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National Park visitors spent $1.9 billion in Utah – third highest in nation

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National Park visitors spent .9 billion in Utah – third highest in nation


SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — More than 15 million people visited Utah’s national parks in 2023, spending billions and helping create jobs to add $3 billion to the state economy, according to the National Parks Service.

In a newly released report, visitors to Utah’s 13 national parks spent an estimated $1.9 billion and supported over 26,000 jobs. It’s the third highest in the nation, behind only California and North Carolina.

“Whether it’s science, adventure, history or scenery, Utah’s national parks leave the more than 15 million visitors marveling,” said Kate Hammond, NPS Intermountain Regional Director. “Investments into Utah national parks give back to communities and these visitors support the state’s economy.”

So where are Utah’s visitors spending their money?

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According to the National Parks Service, more than $700 million – or about 40% of visitor spending – is on lodging such as hotels. Next about $306 million (16%) is spent on restaurants. Other spending includes gas, recreation, shopping, groceries, and camping.

The 2023 numbers mark another rise in Utah’s tourism industry since the sharp decline in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, national park visitors spent only $878 million in Utah. That number rebounded past pre-pandemic levels in 2021 and has continued to grow in the years since.

Nationwide, more than 325 million people visited national parks in 2023, spending an estimated $26.4 billion. As it was in Utah, most of that spending was on lodging and restaurants.

“I’m so proud that our parks and the stories we tell make a lasting impact on more than 300 million visitors a year,” said NPS Director Chuck Sams. “And I’m just as proud to see those visitors making positive impacts of their own, by supporting local economies and jobs in every state in the country.”

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.



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Dino dig continues at Dinosaur Nat’l Monument parking lot | Gephardt Daily

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Dino dig continues at Dinosaur Nat’l Monument parking lot | Gephardt Daily


Photos: Dinosaur National Monument

DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT, Utah and Colorado, May 3, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — There’s still time to swing by the Quarry Exhibit Hall parking lot at Dinosaur National Monument and see paleontologists in action.

“The team reopened the dig they began last fall during the parking lot repaving project—where they initially uncovered nearly 3,000 pounds of fossils,” a DNM social media post says.

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“When they returned this spring, the discoveries kept coming. In addition to lots of Diplodocus tail vertebrae, a beautifully preserved Camptosaurus toe claw and a striking Allosaurus tooth were also found! These finds offer an exciting peek into the Late Jurassic world that once filled this landscape.”

Diplodocus could grow to about 80 feet long, and stood 13 feet tall at the hip, according to the National Park Service and other online sites. It weighed about 22,000 to 35,000 pounds, and traveled in small herds. It was a plant eater.

Allosaurus (Utah’s state fossil) were about 28 feet long, stood about 10 to 15 feet tall, and weighed about 3,300 to 5,500 pounds. They were meat eaters, and could run about 19 to 34 miles an hour. The average human sprint is about 15–20 mph, according to online sources.

The Camptosaurus was 16 to 24 feet long, and typically stood about 6 feet tall at the hip, and weighed 1,100 to 2,200 pounds. It was a plant eater.

All three dino varieties lived in the late Jurassic period, about 161 to 145 million years ago.

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“Come witness this incredible work before the dig wraps up!,” the Dinosaur National Monument social media post says.

Dinosaur National Monument is located in eastern Utah and western Colorado, with fossil displays on the Utah side.

Two workers dig a roadside trench fenced by orange barriers and cones, with bags, buckets and tools nearby.

Photo: Dinosaur National Monument





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Utah Royals win their club-record fourth straight game

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Utah Royals win their club-record fourth straight game


Cloé Lacasse scores for second straight week, and Royals notch third straight shutout.

Utah Royals forward Cloé Lacasse celebrates her goal against the Seattle Reign FC during an NWSL soccer match on April 26, 2026, in Seattle. Lacasse also scored in the Royals’ win over Angel City FC on Saturday in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

The Utah Royals beat Angel City FC 1-0 on Saturday in Los Angeles for their club-record fourth straight win.

The victory put the Royals (4-2-1) in fourth place in the National Women’s Soccer League. Los Angeles (3-3-0) sits in eighth place.

Utah’s Cloé Lacasse scored in the 33rd minute off an assist from Paige Cronin, who took the ball down the right side of the field and crossed over to the Canadian. Lacasse headed it just inside the post to give Utah the 1-0 lead. She scored for the second straight game, having notched a goal in a 3-0 win over the Seattle Reign FC on April 26

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The Royals earned their third straight shutout, as goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn made her first start of the season and had four saves. McGlynn suffered an injury early in the season but replaced Mia Justus late in last week’s win over the Seattle Reign.

Utah Royals FC will return home to host the Houston Dash on Wednesday, May 6 (8 p.m., KMYU and CBSSN), at America First Field in Sandy.

For over 150 years, The Salt Lake Tribune has been Utah’s independent news source. Our reporters work tirelessly to uncover the stories that matter most to Utahns, from unraveling the complexities of court rulings to allowing tax payers to see where and how their hard earned dollars are being spent. This critical work wouldn’t be possible without people like you—individuals who understand the importance of local, independent journalism.  As a nonprofit newsroom, every subscription and every donation fuels our mission, supporting the in-depth reporting that shines a light on the is sues shaping Utah today.

You can help power this work.



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POST-GAME: Mikhail Sergachev 5.1.26 | Utah Mammoth

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POST-GAME: Mikhail Sergachev 5.1.26 | Utah Mammoth


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