Visitors to the Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction contributed $43.6 million to the area economy in 2021, according to the latest results of an annual report issued by the National Park Service.

The economic effects of visits to national parks, monuments and other National Park Service sites totaled $856 million in Colorado and $42.5 billion in the United States.

“As we continue to welcome families to our parks and public lands across the country, the Interior Department is committed to making investments in our lands and waters that will support tens of thousands of jobs, safeguard the environment and help ensure that national parks and public lands are ready to meet the challenges of climate change and increased visitation,” said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.

The report took into account the number of visitors to National Park sites and estimated the amount of money they spent in communities within 60 miles. The report also calculated the number of jobs visitor spending supported and the indirect and induced effects of visitor spending that add to economic contributions.

The Colorado National Monument attracted nearly 500,000 recreation visits in 2021. Visitors spent an estimated total of $34.9 million in Grand Junction, Fruita and other gateway communities. That spending in turn supported 453 jobs, $13.7 million in labor income, $23.7 million in value-added and a total of $43.6 million in economic output.

Lodging accounted for more than a third of visitor spending at $11.5 million. Visitors spent another $6.8 million at restaurants, $6.1 million for gasoline and $2.4 million for groceries. Retail spending totaled $3.1 million.

Visitor spending supported 121 jobs in the lodging industry, a number nearly matched by employment-related to secondary effects. Spending also supported 93 jobs in restaurants and 35 jobs in retail.

Economic output from visitor spending was greatest at $16.5 million for secondary effects, followed by $11.5 million for the lodging sector and $6.8 million for restaurants

Across Colorado, a total of 7.8 million visits to National Park Service sites were reported in 2021 and accounted for $856 million in economic output.

Visitors to National Park Service sites in Colorado spent an estimated $560 million in nearby communities. That spending supported 7,570 jobs, $303 million in labor income and $505 million in value added.

Lodging accounted for $188 million of visitor spending, followed by $109 million for restaurants, $72.7 million for gasoline and $42.3 million for groceries. Retail spending totaled $58.7 million.

While there are 17 National Park Service sites in Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park accounted for more than half of the visits and visitor spending in the state.

The 4.4 million visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park in 2021 spent a total of $323 million in gateway communities. That spending supported a total of 4,420 jobs, $183 million in labor income, $303 million in value-added and $513 million in economic output.

Nationwide, National Park Service sites attracted nearly 300 million visitors who spent a total of $20.5 billion in 2021.

Of the 322,600 jobs supported by visitor spending, 268,900 were located in gateway communities. Visitor spending also supported $14.6 billion in labor income and $24.3 billion in value added.

The lodging sector experienced the greatest direct effects with $7 billion of economic output. The restaurant sector ranked second with $4.2 billion in economic output.

The National Park Service launched a socioeconomic monitoring project in 2022 to survey visitors in 24 parks each year for the next 10 years or more. The method was used in Zion National Park in southwest Utah in 2021.

“The results showed that our previous estimates of profiles of average visitors underestimated the time they spend in the park and gateway communities, and we underestimated the amount of money they spent during their trips to the park,” said Chuck Sams, director of the National Park Service. “The new survey information will enable park managers to further improve the visitor experience and guide how to reach and engage with people who have yet to visit a national park.”