Annual visitor numbers were down last year at all four park sites around the state of Oregon according to National Park Service Data. Although visitation was down, most were more crowded than when the decade began. Crater Lake National Park saw a drop in overall visitor numbers from 2018 despite a busy summer, as did the Oregon Caves and John Day Fossil Beds national monuments, and the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.

Oregon Live writer, Jamie Hale, covers in his article: "In 2019, the park site saw 197,091 visitors, marking the second straight year of decline. Gamman said park officials aren’t sure why the numbers have fallen, though the trend could be due to a number of factors, including the economy or changing demographics of the region." Park data over the last two years also show a seasonal migration of visitors corresponding with the severity of summer wildfires. In 2018, a year with several big fires in the region, the park saw record crowds in May and October. In 2019, when there were far fewer fires, visitors shifted back to the summer months.

To read more on Oregon State Park visitation, click here.