?
The NPS counts visits by park unit, and the unit kept the same statistics code when it was redesignated a national park in 1980. Earlier years are visits to the same place under its previous designation.

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