Visitors and their dogs enjoy a ranger-guided program a Valles Caldera National Preserve. Photo Courtesy NPS

VALLES CALDERA NEWS RELEASE

Last week, the National Park Service announced that 400 national parks reported a total of 325.5 million visits in 2023, an increase of 13 million—or 4%—over 2022. Valles Caldera National Preserve saw 76,090 people experience the park, an increase of more than 12,000—or 19%—over 2022.

“Valles Caldera’s location at the heart of the Jemez Mountains provides abundant natural, cultural, recreational, and historical experiences for everyone,” said Superintendent Jorge Silva-Bañuelos. “We were thrilled to welcome so many people to the park, whether it was their first or their hundredth time here.”

One of 429 sites managed by the National Park Service, Valles Caldera National Preserve is known for its classic volcanic caldera, as well as huge mountain meadows, diverse wildlife, and meandering streams. The area also preserves the homeland of ancestral native peoples and embraces a rich cultural history. The park offers a variety of ways to experience these wonders, including wildlife viewing and scenic vistas, trails, a backcountry vehicle route, hunting and fishing, and immersive ranger-guided programs.

Visitation figures and trends guide how the National Park Service manages parks to ensure the best possible experience for park visitors. The Visitation Statistics Dashboard provides recreational visit statistics for 2023 and also for previous years. Of the 429 parks in the National Park System, 400 parks counted visitors in 2023.