Fresh off of a year that saw Yellowstone and Glacier national parks notch their second-highest visitation years ever, the two anchors for Montana’s tourism sector are on an even hotter pace this summer, which could see new all-time records.
Officials with Yellowstone National Park announced this week that the park hosted 928,250 visitors in June, up 14,000 from the previous year.
While that number is roughly 1% lower than during the park’s 2021 record-setting season, year-to-date data shows the nation’s oldest national park is on track for a historic year, the Daily Montanan reports.
So far in 2025, Yellowstone has seen 1,690,922 recreation visits — up 4% from 2024 and up 6% over the same time period in 2021.
Up in northwest Montana, Glacier National Park notched record visitation for May, the most recent month data is available, with 238,766 recreation visitors passing through the entrance stations.
Bolstered by more than 30,000 additional visitors in May compared to the next highest year, Glacier has welcomed 346,437 visitors so far this year — 12% more than the same period last year and a whopping 31% more than in 2017, the park’s record year.
During its banner year in 2017, Glacier saw more than 1 million visitors in July and more than 900,000 in August.
Last year, the park set records for late-season visitation in September and October due to changes to the pilot vehicle reservation system Glacier officials instigated in 2021 to moderate the impacts of increased tourists.
New changes to the park’s reservation system for this year include timed entries at the park’s western entrances.
The record tourist visits to Montana’s national parks come as the National Park Service is at historically low levels of staffing.
A recent report by the National Parks Conservation Association indicates the NPS has lost 24% of its permanent workforce since January, with 4,000 staff members leaving the agency through “terminations, pressured buyouts, deferred resignations and early retirement buyouts.”
“This has left parks severely understaffed during peak visitation, putting visitor centers, trail maintenance and public safety at risk when help is needed most,” the report states.
A public affairs representative for Yellowstone National Park told the Daily Montanan that the park “had significantly more operational staff going into the 2025 season than we did in the record year of 2021.”
In response to questions from the Daily Montanan about staffing levels at Glacier, a National Park Service public affairs specialist issued the following statement on Thursday:
“The National Park Service does not comment on specific personnel matters. We are focused on ensuring that every visitor has the opportunity to explore and connect with the incredible, iconic spaces of our national parks. Our dedicated teams are committed to meeting the evolving needs of our visitors and ensuring memorable, meaningful experiences for all,” the statement said. “As in past years, staffing levels and operational needs can vary based on a number of factors, including seasonality, budget timing, and ongoing assessments of park priorities. Our employees are experienced problem solvers who adapt to changing conditions and remain focused on delivering high-quality experiences for every visitor.”
However, an internal memo from Glacier obtained by the Daily Montanan showed that in early May, more than 20% of park positions were vacant, including almost half of dispatch positions.
“Dispatch is down to 60% staffing, so expect 60% service,” the memo stated.
The Daily Montanan has confirmed a number of Glacier Park employees who have left their positions since May, including former public information officer Gina Icenoggle, who told reporters in May that her position would likely not be filled, and instead be folded into the Department of the Interior, leaving no local public information personnel in place.
Trump issues EO on foreign visitor surcharge
On July 3, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order directing the Secretary of the Interior to increase entry fees at national park service sites for foreign tourists, “improving affordability for United States residents, and expanding opportunities to enjoy America’s splendid national treasures.”
The idea, long championed by Bozeman-based “free-market environmentalism” nonprofit think tank Property and Environment Research Center, could rake in tens of millions of dollars in additional revenue for national parks facing maintenance backlogs and budget cuts.
Daily Montanan is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Daily Montanan maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Darrell Ehrlick for questions: info@dailymontanan.com.
