Memorial Day weekend is usually the kickoff to the summer camping season.
But for Theodore Roosevelt National Park, its busy season comes later in the summer.
Eileen Andes, Chief of Interpretation and Public Affairs for the park, said the number of visitors in May isn't that much.
In May 2009, the park had nearly 60,000. That nearly doubled visitation numbers from the month of May in 2006 and 2007.
Visitation picks up later in the season, with nearly 200,000 visitors coming in July and August.
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Over 230,000 came in July and August in 2009 as part of the busy year.
As a whole, the park had about 585,000 visitors in 2009, which was one of the busiest years in recent memory.
"People have to really want to come here," Andes said. "We like the fact that it's not incredibly crowded, and I think a lot of visitors like that, too."
Andes said most visitors to the park are from North Dakota, with most of the other visitors coming from surrounding states.
"There a lot of people from the Upper Midwest," Andes said. "(People from) Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota who visit. Quite a few people from Montana come east because from places like Miles City or Glendive, we are closer than Yellowstone or Glacier."
Since 2007, the park has seen the number of visitors increase every year.
"I think it's due to the economy," Andes said.
With gas prices fairly high for those years, she said many people still want a vacation and look to National Parks as an inexpensive way to enjoy one.
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Wildlife watching opportunities are still available at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Andes said.
"It's easy to see wildlife here, which is a big draw for visitors," Andes said. "They don't realize that until after they arrive, and sometimes it's a pleasant surprise."
Locally, the campgrounds at Patterson Lake in Dickinson were pretty full, despite the cool temperatures and wet conditions Saturday and Sunday.
Dickinson Parks and Recreation Director James Kramer said only a couple of campgrounds were left unreserved beforehand.
"There were probably three or four spots left unreserved for the weekend," he said.
Not surprisingly, Memorial Day weekend is one of the busier weekends for the lake, along with the Fourth of July and Labor Day holidays.
Kelly Sorge, co-owner of Indian Hills Resort at Indian Hills State Recreation Area on the shore of Lake Sakakawea, wrote in an e-mail that the number of visitors was down a bit from normal holiday traffic.
According to Sorge, high school graduations and the cool weather slowed down business.
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"The weekend could have been better," she wrote.
Entrance fees waived at Theodore Roosevelt National Park this weekend
The National Park Service is waiving entrance fees at all parks on June 5-6, including Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site near Williston and Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site near Stanton will also waive entrance fees.
Entrance fees will also be waived on Aug. 14-15, Sept. 25, and Nov. 11.
