It might have been all the newcomers to Oregon, or possibly the unseasonably warm winter that greeted us last year - whatever the reason, a record number of people visited Crater Lake National Park in 2015.

The official number is 664,000 people, according to park officials, a whopping 13.5 percent increase over 2014. That number is easily the highest in the last 25 years, the time since the park started implementing modern tracking methods.

The record number "confirms the value these places have to the American people," Crater Lake superintendent Craig Ackerman said in a press release Friday. "These numbers are reminders that the national parks serve to create lasting memories for individuals and families through their enjoyment of and deep connection to these special places."

Crater Lake's announcement came days after the National Park Service announced it saw record visitation to parks nationally - more than 305 million through the year, a four percent increase over 2014.

It's great timing for our national parks, which will be celebrating their centennial this August and at events over the course of 2016.

-- Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB