July 14, 2022 3:20 a.m.

A new National Park Service report shows that 1.1 million visitors to Oregon national parks spent $91 million in the state in 2021.

An NPS release said that spending supported 1,280 jobs and created a cumulative economic output of $137 million.

Regional Director Frank Lands said, “National parks are a vital part of our nation’s economy, especially for park gateway communities where millions of visitors each year find a place to sleep and eat, hire outfitters and guides and make use of other local services that help drive a vibrant tourism and outdoor recreation industry”. Lands said visitors to Oregon can find exciting new recreational opportunities and learning experiences in and around national parks.

The national parks in Oregon included in the 2021 report are Crater Lake National Park, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park and Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve.

The release said the peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis conducted by economists at the National Parks Service shows $20.5 billion of direct spending by more than 297 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 322,600 jobs nationally with 269,900 of those jobs found in gateway communities. The report shows that national parks created a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $42.5 billion.

More information regarding the report can be accessed at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm