Crater lake, Ore. – While it’s currently buried under nearly 12 feet of snow, Oregon’s only national park is bracing for more crowds this summer after consecutive years of record-breaking attendance.
The park drew approximately 756,000 visitors in 2016, a 23 percent increase over the then-record numbers from the year before, The Bulletin reports. The increase was partially due to the centennial celebration of the national park system, which brought more visitors to parks nationwide in 2016.
All told, visits to Crater Lake have increased by more than 78 percent over the past five years, thanks to a recovering economy and increased marketing from Oregon tourism agencies.
The increase has had a direct impact on the park experience and tourism spending in neighboring communities, such as Bend, which is about two hours to the northeast. However, the increase in visitors has also put some strain on Crater Lake staff: There are longer lines — but there have been a more serious impact in the form of increased search and rescue missions.
According to a 2016 report on how spending effects national parks, visits to Crater Lake generated $71 million in economic output in the form of jobs and consumer spending in 2015. That total was split roughly equally among Klamath County, Central Oregon, the Rogue Valley and the Willamette Valley, according to park officials.
Oregon’s growing profile as an international tourism destination helps as well. Last February, Crater Lake joined Wuyishan National Scenic Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in China that receives 10.5 million visitors per year. Allison Keeney, global communications manager for Travel Oregon, said the partnership came together in part because Oregon has become a destination for Chinese tourists. In 2014, 62,000 Chinese tourists contributed $48 million to the Oregon economy, according to numbers provided by Travel Oregon.
The park is also looking at ways to disperse visitors throughout the park and the season. The vast majority of Crater Lake’s visitors come during the heart of the summer and congregate near the lake itself. As a result, the park is looking to add attractions later in the summer, and in other parts of the park. In recent years, the park added new trails by the Pinnacles, miles from the lake itself.
