More than 540,000 people visited Grand Teton National Park in August, an 8.6 percent increase compared with the same month last year.

Year-to-date visitation is up 6 percent compared with 2006. Yellowstone also reported increases in tourism this summer.

The counts show concession lodging in Grand Teton up 2.6 percent for August and up 6 percent for the year. At concessionaire campgrounds, numbers were up 9 percent for the month and 6 percent for the year.

Backcountry use also increased, up 3.7 percent for the month and almost 12 percent for the year. Traffic at the Moose entrance station increased 6.4 percent for August and was up 7.8 percent for the year, according to a report from the park.

Officials caution that the statistics don’t necessarily account for all visits to Grand Teton.

Grand Teton spokeswoman Jackie Skaggs said the new Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, which opened Aug. 11, was bustling during its first few weeks.

“The Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center was definitely very busy every day until visitation started to drop off a little at the end of the month,” Skaggs said. “The park staff working the visitor center desk, as well as the Grand Teton Association staff working the bookstore, all commented that they could hardly keep up.”

Skaggs said there also could be increases in September, thanks in part to the Fall Arts Festival.

“It definitely attracts fall visitors,” she said. “When people are here for other events in the valley, we see an increase here, as well.”