Arkansas' national park visitations charted
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More than 4.4 million people visited Arkansas' seven national parks or designated national historic sites in 2024, according to the National Park Service.
Why it matters: All tourists to The Natural State spent $9.9 billion in 2023, about 7% of the state's GDP.
Driving the news: At least four employees working at the Buffalo National River were fired earlier this year during the Trump administration's initial purge of federal workers.
The latest: Stacy Ramsey, a Buffalo River park ranger who received national attention for losing her "dream job" in February, posted on Facebook Tuesday she had been reinstated following a court ruling.
What they're saying: "In compliance with court orders, the Department of the Interior is reinstating employees. All impacted employees will receive back pay, and the Department will ensure continued compensation as the White House pursues its appeals process," the National Park Service said in an email in response to questions about other fired employees.
By the numbers: Hot Springs National Park consistently ranks as the state's top spot.
- But during the COVID-19 pandemic, people took up outdoor activities where they could distance themselves from others, and the Buffalo National River's visit rate eclipsed Hot Springs.
- The state's other three national parks not noted in the chart above include the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site (63,767 visitors in 2024) ; President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site (62,15) and Arkansas Post National Memorial (26,203).