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Visitor statistics

How many people visit Saguaro?

Last verified NPS Visitor Use Statistics1979–2025
847,749 recreation visits in 2025, #28 of 63 national parks. The record is 2021 (1,079,786). Every year since 1979, straight from the National Park Service’s own counts, including the years before it became a national park in 1994.
2025 visits
847,749
−10.4% vs 2024
Rank, 2025
#28
of 63 national parks
Record year
2021
1,079,786 visits
vs 2015
+12.5%
ten-year change
vs 1979
+49.6%
since the first full year
Busiest month ever
Mar 2021
201,010 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.
0540K1.1M1979: 566,486 visits1980: 611,317 visits1981: 470,598 visits1982: 566,807 visits1983: 634,688 visits1984: 699,292 visits1985: 636,711 visits1986: 613,651 visits1987: 689,933 visits1988: 675,397 visits1989: 706,191 visits1990: 702,328 visits1991: 679,034 visits1992: 810,059 visits1993: 828,267 visits1994: 768,685 visits1995: 732,813 visits1996: 671,643 visits1997: 739,410 visits1998: 716,160 visits1999: 749,014 visits2000: 765,195 visits2001: 725,874 visits2002: 615,045 visits2003: 643,697 visits2004: 651,464 visits2005: 727,208 visits2006: 619,983 visits2007: 658,477 visits2008: 699,137 visits2009: 665,234 visits2010: 717,614 visits2011: 610,045 visits2012: 634,286 visits2013: 678,261 visits2014: 673,572 visits2015: 753,446 visits2016: 820,426 visits2017: 964,760 visits2018: 957,405 visits2019: 1,020,226 visits2020: 762,226 visits2021: 1,079,786 visits2022: 908,194 visits2023: 1,010,906 visits2024: 946,369 visits2025: 847,749 visits1980198519901995200020052010201520202025
Show the full table (47 years) ↓
YearRecreation visitsChangeRank
2025847,749−10.4%#28
2024946,369−6.4%#26
20231,010,906+11.3%#25
2022908,194−15.9%#28
20211,079,786+41.7%#25
2020762,226−25.3%#24
20191,020,226+6.6%#26
2018957,405−0.8%#27
2017964,760+17.6%#28
2016820,426+8.9%#28
2015753,446+11.9%#29
2014673,572−0.7%#29
2013678,261+6.9%#27
2012634,286+4.0%#30
2011610,045−15.0%#29
2010717,614+7.9%#27
2009665,234−4.8%#27
2008699,137+6.2%#27
2007658,477+6.2%#27
2006619,983−14.7%#28
2005727,208+11.6%#29
2004651,464+1.2%#29
2003643,697+4.7%#30
2002615,045−15.3%#30
2001725,874−5.1%#28
2000765,195+2.2%#28
1999749,014+4.6%#29
1998716,160−3.1%#30
1997739,410+10.1%#30
1996671,643−8.3%#31
1995732,813−4.7%#31
1994768,685−7.2%#30
1993828,267+2.2%#28
1992810,059+19.3%#28
1991679,034−3.3%#32
1990702,328−0.5%#28
1989706,191+4.6%#28
1988675,397−2.1%#32
1987689,933+12.4%#30
1986613,651−3.6%#31
1985636,711−8.9%#29
1984699,292+10.2%#25
1983634,688+12.0%#29
1982566,807+20.4%#31
1981470,598−23.0%#37
1980611,317+7.9%#26
1979566,486—#30

By decade

The long view

1970s
566,486
avg · 1 yr
1980s
630,459
avg · 10 yrs
1990s
739,741
avg · 10 yrs
2000s
677,131
avg · 10 yrs
2010s
783,004
avg · 10 yrs
2020s
925,872
avg · 6 yrs

Seasonality: in 1979–1983 the three busiest months carried 37% of the year’s visits; in 2021–2025 they carried 42% — visits have become more concentrated in the peak season.

Average visits by month

2021–2025 · NPS IRMA
JFMAMJJASOND
Monthly recreation visits: Jan 119,624, Feb 127,304, Mar 156,077, Apr 112,570, May 64,510, Jun 41,026, Jul 36,225, Aug 35,577, Sep 39,325, Oct 54,673, Nov 77,571, Dec 94,119.

Quietest: AugustBusiest: March

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

Saguaro visitor questions

How many people visit Saguaro National Park each year?
847,749 recreation visits in 2025, ranking #28 of the 63 national parks. The 2010s averaged 783,004 a year.
What was Saguaro's busiest year?
2021, with 1,079,786 recreation visits — +27.4% more than 2025. The single busiest month on record was March 2021 (201,010 visits).
Is Saguaro getting more crowded?
2025 visits were +12.5% compared with 2015 and +16.6% 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 Saguaro 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 1994. Earlier years are visits to the same place under its previous designation.

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