State parks post record numbers

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reports a 7 percent increase in visitation to state parks this year.

Nearly 1.3 million people visited the Montana’s 54 state parks from May through August this year. That’s a 16 percent increase over the five-year average.

“We’ve conclude our best summer season yet,” state parks administrator Chas Van Genderen said. “The numbers tell us how much Montanans and out-of-state visitors value state parks as a place to spend time with family and friends camping, fishing, swimming, hiking and enjoying Montana’s outdoor heritage.”

Region 1, which includes Flathead and other Northwest Montana counties, saw the highest overall visitation numbers, with 303,135 visitors recorded. Region 3, which includes Helena, Bozeman and Butte areas, saw the largest increase, at 22 percent.

In Northwest Montana, Wayfarers State Park on Flathead Lake in Bigfork posted the highest visitation numbers with 79,669 from May to August. Whitefish Lake State Park was second with 45,026. Statewide, Lake Elmo State Park in Billings saw the most visitors, at 153,000.

Les Mason State Park, on Whitefish Lake, and Lake Mary Ronan saw the largest increases in Region 1 from 2011 to 2012, each with 27 percent. Big Arm and Lone Pine were the only Region 1 state parks to see decreases.

The season peaked in July with more than 445,000 visitors statewide. August was the second busiest month, followed by June and then May.