(The Center Square) – Visitors to South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore National Memorial spent $385.6 million in the surrounding areas during visits in 2022, according to data from the National Park Service.
More than 2.4 million people visited the iconic monument that depicts Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
The visitor spending supports 5,694 local jobs, according to the report.
“People come to Mount Rushmore National Memorial to vacation with their families and friends while learning the history of the park and region,” said Superintendent Michelle Wheatley. “We recognize that tourism is a critical driver to the local economy and work closely with our tourism partners to support their initiatives.”
Only 5% of visitors were from local areas. Seventy-one percent stayed in lodging near the monument, according to NPS. More than 55% came to the area just to see Mount Rushmore, the report said.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem wants to bring fireworks back to Mount Rushmore. The governor has asked NPS for permission for 2024. The NPS denied her petition for the past three years.
South Dakota’s second most visited park, Badlands, received more than 1 million people visited in 2022, according to the data. Visitors spent more than $73 million in surrounding communities.
Two other sites managed by NPS drew in just over 100,000 visitors each, according to NPS data. Sightseers that explored Jewel Cave National Monument in Custer spent more than $73 million. The 105,776 tourists at the Minuteman National Monument spent about $8.9 million in the surrounding communities.
Overall, South Dakota’s national parks drew 4.4 million visitors in 2022, which spent more than $535 million in local communities, according to the report.
National parks support 378,400 jobs in the U.S. with an economic impact of $23.9 billion to the areas within 60 miles of a park, according to NPS. The lodging industry has the most effect on local economies at $9 billion, followed by restaurants, with a $4.6 billion impact.
“The impact of tourism on national parks is undeniable: bringing jobs and revenue to communities in every state in the country and making national parks an essential driver to the national economy,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams.
— Kim Jarrett, The Center Square
