Pinnacles National Park brings in millions of dollars

A new National Park Service report shows the more than 200,000 visitors to Pinnacles National Park last year spent $13.1 million in communities near the park, supporting 158 jobs in the local area.

National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy – returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service.

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by U.S. Geological Survey economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas and Christopher Huber and Lynne Koontz for the National Park Service.

The report shows the billions of dollars spent by about 274 million park visitors supported not only jobs, but had a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $26.5 billion.

According to the 2013 economic analysis, most visitor spending was for lodging and food.