Glacier National Park's summer season comes to a close

As Glacier National Park's 2011 summer season comes to a close, park visitation statistics are nearly 20 percent behind last year's record-high numbers.

That is no surprise because the park's famous Going-to-the-Sun Road opened to Logan Pass later than ever before, costing valuable days of extended park use by many tourists who schedule their visits around access to the pass.

For the first eight months of the year, the park had 1,454,038 recreational visitors, or 19.6 percent fewer than last year's 1,809,340 visitors. August visitation numbers were down 15.8 percent compared to the same month last year, while July visitation was down 21.7 percent and June numbers were down 21 percent.

Approaching the 2010 all-time record of 2.2 million visitors for the entire year would be difficult under any circumstances, but this year involved some complications that surely had impacts on visitation.

A prolonged higher elevation snowpack and wet and cool spring weather carried well into June. Going-to-the-Sun Road's July 13 opening over Logan Pass was the latest in park history. Gas prices were higher than last year's, and the economy continued to struggle.

Concession lodging overnight stays in the park were down 23 percent for the first eight months of the year, while tent stays were down 9 percent, backcountry stays were down 20 percent and total overnight stays were down 13 percent.

Some park entrances had dramatically fewer visitors this year compared to last. Visitation at St. Mary's, for instance, was down 50 percent, while visitation through the West Glacier entrance was down just 8.6 percent.

Logan Pass from the West Glacier entrance has closed at Avalanche Creek to allow for construction to start. Logan Pass can still be accessed from the east side through mid-October, and of course Lake McDonald and Avalanche remain accessible as well.