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Leigh and String Lakes Visitor Use Study at Grand Teton National Park 2017 Data Collection Summary Natural Resource Report

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Leigh and String Lakes Visitor Use Study at Grand Teton National Park 2017 Data Collection Summary Natural Resource Report Leigh and String Lakes Visitor Use Study at Grand Teton National Park 2017 Data Collection Summary Natural Resource Report Rules/Guidance for the front cover page ON THIS PAGE North Jenny Lake Road, approaching String Lake JENNA BAKER ON THE COVER String Lake (southern end) JENNA BAKER Leigh and String Lakes Visitor Use Study at Grand Teton National Park 2017 Data Collection Summary Natural Resource Report Ashley D’Antonio, Ph.D,1 Derrick Taff, Ph.D,2 Christopher Monz, Ph.D,3 Peter Newman, Ph.D2, Jenna Baker, MS candidate1, Will Rice, MS candidate,2 Zach Miller, Ph.D2 1Oregon State University Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society 2Pennsylvania State University Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management 3Utah State University Department of Environment and Society March 2018 Contents Page Figures................................................................................................................................................... vi Tables ..................................................................................................................................................... x Photos ..................................................................................................................................................xiii Appendices .......................................................................................................................................... xiv Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................. xv Visitor Use Levels ........................................................................................................................ xv Visitor Use Patterns and Associated Impacts .............................................................................. xvi Visitor Observations .................................................................................................................... xvi Qualitative Interviews ................................................................................................................ xvii Acknowledgments .............................................................................................................................xviii List of Commonly Used Terms and Acronyms ................................................................................xviii Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 19 Methods ................................................................................................................................................ 21 Study Area .................................................................................................................................... 21 Sampling Periods .......................................................................................................................... 21 Vehicle Use Estimation ................................................................................................................ 24 Visitor Use Estimation .................................................................................................................. 24 Parking Lot Counts ....................................................................................................................... 26 Vehicle Parking and Use Patterns ................................................................................................. 29 Pedestrian Use Patterns ................................................................................................................ 31 Visitor Observations - Activity Types .......................................................................................... 32 Visitor Observations – Behaviors of Interest ............................................................................... 37 Inventory of Resource Impacts ..................................................................................................... 39 Visitor-Created Sites (polygons): ............................................................................................ 39 Visitor-created trails and spurs (lines): .................................................................................... 39 ii Qualitative Interviews ................................................................................................................... 42 Interview Sampling .................................................................................................................. 43 Interview structure and post-processing .................................................................................. 44 Results .................................................................................................................................................. 46 Vehicle Use Estimation ................................................................................................................ 46 Peak Hour for Vehicle Use ...................................................................................................... 46 Average Daily Vehicle Counts ................................................................................................ 47 Directional Traffic Flow .......................................................................................................... 51 Visitor Use Estimation ................................................................................................................. 59 Counter Error Calculations ...................................................................................................... 59 Daily Visitor Use ..................................................................................................................... 60 Parking Lot Use Estimation.......................................................................................................... 66 Maximum and Average Daily Use .......................................................................................... 66 Local Use in Designated Parking Areas .................................................................................. 72 Parking Lot Use by Hours of Day ........................................................................................... 73 Vehicle Parking and Use Patterns ................................................................................................ 84 Response Rate and Data Summary .......................................................................................... 84 Parking Behavior and Retention Time .................................................................................... 84 Use Patterns ............................................................................................................................. 86 Road Closure Scenario ............................................................................................................ 89 Pedestrian Use Patterns ................................................................................................................ 91 Response Rate and Data Summary .......................................................................................... 91 Pedestrian Use Patterns ........................................................................................................... 92 Visitor Observations ................................................................................................................... 102 Activity Types (land-based) .................................................................................................. 102 Activity Types (water-based) ................................................................................................ 118 People at One Time Counts ................................................................................................... 135 Observed Behaviors of Interest ............................................................................................. 143 iii Bear Spray Statistics .............................................................................................................. 157 Inventory of Resource Impacts ................................................................................................... 158 Qualitative Interviews ................................................................................................................ 167 Visitor Travel Plans ............................................................................................................... 167 Length of Stay ....................................................................................................................... 168 Time Spent ............................................................................................................................ 168 Visitor Communication ......................................................................................................... 168 Primary Source of Information .............................................................................................. 169 Poor Information Sources ...................................................................................................... 170 Primary Destinations and Other Destinations Visited ........................................................... 170 Parking ................................................................................................................................... 171 Activities
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