Recreational Use of Selected Viewpoints on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, 2009

Dimond, Alison; Freimund, Wayne

Summarizes 2009 research findings and places these in context of previous years data collection that began in 2006. The 2009 sampling was focused on two sites: Logan Pass and The Loop. Findings detail visitor demographics and use patterns, and assess impacts of the park transit system. This study is part of a five year assessment of visitor use of the Going the Sun Road and the park shuttle system. This portion of the study had three primary goals. First, it assessed if the shuttle is increasing the number of people taking one way hikes on more backcountry trails and understanding how hikers use the shuttle to facilitate their hiking experiences. In addition, it assessed how shuttle riders and non-shuttle riders use roadside pullouts and if the shuttle influences roadside pullout use. Finally, this study assessed how visitors use park-provided shuttle information sources, how useful these information sources are, and possibilities for making them more useful.The study used three different surveys. One survey was given to hikers and focused on intercepting hikers on the Highline Trail, a backcountry hike that has been made more accessible by the shuttle. A second survey was given to shuttle riders and a third to non-shuttle riders. Surveys were implemented at Logan Pass and the Loop, which are busy roadside pullouts on the Going to the Sun Road and provide access to the Highline Trail. Parking lot usage was also observed at the Loop.The study provided interesting and useful results. For example, a large majority of hikers on the Highline Trail used the shuttle to facilitate a one-way hike. Furthermore, the ability to use the shuttle seems to be a key factor in people’s decisions to hike the Highline Trail: a large majority of hikers surveyed decided to take this hike based on knowledge of the shuttle. However, it appears that hikers are still driving the road and parking in congested areas to reach one of the Highline trailheads – 70% of hikers surveyed parked at either Logan Pass or the Loop. Though the shuttle may be increasing the number of people hiking the Highline Trail, people’s hiking experiences do not seem to be highly affected by an increase in hikers. A majority of hikers said that solitude, pristine natural beauty, and wildlife sightings had a positive impact on their hike. However, between 30 and 40% of hikers did feel that overcrowding, non-natural sounds and overflights had a negative impact on their hike.

Recreational Use of Selected Viewpoints on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, 2009

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