"Quite simply and astonishingly, this is dismantling the National Park Service as we know it, ranger by ranger and brick by brick." - Theresa Pierno, NPCA's President and CEO

The National Park Service as a whole served a record number of visits in 2024, but some parks may not openly share their visitation numbers.

Boy did Americans and other visitors make good use of US National Park Service sites in 2024 – enough to set a record.

As the administration fires rangers and other workers, an internal memo is directing the National Park Service not to publicize visitors numbers.

Park advocates say recent staff layoffs and building lease terminations could have far-reaching implications for both the visitor experience and the protection of natural resources.

A record-setting year for U.S. parks may have been something to celebrate in the past, but with staffing shortages and other issues on the horizon, it's unclear whether parks will be able to cope going forward.

Sites operated by the National Park Service recorded more than 331 million visits last year—the most in history. The news comes as the NPS weathers its worst staffing crisis in years.