Wyoming State Parks visitation surpasses 5 million in 2025
CHEYENNE (WNE) — Wyoming State Parks has announced that system-wide visitation surpassed the 5-million-visitor milestone in 2025.
With an estimated 5,048,419 total visitors, the agency saw a 5% increase over 2024, marking its highest visitation levels since the 2020-21 recreation surge.
This continued growth reaffirms Wyoming’s reputation as a premier destination for recreation, history and culture. High-traffic hubs like Hot Springs State Park led the system with more than 1.2 million visitors, while sites like Curt Gowdy State Park recorded nearly 600,000 visitors — the second-highest total in its history.
“Surpassing 5 million visitors is a testament to the vital role our parks, historic sites, and recreation areas play in Wyoming’s communities,” said Dave Glenn, director of Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources, in a news release. “Whether it is local families escaping for a weekend at Glendo or international travelers stopping at Buffalo Bill on their way to Yellowstone, these sites are essential to our state’s quality of life and economic resilience.”
The 2025 data shows a healthy balance of use, with Wyoming residents accounting for 53% of all reserved nights, underscoring the role state parks play in everyday recreation close to home. Out-of-state visitors, led by the Colorado Front Range and travelers heading to national parks, also played a vital role in driving overall system revenue and supporting park operations statewide.
The agency’s commitment to “more than just a campsite” was further demonstrated through its expanding interpretive and educational services. In 2025, Wyoming State Parks provided 552 opportunities to engage the public through interpretive programs, special events and outreach activities statewide, including 329 interpretive programs, 176 events and 47 outreach or tabling efforts.
To learn more about Wyoming state parks, historic sites and recreation areas, visit wyoparks. wyo.gov.
This story was published on Feb. 26, 2026.