How many people visit Katmai National Park & Preserve each year?

34,479 recreation visits in 2025, ranking #59 of the 63 national parks. The 2010s averaged 43,923 a year.

What was Katmai's busiest year?

2019, with 84,167 recreation visits — +144.1% more than 2025. The single busiest month on record was August 2007 (43,791 visits).

Is Katmai getting more crowded?

2025 visits were −8.8% compared with 2015 and −36.5% 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.

Why does the record start before Katmai 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.

Visitor statistics

How many people visit Katmai?

Last verified October 5, 2026NPS Visitor Use Statistics1979–2025

34,479 recreation visits in 2025, #59 of 63 national parks. The record is 2019 (84,167). Every year since 1979, straight from the National Park Service’s own counts, including the years before it became a national park in 1980.

salmon jumping at waterfall — Photo: NPS/David Jacob

2025 visits: 34,479; −4.8% vs 2024
Rank, 2025: #59; of 63 national parks
Record year: 2019; 84,167 visits
vs 2015: −8.8%; ten-year change
vs 1979: +223.5%; since the first full year
Busiest month ever: Aug 2007; 43,791 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.

Show the full table (47 years) ↓

Year	Recreation visits	Change	Rank
2025	34,479	−4.8%	#59
2024	36,230	+7.3%	#57
2023	33,763	−0.4%	#58
2022	33,908	+36.9%	#57
2021	24,764	−51.9%	#58
2020	51,511	−38.8%	#54
2019	84,167	+122.6%	#55
2018	37,818	±0.0%	#57
2017	37,818	±0.0%	#58
2016	37,818	±0.0%	#57
2015	37,818	+22.4%	#57
2014	30,896	+6.7%	#57
2013	28,966	−27.3%	#57
2012	39,818	−18.6%	#57
2011	48,939	−11.3%	#57
2010	55,172	+28.2%	#56
2009	43,035	+440.0%	#57
2008	7,970	−90.4%	#60
2007	82,634	+20.4%	#54
2006	68,630	+26.5%	#55
2005	54,274	−4.4%	#56
2004	56,787	+10.1%	#57
2003	51,589	−12.6%	#56
2002	59,025	−12.0%	#56
2001	67,038	−6.1%	#56
2000	71,389	+38.9%	#56
1999	51,399	+13.0%	#56
1998	45,470	+141.8%	#56
1997	18,802	—	#59
1996	incomplete	—	—
1995	0	−100.0%	#62
1994	55,728	+4.3%	#54
1993	53,421	+15.6%	#54
1992	46,196	+11.5%	#54
1991	41,417	+1.6%	#54
1990	40,778	+1.3%	#55
1989	40,247	−12.0%	#55
1988	45,710	+19.6%	#55
1987	38,212	−8.3%	#55
1986	41,663	+65.7%	#54
1985	25,142	+25.2%	#55
1984	20,074	+79.5%	#56
1983	11,182	−22.2%	#57
1982	14,377	+9.6%	#55
1981	13,115	+10.9%	#54
1980	11,824	+10.9%	#54
1979	10,659	—	#54

By decade

The long view

1970s: 10,659; avg · 1 yr
1980s: 26,155; avg · 10 yrs
1990s: 39,246; avg · 9 yrs
2000s: 56,237; avg · 10 yrs
2010s: 43,923; avg · 10 yrs
2020s: 35,776; avg · 6 yrs

Seasonality: in 1979–1983 the three busiest months carried 53% of the year’s visits; in 2021–2025 they carried 85% — visits have become more concentrated in the peak season.

Average visits by month

2021–2025 · NPS IRMA

JFMAMJJASOND

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

FAQ

Katmai visitor questions

How many people visit Katmai National Park & Preserve each year?: 34,479 recreation visits in 2025, ranking #59 of the 63 national parks. The 2010s averaged 43,923 a year.
What was Katmai's busiest year?: 2019, with 84,167 recreation visits — +144.1% more than 2025. The single busiest month on record was August 2007 (43,791 visits).
Is Katmai getting more crowded?: 2025 visits were −8.8% compared with 2015 and −36.5% 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.
Why does the record start before Katmai 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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