CODY - Despite early 2009 visitation numbers that lag last year's by about 14 percent, administrators from Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks are optimistic that last-minute bookings will bring more summer visitors.

"Visitation in Yellowstone has been soft this winter," said Colin Campbell, a deputy superintendent for the park who spoke Monday to tourism, business and civic leaders at the 58th National Parks Day in Cody.

The annual tradition brings together parks and public lands administrators from around the area to preview the summer tourism season with Cody residents.

Campbell said that snow coach and snowmobile numbers were down this winter and that Yellowstone visitation is off by about 14 percent so far this year from 2008.

Parks officials, including incoming Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, are focusing on increasing public lands awareness and use among young people, a demographic that has been less engaged on the issue than older generations, Campbell said.

Campbell said he is hoping for a boost in public awareness of Yellowstone and other national parks after the September premiere of "The National Parks: America's Best Idea," a PBS miniseries by documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.

Mary Gibson Scott, superintendent of Grand Teton National Park, said winter visitation there was down slightly but not by quite as much as in Yellowstone.

"We have more local and regional traffic in Teton during the winter," Scott said, adding that the park saw a bump in April visits.

"Despite the economic conditions, we're optimistic about this year," she said.

"Reservations are somewhat soft, but I think we're going to see late reservations more close to the time of actual visits."

Later this week, Grand Teton will open an 8-mile multiuse pathway for bicycles and foot traffic running between Moose and south Jenny Lake, Scott said.

Grand Teton is also working with airport administrators on the $27 million expansion of Jackson Hole Airport, the only commercial airport located in a national park. Park administrators have recommended a 20-year extension of the airport's use agreement to help it remain eligible for Federal Aviation Administration funding.

Cassity Bromley, chief of resources at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, said that lake levels should be good based on a solid water outlook this year.

Horseshoe Bend is open and has electrical hook-ups for campers, as well as full concessions and boat tours, she said, adding that Ok-A-Beh will have full concessions also.

Several archaeological field schools will be working at historic ranch sites within the area, and scoping meetings begin next month on proposed trail work, Bromley said.

Becky Aus, Shoshone National Forest supervisor, said that work in the forest this year will focus on promoting "high-quality, dispersed wilderness experiences" in the backcountry and on "having quality facilities in the travel corridors that go into the park."

The Shoshone Forest will reconstruct and expand Island Lake campsite facilities on the Beartooth Plateau and will build two new interpretive sites at traffic pullouts along the Beartooth Highway, Aus said.

Contact Ruffin Prevost at rprevost@billingsgazette.com or 307-527-7250.