Record number of people visited New York State Parks during total solar eclipse

New York was one of the hot spots to see the total solar eclipse. And new numbers prove it.

Nearly one million people visited a New York State park during the total solar eclipse. According to the state, a record-setting number of tourists were at a state park from April 6 to April 9.

On April 8 alone, New York State Parks welcomed more than 326,500 visitors. That is a 52 percent jump in attendance compared to last year. 12 state parks reached full capacity on the day of the eclipse:

• Cayuga Lake (Seneca County)
• Chimney Bluffs (Wayne County)
• Crown Point (Essex County)
• Cumberland Bay (Clinton County)
• Fair Haven State Park (Cayuga County)
• John Brown Farm (Essex County)
• Point Au Roche (Clinton County)
• Robert Whele (Jefferson County)
• Selkirk (Oswego County)
• Seneca Lake (Seneca County)
• Southwick Beach (Jefferson County)
• Stony Brook State Park (Steuben County)

“From majestic Niagara Falls to the mighty Adirondacks, New York was one of the best places on earth to witness this once-in-a-generation celestial event,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “We planned for more than a year to welcome a record number of visitors during the total solar eclipse, and those preparations helped this event go off safely and successfully.”

The New York State Department of Transportation says, as expected, the state experienced moderate to heavy traffic volumes along the path of totality, especially in the North Country and Adirondacks. The NYSDOT reported no major accidents.

Mike Groll/Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

"People across the state heeded the warnings, arriving early and staying late to enjoy the many wonders that the Empire State has to offer," said New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez. " In between people got to experience a natural event that was truly out of this world. The days, weeks and months of planning were well worth it, and I was extremely proud of the role that team NYSDOT played in this once-in-a-generation event.”

The New York State Thruway Authority saw 5.5 million toll transactions recorded during the five-day period of April 5 to April 9. It says the peak travel day was Tuesday, following the eclipse.