As gas prices soar, parks in Utah see fewer visitors

"While their company may be very healthy financially, we hear of groups who cut on their corporate travel ... based on the perception of spending money in an economic downturn," Malone said.

Vacationers aren't crowding to several other Utah getaways, either.

Utah's 41 state parks have seen nearly 2 million visitors this year, down about 11 percent from the same time in 2007, according to state parks and recreation numbers. That's more than 250,000 fewer visitors to 41 state parks in the first six months of this year, compared with the same period last year.

Willard Bay is down 46 percent, or some 52,500 visitors.

"That's partially due to the fact we have low water levels because we're doing repairs on a dike," park ranger James Morgan said. Gas prices also may be playing a role.

"We're a large boating facility," Morgan said. "You pay for the gas to get here, plus to run (a boat). It costs a lot."

But another popular boating park, Utah Lake, has seen 7 percent more visitors this year, or 9,300 additional people, state numbers show.

"I would probably blame gas prices. ... It's keeping people local," park manager Ty Hunter said. The lake, located just off I-15 smack in the middle of a population center, mainly draws visitors from southern Salt Lake County, Utah County and northern Juab County. They're also staying all day at the lake, instead of a few hours. On Saturdays, overflow parking is needed around noon.

Palisade State Park in Sanpete County has reported 24,000 additional visitors so far this year, for a 20 percent increase.

But that number actually is below expectation, said assistant manager Brad Bird. The park, which features a reservoir, golf course and hiking trails, increased camp sites by about a third this year. Visitation was expected to grow by similar numbers.

"I think it's the gas," Bird said. "I think people are staying home. But we're still full — we couldn't get any more people. But they're not doing as much driving in and out."

Goblin Valley in Green River reports a whopping 61 percent increase in visitation, or more than 13,600 additional people.

Assistant park manager Megan Blackwelder attributes some of the uptick to a new traffic counter and cool June weather.

Utah's 13 national parks have seen 3.6 million visitors in the first six months of the year — a 1.3 percent increase from a year ago, National Park Service numbers show.

"We don't know why this year, despite our best estimates, if you will, visitation at the national parks is flat," National Park Service management analyst Tom Wade said. "We expected more local people to show up, but we don't know ... why and who are coming this year versus last year."

Trisha Seamons of Provo in most years has taken her family on a road trip to Goblin Valley in Emery County. This year, they'll visit nearby Spanish Fork Canyon instead.

Many families are being careful in this economy.

Holly Faulkner, who with her husband owns Will's Pit Stop and Will's Canyon Stop convenience stores in Utah County, sees some customers literally scraping spare change to fill their tanks.

Her family is cautious these days, too.

"When we filled up the boat, we were like, 'Oh!'" she said just before launching at Utah Lake. "That's why we've only used it three times this year. You have to cut back."

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