SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (KNEP) - As COVID dwindles down the large parks such as Yellowstone are seeing huge throngs of people but Scotts Bluff National Monument on the other hand is seeing their share of higher volume.

Park staff said from January to June 58,000 tourists have visited the monument. Their five year average is at 52 percent higher above what the normal five year average is for visitors. Park staff expects the numbers to be high in July and drop a little bit in August when school begins. Tourists are not overlooking the monument.

“Scotts Bluff is a destination place for a number of people we have a lot of visitors that come in and say hey we saw stuff we wanted to stop here and learn more about the park the area,” said Dan Morford Superintendent Scotts Bluff National Park.

Park staff said the tourism the monument attracts has a major economic impact on the community. While it was a bit lonely last year because of COVID it is nice to see families enjoying national parks. Recent visitors have told park staff they are gone for 60 days and are seeing other places.

“We here a lot of visitors coming and say I had no idea that anything like this was here in the area,” said Morford. “I think there is still some of the secrecy out there but we’re also seeing from social media and a variety of things we’re becoming more and more popular.”

Park staff said they are seeing licenses from everywhere at Scotts Bluff National Monument.