The state parks that surround Flathead Lake (Montana) remained a popular place to visit in 2021, visitation figures show, but not as impressive as record-setting levels from the past two years, a report said.
All of the lake’s park units together accounted for 339,631 visits last year. That’s the second-highest number of visits of all Montana state parks. However, this is a 28% drop from 2020 and around 4% lower than the totals for 2019.
Statewide, Montana’s state parks logged over 3.4 million visitors last year. This was just 1.3% less than the record-setting high in 2020.
State officials said that visitor numbers last year increased at an unprecedented rate through July, before slowing due to smoke from wildfires along with drought, followed by lower temperatures. However, the number of visitors was up 28% over 2019.
The main reason for 2021’s decline in Northwest Montana was lower visitation at the Wayfarer’s Unit of Flathead Lake, which is likely because of the Boulder Fire in late summer close to Finley Point. Wayfarer’s recorded 153,155 visitors in 2021, a decrease of 41% when compared to 2020 and 22% lower when compared to 2019.
Big Arm had the second most visitors on Flathead Lake with 62,168 people recorded, which is less than 9% compared to 2020.
West Shore was the only Flathead Lake park to see an increase in visitors compared to 2020 with 44,097 visitors 2021.
