SCOTT COUNTY, Tenn. — The National Park Service tallied visitation figures at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area for the first half of 2020. June saw tourism bounce back in a big way on the Tennessee side while the Kentucky side saw dwindling attendance.
For the month of June 2020, there were 63,716 recreational visitors in Tennessee. That's up 26.8 percent compared to June 2019, when there were 50,242 Tennessee visitors.
Overnight camping in June dwarfed the numbers for the same month in 2019. Big South Fork recorded 10,750 overnight stays in June 2020 compared to 6,667 in June 2019. That's a 61.2 percent increase.
Total visitation from January through June is down more than 38 percent in Kentucky compared to the first half of 2019. The number of recreational visitors in Tennessee during the same time is down 6.9 percent.
Lower visitation overall is to be expected considering the NRRA was closed nearly the entire month of April. Campgrounds were closed until early-June.
People who want to camp at Big South Fork need to do more than just show up. Visitor Centers and booths at campgrounds remain closed, so all reservations and payments must be made in advance online.
As for why the numbers are so strong for June, some visitors said they are looking for places to get outside while avoiding crowds during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some day-trippers are opting for Big South Fork rather than the crowded environment in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Because Big South Fork is a National River and Recreation Area, visitors can also bring dogs on the hiking trails. Pets are not allowed on most trails in other national parks.
Visitors at Big South Fork have a big impact on the region's economy. A new National Park Service report showed visitors spent more than $23 million in surrounding communities in 2019.