Nontraditional Uses of the National Parks

White, Robert

Increasing numbers of individuals with diverse expectations and values are being attracted to the National Parks. These expectations have manifested themselves in a variety of activities including some of the new action/excitement sports. Many of these activities may be in direct conflict with the traditional, though changeable, concept of the National Parks. The present study was designed I) to assess the kinds of activities that visitors and managers feel are inappropriate in the National Parks; 2) to examine visitor and manager perceptions of the National Parks; and 3) to explore the relationships between these perceptions and their definitions of appropriate recreational use of the parks. Two hundred and eleven visitor interviews were conducted along with 12 in-depth interviews with park managers. The interview format consisted of a two-part questionnaire that was administered on-site at nine park units (National Parks and Monuments) in Utah. Three managers were also interviewed in Yosemite. Both populations were first asked to evaluate each of the 22 activities as to their xiv appropriateness in the National Parks (NRA, historic sites, etc. were specifically excluded) and to explain their reasons for each rating. The activities ranged from the traditional (hiking and picnicking) to the unusual (hang gliding and nude bathing). In addition, participation rates for each activity were recorded to study their influence on perceived acceptability. The second part was designed to establish a visitor profile based on demographic information and their subjective appraisal of the purpose of National Parks and their attractiveness. Park managers were asked similar material with additional questions relating to service history in the agency.