Wilderness Recreation Use Monitoring 2000 Season
Pacific Southwest Region

Abstract

This project was conceived in response to increasing pressures from day recreation users in some of California's heaviest use wildernesses. The intent of this study was to respond to a forest's inability to adequately identify day use trends This project develops and tests a sampling strategy that assesses day use activities in an attempt to provide forest managers with information that can assist them in understanding the spatial distribution of recreation use. The pilot day use study was implemented in the following four Wildernesses that have reported high recreation use: Ansel Adams, John Muir, Cucamonga and Granite Chief. An automated day use report card was developed with the intent of capturing data on destination, duration of outing, recreational activity and time spent at each destination. The questions of concern in this study were the peak months of day use visitation in the wilderness, the average amount of time spent by day use parties, the average number of visitors per party, the intensity of visitation at each of the day use destinations and the order in which visitation occurred at each of the destinations. The reporting mechanism was simple to use but provided essential information on day use patterns. Imperative in this study was to empower managers with the technique to monitoring day use activities in their respective wilderness areas that was automated, but could provide statistical information on day use trends periodically throughout the season. Results of study clearly show potential for employing regular monitoring tools for capturing spatial distribution of day use activities.

Preliminary Results of the Study

Summary of Wilderness Areas Sampled
Sample Day Use Trip Report
John Muir Wilderness - Mono Pass Trail Results
John Muir Wilderness - Duck Pass Trail Results
Cucamonga Wilderness - Ice House trail Results
Granite Chief Wilderness - Five Lakes Trail Results
Ansel Adams Wilderness - Shadow Lake Trail Results
John Muir Wilderness - Piute Pass Trail Results

For more information on the project contact:

Dr. Randy Gimblett
School of Renewable Natural Resources
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona, USA
520-621-6360
email: gimblett@ag.arizona.edu

or

Garry Oye
Regional Program Leader
Wilderness, Rivers, Trails and Congressionally
Designated Areas
USDA Forest Service
Pacific Southwest Region
707-562-8837
goye@fs.fed.us