Glacier Park records higher visitation
<p>Melissa Blake, foreground, of Swan Mountain Outfitters, guides a party down a trail along Lake McDonald Road.</p>
Glacier National Park recorded 2.152 million recreational visitors in 2012 through November, a 13 percent increase over 2011.
Most of the visitors turned the gates at the West Entrance, with 947,090 visits recorded. Saint Mary had 376,138 visits, and Many Glacier had 233,750. The quietest place in the Park was Cut Bank, with 12,000.
Overnight lodging was also up significantly, according to Park figures. There were 126,055 overnight stays in concession lodges in 2012, compared to 103,070 last year. Part of the Many Glacier Hotel was closed last year for renovations.
More visitors also stayed in tents and visited the backcountry. About 102,000 people stayed in tents, compared to 96,000 last year. About 26,600 registered for a backcountry trip, compared to 25,672 last year.
All told, 364,406 people spent the night in Park lodges or campgrounds, compared to 332,402 last year.