A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that the 200,000 visitors to Iowa’s national parks in 2013 spent $11.4 million and supported 172 jobs in the state. Patricia Trapp, acting director of NPS’s Midwest Region, which includes Iowa and 12 more states, said “The national parks of Iowa attract hundreds of thousands of visitors a year from across the country and around the world. Whether it’s a day trip of a long family vacation, they come for a great experience — and they end up spending a little money along the way, too.” Iowa’s national parks are Effigy Mounds National Monument and Herbert Hoover National Historic Site.

According to the national report, most park visitor spending was for lodging (30.3 percent), food and beverages (27.3 percent), gas and oil (12.1 percent), and admissions and fees (10.3 percent). Souvenirs and other expenses accounted for the remaining 10 percent. Nationally, the largest jobs categories supported by visitor spending were restaurants and bars (50,000 jobs) and lodging (38,000 jobs).

To learn more about Iowa’s national parks and how the National Park Service works with communities in the state to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/iowa.