The Associated Press

The state Division of Parks and Recreation says that the number of visitors to the parks is down 11 percent from last year, likely because of the rising cost of gas.

That 11 percent cut across Utah's 41 state parks translates to about 250,000 fewer visitors in the first six months of this year compared with the same period last year.

The biggest hits were taken at Antelope Island, which is down 19 percent, and Wasatch Mountain, down 33 percent. Willard Bay is also down 46 percent.

Record-high gas prices in Utah, which hit $4.22 per gallon last week, were expected to keep travelers closer to home.

"We usually go to Lake Powell once or twice a year," Draper resident Dayna Simons said after docking her family boat at Utah Lake. "I think we're cutting that one out. We're doing things closer to home."

Nearly half of Utah residents surveyed around Memorial Day said they planned to reduce their vacation plans, according to a Deseret News/KSL-TV poll conducted by Dan Jones & Associates.

Some parks, though, have seen a dramatic increase. At Goblin Valley, the number of visitors is up 61 percent. Megan Blackwelder, the park's assistant manager, said some of the better numbers may be because of more accurate traffic counters and cool June weather.

Other Utah attractions have seen increases too, including the state's national parks, which are up about 1 percent this year with 3.6 million visitors.

In southern Utah, the Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City reports a 5 percent boost in ticket sales and sales are up 20 percent over last year at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts near St. George.

At Utah Lake -- a popular spot for boaters -- business is up 7 percent, or 9,300 more people than last year, according to state figures.

"I would probably blame gas prices. ... It's keeping people local," park manager Ty Hunter said.

The lake draws visitors from southern Salt Lake County, Utah County and northern Juab County. Officials there said visitors are staying all day at the rather than just a few hours.

Park City was a popular destination around the Fourth of July holiday, according to Bill Malone, director of the Park City Chamber of Commerce. Overall, though, business has been down.

"Pretty much this summer, our weeks have ranged anywhere from 5 to 13 percent off the numbers last year," Malone said.

Part of that is because of corporate retreats.

"While their company may be very healthy financially, we hear of groups who cut on their corporate travel ... based on the perception of spending money in an economic downturn," Malone said.