Visitors spent more money than ever at Colorado’s national parks in 2021, according to a government report.

The annual report determined 7.8 million parkgoers collectively spent an estimated $560 million, with most of that going toward lodging, eating and filling up the gas tank.  Those expenses and more supported 7,570 jobs in and around Colorado’s gateway communities, researchers found.

According to the report, that spending was nearly 43% up from the pandemic-altered 2020, when parks were closed for part of the year. Researchers reported a previous high of $515 million spent in 2019.

Among 10 National Park Service units in Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park is by far the most-visited and most powerful economic engine. Last year, the park’s 4.4 million visitors were found to spend $323 million all together.

The next-highest figure came from nearly 548,500 visitors at Mesa Verde National Park, where they totaled $62 million in expenditures, according to the report. Great Sand Dunes National continues to grow in popularity; researchers found last year’s record 602,613 visitors spent a combined $41.3 million.

Read the full report here: https://bit.ly/3O3KjE1