The Coconino sun., 1926-10-08
GREAT INCREASE TRAVEL
GRAND CANYON THIS YEAR

Grand Canyon, ArlZ., Oct. 6.-The
total of 140,252 visitors to the Grand
Canyon national park during the sea-
son just closed, indicates it was the
most successful in the history of the
park, it was announced by j. r. Ea-
kin, here today.
As was freely predicted by park
officials early in the year, more than
half of the total arrived by automo-
bile and other private means Of trav-
ell. This is the first time that rail
travel was exceeded by private en-
tries.
i There were 22,849 autos carrying
| 1880 passengers registered at the
park entrances. They bore license
plates from every state in the union,
District of Columbia, Hawaii, Alaska,
Panama, Mexico, China and the Phil
ippine Islands. Statistics prepared
in the park office, show that Califor-
mia led the list in the number of cars
with 5,156, and Arizona was second
with 4,741. Other states listed as to
the number of cars are: Utah 1,430,
Texas 1,156, Colorado 1,017, Illinois
769 and Ohio 647 Among the visi-
tors arriving by rail, were persons
from 81 foreign countries.
| The figure for the season is five
| per cent in excess of last years to-
tai, and is the largest number to en-
ter the park in year OF the total,
81, ,436 came by rail, 1880 in 22,849
| automobiles and 236 by miscellane-
Gus means. Although the increase
on the south rim was substantial, the
percentage of increase ON the north
rim was much more impressive.
While rail travel to the south rim
showed loss, the total for this class
of travel on the north rim more than
doubled, and there was very ma
terial increase in auto travel. The
total travel to the south rim amount
ed to 129, ,222, compared to 1858
year ago, and the figures for the
north rim are 11,030, compared to
8,256.
The claims of routes through the
Great Southwest, as being all-year
highways, are amply substantiated
by figures on the park record books.
On September 80, autos had entered
the park for 621 consecutive days
The records also show that cars from
the state of New York entered the
park every month of the year, and
the same is true of eight other states
east of the Mississippi river and also
a large number of western states. No
serious trouble was encountered along
trans-continental highways passing
through Arizona and New Mexico at
any time of the year. Unusually
heavy spring rains occurred, but
there was no break in the steady
flow of cross country cars traversing
these states.
A close study of the figures, shows
that road developments have had
decided influence on the trend Of ira
vel. Records show that 1924 Ari-
zona motorists visited the canyon
compared to 1906 last year. Two
things probably explain this unex-
sected increase, one being the "See
Arizona" campaign that has been
carried on so successfully, and the
other being the development of high
ways north and south across the
state. Both of these factors have
not only affected the vacation and
sightseeing plans of the people of
Arizona, but those of other states.
! In attempting to call the attention of
Arizonans to the scenic features OF
the state, they have also been
brought to the attention of motorists
throughout the entire country, and
Arizona is no longer a state the tour
ist merely passes through.
1t is not expected that this years
total is the largest that will ever en-
! ter the park The new season has al
ready started and already shows ev-
cry promise of breaking the records
of the one just closed. AS the Grand
Canyon is open the entire year, the
end of the season is merely date on
the calendar, and has no significance
other than being the end of one and
the beginning of another.
| Interesting Facts Relating to Park
| Travel
| The seasons total of 140,252 is the
/ largest number to enter the park in
one year.
Travel to the park has exceeded
| the hundred thousand mark five
| times.
The largest months travel to the
park was z3,945 during July.
The largest number of people to
enter the park in one day was 1902
on July 4th.
Daily travel exceeded the thous-
and mark on six days.
The largest number of autos to en-
ter the park in one day was 261 on
July 4th.
Long distance touring records We're
made by autos registered from China
and the Philippine Islands.
Autos were registered on the south
rim every day of the year.
Thirty-seven foreign countries rep
resented.
Visitors from Foreign Countries
The following is list of the num-
Der of people registered from foreign
countries at the Ell Tovar hotel DUR
ing the past year. AS only small
part of the total park visitors reg
lister at any hotel, this list is not
complete, but shows very clearly the
international appeal of the Grand
Canyon.
Australia Observation-Disclosures
England -143
Canada ......-....-....-.-..-------- ~