Yellowstone Park Visitation Up in September; Down Overall in 2026

During the month of September, I was able to get more than my normal average of golf in due to Mother Nature.  The weather was incredible throughout Montana, and many of us were out taking advantage of it.

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And it wasn't just my local course that was busy.  Even with the Labor Day Holiday Weekend signaling the end of summer, tourists also continued to enjoy the weather and the beautiful landscapes, wildlife, trails and geysers that make up Yellowstone National Park.

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Yellowstone Park Visitation Up in September; Down Overall in 2026

In new data from a recent press release, the Public Affairs department from the park announced that even with the normal summer tourist season ending in September, number released show an uptick of about 3% compared to the same time in 2025.

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Total number of visitors to YNP being hosted were 868,450 recreation visits.  That compared to 839,579 in the year before.  September 2026 visits saw a 2% decrease from September 2021, the record-breaking attendance year for the pak.

Overall Recreation Visits Down in Yellowstone National Park for Year to Date

The Yellowstone National Park Public Affairs Department also included overall numbers for the entire year of 2026 in the newly released data.  Year to date recreation visits in 2026 so far have totaled 4,360,300.

white geyser spout in green grass field

That number is slightly down from 2025 data, with numbers for that year showing 4,387,546 for an overall 1% decrease from current year.  2026 stands 3% behind the record year in 2021.