The Impact of Wildfire Smoke on Tourism in the GYE

Wildfire smoke is an increasingly visible consequence of a changing climate in the American West, and few places experience its effects more acutely than the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Home to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and surrounded by gateway communities whose economies depend heavily on outdoor recreation, the GYE draws millions of visitors each year — visitors who are sensitive to air quality conditions that affect visibility, health, and the quality of outdoor experience.

This project investigates how wildfire smoke events are affecting tourism in the GYE and what those impacts are likely to look like under future climate scenarios. Drawing on climate modeling, air quality projections, and tourism and economic data, the work aims to quantify the relationship between smoke exposure and visitation behavior — including decisions to cancel or reschedule trips, shift to alternative destinations, or reduce time outdoors during high-smoke periods.

The findings are intended to inform both park management and gateway community planning, providing a clearer picture of the economic risks that intensifying wildfire seasons pose to the region’s tourism-dependent communities and the public lands that anchor them.