PUBLIC LANDS -- A few decades ago, people willing to brave frosty nights and fewer services would be rewarded with uncrowded opportunities to view wildlife in Yellowstone National Park.

Nowadays, even October can't be considered the shoulder season.

The National Park Service reports just more than 252,000 people visited the park last month. That is 29 percent more than the previous October record.

The total number of visitors to Yellowstone so far this year has exceeded 4 million.

Each of the park’s five entrances showed an increase in vehicles for the month of October compared to 2014 levels, with the largest increases at the South, West, and North entrances.

The park also saw a big increase in the number of buses and bus passengers during the shoulder season months of April, May, and October.

The Park Service says the record visitation in October may be the result of unseasonably warm weather during the month and marketing.