National parks see a record number of visitors, including in Wisconsin

Wisconsin saw more visitors at sites managed by the National Park Service last year, and America’s national parks had a record number of visitors.

News of the growing demand at the parks comes as the Trump administration has cut staff to manage them.

More than 331 million visitors explored national parks last year, but it’s not being widely publicized by the agency. The New York Times reported Thursday that an internal memo said the agency wouldn’t issue a press release or social media posts touting the numbers.

Around 1,000 workers with the National Park Service have been fired as President Donald Trump and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency seek to downsize the federal workforce. WPR previously reported that the cuts have affected several staff at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

The Apostle Islands saw 253,703 visitors last year. The number is up almost 3 percent from 2023, but it’s still below a high seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway saw a nearly 12 percent boost with a record 900,828 visitors last year.

Jeff Rennicke, executive director for Friends of the Apostle Islands, said the increase in visitors should be a clarion call to protect those sites.

“People plan their visits to the Bayfield area, around the Apostle Islands, around Lake Superior, and they come here to explore their whole area with the park being the centerpiece,” Rennicke said. “Any disruption in our park is a disruption to our entire engine of our tourist industry.”

Most recent data shows visitors spent $44.4 million in communities surrounding the Apostle Islands in 2023, generating $55.7 million for the local economy and supporting more than 600 jobs.

An agency spokesperson confirmed that national parks saw the highest number of visitors in the agency’s history.

“The National Park Service is hiring seasonal workers to continue enhancing the visitor experience as we embrace new opportunities for optimization and innovation in workforce management,” the agency said in a statement. “We are focused on ensuring that every visitor has the chance to explore and connect with the incredible, iconic spaces of our national parks.”

A former official with the Apostle Islands previously told WPR around 35 to 45 seasonal workers are hired annually in addition to its 25 to 30 permanent employees. Bayfield County Tourism Director Mary Motiff said it’s unclear when hiring may begin for seasonal staff or whether the cuts will remain in place.

“If they do hold, it’s going to be extremely problematic to give people the kind of experience that they expect when they come to a national park,” she said.

Ed Shevenock of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, said he first visited the Apostle Islands in 2021 and has returned every year since. He said he was tentatively planning another trip this year before he learned of cuts to staff.

“I don’t want to go up there if there’s going to be limited services or places that are marginally open,” Shevenock said. “By not doing that, I’m not going to be staying at a hotel. I’m not going to be spending money at restaurants because I won’t be going up there.”

US Rep. Tom Tiffany asks parks to be given authority to hire staff

At the same time, Wisconsin Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is seeking to designate the Apostle Islands as a national park. Tiffany has said the designation would draw more visitors and spending, but Motiff questioned how the Apostle Islands could handle more visitors with fewer staff.

A spokesperson for Tiffany said he supports the Trump administration’s plans to increase the hiring of thousands more seasonal workers at national parks. Tiffany and six Republican congressmen sent a letter Friday to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, urging parks be given direct authority to hire staff.

“If sufficient seasonal workers are not hired and onboarded in time, we are concerned that basic services such as fee collection, sanitation, and transportation, will suffer,” the lawmakers wrote. “Using the normal hiring process for these seasonal workers would impair the parks’ ability to have them trained and in their positions by the time the busy season begins.”

In a Feb. 25 letter, the Wild Rivers Conservancy said it’s unclear when the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway can begin hiring 2025 seasonal staff for the busy summer season.

“Seasonal employees play an essential role in visitor programs, wildlife monitoring, campsite maintenance, and preserving the riverway’s pristine condition. Without them, both conservation efforts and the visitor experience will suffer,” wrote Matt Poppleton, the group’s executive director.

Most recent data shows visitors to the riverway spent more than $40 million in 2023, generating $58.1 million for the local economy and supporting more than 500 jobs.

Bill Ties, executive director of the Falls Chamber of Commerce, said the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway has seen growth in visitors after people flocked to the outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic. If federal resources take a hit, Ties said the state, city and local businesses will support tourists.

“We will have canoes that you can rent. We’ll have spaces for you to camp and to experience everything that you want to experience when it comes to the (St. Croix) National Scenic Riverway,” Ties said.

Rennicke with the Friends of the Apostle Islands said they also stand ready to help.

“Whether it’s putting together a cadre of volunteers or helping the park get important information to the public or just simply raising awareness of what’s happening in the park,” Rennicke said. “We are here to support this wonderful staff of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.”