BOZEMAN — Park officials say Yellowstone National Park attracted an unexpectedly large amount of visitors this year.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports that park spokeswoman Amy Bartlett says there were more than 4 million recreational visits by the end of October, when roads to many popular attractions close for the season.
She says park officials weren’t anticipating the large increase.
Yellowstone saw more visits every month of 2015 than it did in 2014. The park broke its previous record in September, hitting 3.8 million visits and surpassing its 2010 total of 3.6 million.
Bartlett says beautiful October weather and increased bus traffic might have driven visit numbers up.
Crowds could also pour in next year, as the National Park Service turns 100 years old.