Social Science

The Organic Act requires the National Park Service to provide for the enjoyment of current and future generations. Understanding relationships between people and parks is critical for protecting resources unimpaired and providing for public enjoyment. The Social Science Program (SSP) conducts and promotes state-of-the-art social science related to the mission of the NPS, delivering usable knowledge to park managers and the public.

A visitor looks over a landscape of rock formations at Canyonlands National Park
Visitor Use Statistics

Visits, Visitor Hours, & Overnight Stays

A pair of visitors look over blue waters at their camp site in Glen Canyon
Economics

Community Contributions & Valuation

A pair of visitors interact with a social science surveyor
Socioeconomic Monitoring

Demographics & Surveys

three people sit at the edge of a lake and enjoy the view
Annual Visitation Highlights

The National Park Service reported a record 331.9 million recreation visits in calendar year 2024. 

Last updated: March 5, 2025

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