Visitation to Yellowstone National Park this winter season is off to a strong start, with the December numbers up more than 10 percent over 2008 -- but snowmobile usage continues to be on a downward trend and doesn't come close to reaching daily limits.

Visitation to Yellowstone for the month of December was up 10.8 percent compared to 2008. Of the 18,107 visitors to Yellowstone in December, 9,483 came by automobile, RV, or bus; 4,740 were passengers on snowcoaches; and 4,512 entered the park on guided snowmobile tours.

Snowmobile and Snowcoach Visitation

(Editor's Note: These are the corrected numbers, per Yellowstone officials.)

An average of 190 snowmobiles and 36 snowcoaches a day entered the park from the December 15 start of winter season to the end of the month. Both numbers are down compared to the same period in 2008 and 2007.

We're a little surprised to see a decline in the snowcoach numbers; concessionaire Xanterra has put a lot of emphasis into running snowcoaches in the Park. We suspect part of the decline has to do with fewer snowcoaches entering the South and East entrances.

And the serious decline in snowmobiles may have greater ramifications in the gateway communities. Fewer snowmobiles means less of a need for paid guides. And while snowmobilers aren't known as the biggest spenders in the world, they spend enough to help folks in Cooke City, Gardiner and West Yellowstone make ends meet during the winter. Part of the decline can be attributed to the wrangling over daily limits in the Park -- but you could make the argument that all the wrangling was moot because the Park is attracting fewer snowmobilers and more casual visitors.

Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.