Steamboat Springs & Routt County

Destination Management Recommendations

December 17, 2019

AUTHORS

Victoria Arling Katrina Pickering victoria.arling@colorado.edu [email protected]

Chad Endicott Christine Zenel [email protected] [email protected]

Emily Gear [email protected]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Special thanks to Dr. Joel Hartter, Director of the Masters of the Environment Program and professor at the University of Colorado Boulder; The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade’s Rural Technical Assistance Program (RTAP); Kara Stoller, Steamboat Chamber CEO; and Laura Soard, Steamboat Chamber Marketing Director.

Thank you to the following individuals for helping our team craft the following recommendations. The contributors’ willingness to assist our team was vital to the success of this project.

● Angela Crosby, City of Steamboat Springs, Parks & Recreation ● Craig Robinson, City of Steamboat Springs, Parks & Recreation ● Emily Hines, City of Steamboat Springs, Parks & Recreation ● Kris Middledorf, Colorado Parks and Wildlife ● Chad Phillips, Routt County ● Dan Weinheimer, Routt County ● Mike Mordi, Routt County ● Ray DuBois, Routt County ● Jim Schneider, Steamboat Ski Resort Corporation ● Lance Miles, Steamboat Ski Resort Corporation ● Kent Ventrees, Steamboat PowderCats ● Ben Beall, Strawberry Park Group HOA ● Joe Stepan, Strawberry Park Hot Springs ● Tara Umphries, United States Forest Service ● Kent Foster, United States Forest Service ● Laura Stankey, Routt Recreation Roundtable

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4

BACKGROUND 5 Introduction 5 Visitation Trends Overview: Local Pinch Points in Routt County 5 Overview of Key Pinch Points 7 Strawberry Park Hot Springs Resort 7 Emerald Mountain via the Blackmere Trailhead 7 Howelsen Hill Ski Area 7 Dry Lake Trailhead on Buffalo Pass 7 Spring Creek 8 Fish Creek Falls 8 Slavonia Trailhead: Access to the Mount Zirkel Wilderness 8

PROJECT GOALS 9

PROJECT APPROACH 9 Overview 9 Stakeholder Engagement & System Mapping 9 Research 10

OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS 11

RECOMMENDATION ONE: IMPLEMENT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS 11 Research Snapshots 11 Existing Technology Inventory: Steamboat Springs & Routt County 11 Recreation-Based Apps 12 Social Media as a Tool for Real-Time Information Sharing 13 Real-Time Information Sharing: Eldora Mountain Resort Case Study 14 Real-Time Vehicle and Pedestrian Tracking Software: TRAFx 14 Real-Time Vehicle Tracking Software: Lot Spot 15 Technology Recommendation Option A: Leverage Existing Media Platforms 16 App Pricing for New & Custom Apps 17 Technology Recommendation Option B: Real-Time Information Sharing 17 Live Stream Cameras/Lot Spot 17 Twitter Feed 18

RECOMMENDATION TWO: REGIONAL RECREATION PLANNING 18 Research Snapshots 20 City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP): Visitor Master Plan 20 Eldorado Canyon State Park: Proposed Destination Management Solutions 21

North Lake Tahoe Tourism Master Plan 21 Envision Chaffee County: Recreation in Balance Program 22 Estes Valley Open Space and Outdoor Recreation Plan & Town of Estes Park Destination Management Strategies 23 Chautauqua Park: Visitor Shuttle System 23 Regional Recreation Planning Recommendation Option A: Integrated Recreation Planning into Routt County Master Plan 24 Regional Recreation Planning Recommendation Option B: Develop Recreation Report for Stakeholder and Community Use 25 Funding Mechanisms for Recreation Planning Efforts 26

SYNOPSIS OF RECOMMENDATIONS: HYPOTHETICAL APPLICATION FOR BUFFALO PASS RECREATION AREA 27

CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS 28

APPENDIX A: STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEW SUMMARIES 29 I. Overview of Stakeholder Interview Summaries 29 II. Interview Summary: Routt County 30 III. Interview Summary: Strawberry Park Group Homeowners Association 30 IV. Interview Summary: Strawberry Park Hot Springs 31 V. Interview Summary: Colorado Parks & Wildlife 31 VI. Interview Summary: Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest Districts 32 VII. Interview Summary: City of Steamboat Parks and Recreation 32 VIII. Interview Summary: Routt Recreation Roundtable (RRR) 32 IX. Interview Summary: Steamboat PowderCats 33 X. Interview Summary: Steamboat Ski Resort 33

APPENDIX B: U.S. Forest Service Regional Recreation Fee Programs 34 Adventure Pass 34 Tonto Pass 34

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

With ample opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing, resort and backcountry skiing, snowmobiling, and soaking in geothermal hot springs, Steamboat Springs has become an increasingly enticing destination for out-of-towners. While the community of Steamboat Springs values this new volume of visitors, its residents are concerned that too much concentrated tourism will negatively impact the local culture and quality of life - not to mention the integrity of the natural environment that makes Steamboat Springs enticing for both visitors and locals.

To address the issues presented with increased visitation at popular pinch points, the team established the following goals:

1. Identify and understand visitation management challenges at recreation hotspots in the region to help inform recommendations to the Chamber; 2. Identify and understand community values and visitor trends in order to generate relevant and appropriate recommendations to the Chamber; 3. Develop an understanding of existing destination management tools nationwide and in Colorado to support recommendations to the Chamber; 4. After analysis of the aforementioned items, identify two to four viable strategies that could be implemented in Routt County to manage increased visitation.

The following report summarizes these goals and includes two distinct recommendation plans that can be implemented individually or in conjunction with one another. The first is a technology recommendation that includes updating existing platforms to use as a one-stop-shop for recreation information and implementing real-time information sharing to visitors. The second recommendation is to create a planning framework that will encourage consistency between organizations and leveraging the expertise found in the Routt Recreation Roundtable (RRR). These recommendations will allow the City of Steamboat Springs and Routt County to improve destination management and be better equipped to educate and manage visitors who travel to existing and future recreation pinch points.

BACKGROUND

Introduction

Three hours from the Front Range lies Steamboat Springs, a city nestled within the Yampa Valley and adjacent to the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. With ample opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing, resort and backcountry skiing, snowmobiling, and soaking in geothermal hot springs, Steamboat Springs has become an increasingly enticing destination for out-of-towners. While the community of Steamboat Springs values this new volume of visitors, its residents are concerned that too much concentrated tourism will negatively impact the local culture and quality of life - not to mention the integrity of the natural environment that makes Steamboat Springs enticing for both visitors and locals. The community is already challenged with managing high visitation and its associated parking and traffic woes at local pinch points such as Strawberry Park Hot Springs Resort, Fish Creek Falls, Emerald Mountain, and the Buffalo Pass Recreation Area. However, local pinch points are not yet at a tipping point where the complications from visitation outweigh the benefits. Before that tipping point occurs, the community is driven to be proactive, enlisting the support of University of Colorado Masters of the Environment (MENV) students to provide recommendations for managing increasing visitation in the region.

Visitation Trends Overview: Local Pinch Points in Routt County

The Steamboat Springs community highly values the abundance of recreational opportunities in the nearby Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, ski resort, Yampa River, and city and state parks. The ability to recreate in close proximity to the city provides high quality of life for local residents and positively contributes to the overall health of its citizens. The National Research Center (NRC) completed a 2017 Community Survey to understand the attitudes and priorities of residents relevant to the City of Steamboat Springs (the City) recreation services and policies. Out of 675 respondents, 91% emphasized the importance of the quality of the natural environment as essential or very important.1 Not only does the natural environment surrounding the community characterize the region’s unique sense of place and contribute to the wellbeing of the public, it also attracts many visitors from within Colorado and out-of-state who contribute a considerable amount of economic revenue to local businesses and the City.

The City undertook an analysis to better understand the number of visitors recreating on three of the most popular trail systems (Spring Creek, Buffalo Pass, and Emerald Mountain) and the economic benefit that they bring to the community. This study utilized intercept surveys of trail users, trail counters, and forecasts to estimate the frequency and type of trail use and the

1 Steamboat Springs Community Survey

economic impact to local businesses. The estimates generated from this study showed that recreation opportunities provide a significant amount of economic benefit to the community on a year-round basis, particularly from skiing opportunities in the winter and trail-related uses (i.e., hiking, running, and mountain biking) during non-winter months. Visitors traveling to Steamboat Springs spend approximately $17.3 million to $24.1 million during the summer months to recreate on popular trail systems. Nearby trails to Steamboat Springs experience between 31,300 and 43,500 trail-related visitors per year. The economic benefit from summer trail use alone is estimated to range between $26.2 million and $36.5 million in total output and supports approximately 300 to 400 jobs.2

The survey results from this study also highlighted that 54% of local residents noted convenient location to trailheads as a factor for where they chose to recreate while the remaining 42% stated that the time or distance to a trailhead was a contributing factor. Alternatively, survey results showed that visitors to Steamboat Springs varied in their reasoning for determining where to recreate, with recommended routes from the Chamber (44%) being the most influential. In a similar study, a large majority of respondents (89%) stated that they were overnight visitors to the area, while only 7% stated that they were day visitors, and an even smaller percentage (4%) reported that they were seasonal residents/second homeowners. Out of these respondents, 40% were from Colorado. When visiting, people participated in a variety of activities including athletic events, horseback riding, cycling/biking, running/walking, and hiking which is the most popular summer activity.3

The significant number of overnight visitors, coupled with the data pointing to a trend of recreationists utilizing nearby and well-known trails, provides useful insight into how the majority of people recreate in Steamboat Springs. Understanding that visitors frequently use trail systems and recreation areas close to town is important for informing management strategies that aim to educate visitors on when and where to recreate.

The following sites in and around Steamboat Springs have been identified through surveys and visitation data completed by the City, and through feedback obtained from stakeholders within the community, as pinch points of recreation. These sites make up a small portion of the many recreation areas in and around the City that destination management strategies can address.

2 City of Steamboat Springs Trail Use and Economic Impact Study 3 City of Steamboat Springs Trail Use and Economic Impact Study

Overview of Key Pinch Points

Strawberry Park Hot Springs Resort

Located in the hills just a few miles outside of town, Strawberry Park Hot Springs Resort is adjacent to Hot Springs Creek on Routt County Road (RCR) 36. The last two miles of the road are steep, windy, and unpaved but are maintained year-round to provide access to Strawberry Park, Lower Bear Trailhead, and private homes. This recreation pinch point frequently experiences its parking lot reach capacity, which can lead to lines of traffic during all seasons of cars waiting to gain entry, blocking access to the Lower Bear Trailhead and homes along RCR 36.

Emerald Mountain via the Blackmere Trailhead

The Blackmere Trailhead is located on Fairview Drive on the northwest side of Emerald Mountain in the City of Steamboat Springs. Emerald Mountain offers a variety of dog-friendly hiking and mountain biking trails for all ability levels. Limited street parking is available on Fairview Drive and the neighborhood can experience parking congestion from visitors. In the NRC 2017 Community Survey, 80% of full-time residents reported that maintaining Emerald Mountain for summer use is important and very important.4 Total trail counts on Emerald Mountain in 2017 totaled 34,436 visitors.5 Historic trail counts have been useful in tracking and forecasting trail use trends and will continue to be influential in monitoring visitation use.

Howelsen Hill Ski Area

Howelsen Hill Ski Area is owned and operated by the City of Steamboat Springs and is the oldest operated ski area in Colorado. The ski area houses the largest and most natural ski jumping complex in North America and has served as an important training area for many Olympic athletes. The ski area is notable for sending more skiers to international competitions than any other in the nation. The historical importance of Howelsen Hill is vital to the community’s sense of place and identity. Visitors and local residents cherish this ski area, and it receives a significant amount of visitation (with 24,908 skier visits during the 2018-2019 ski season and 25,708 visits in the 2017-2018 season).6

Dry Lake Trailhead on Buffalo Pass

Dry Lake Trailhead is located 8 miles northeast of Steamboat Springs on Buffalo Pass Road (RCR 38). The trailhead provides access to the Dry Lake Campground and various hiking and mountain

4 Steamboat Springs Community Survey 5 2018 Trail Camera Data Received from the City of Steamboat Springs 6 Skier Visit Data Received from the City of Steamboat Springs

biking trails. The Buffalo Pass area has experienced increased popularity due to its scenic trails, high elevation, and the development of newer trails. Findings from the City of Steamboat Springs’ Trail Use Economic Impact Study show that the Buffalo Pass trail system accounts for about 18% of use among Buffalo Pass, Emerald Mountain, and Spring Creek, with remaining use split between Emerald Mountain and Spring Creek (43% and 39% respectively).7 The Dry Lake trailhead area did not have extensive trail count data until 2018. Future estimates can use baseline data from new trail counters at this location.

Spring Creek

The Spring Creek Trail is a popular 5.2 mile multi-use, out-and-back trail that is heavily used for hiking and mountain biking. This trail starts in downtown Steamboat Springs and ends near the Dry Lake Campground on Buffalo Pass Road. Since 2013, trail counters on the Spring Creek trail have provided the City with a considerable amount of data to set a baseline for trail use. In 2018, additional trail counters were placed higher up on the trail to account for visitors traveling to destinations at higher elevations. Total trailhead counts in 2018 on Spring Creek totaled approximately 17,800 visitors.8

Fish Creek Falls

Fish Creek Falls is one of the most popular hikes in the Yampa Valley and the trailhead is conveniently located within the City. It is located four miles up Fish Creek Falls Road in the Routt National Forest. From the parking lot, a short ¼ mile walk down a gravel path reveals a pristine view of the falls, while a moderate, longer hike will take visitors to Upper Fish Creek Falls and Long Lake. The trail to Fish Creek Falls experiences heavy use, particularly at midday. Due to the high intensity of visitation, a $5 vehicle use fee was implemented by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).

Slavonia Trailhead: Access to the Mount Zirkel Wilderness

Established under the 1964 Wilderness Act, the 159,935 acre Mount Zirkel Wilderness is located within the Routt National Forest in north Routt County. It provides popular dispersed camping, horseback riding, and hiking opportunities. Usage is rated as high along the Gilpin Lake, Mica Lake, and Gold Creek Lake trail systems with primary access via the Slavonia Trailhead, also known as the “Zirkel Circle.”9

7 City of Steamboat Springs Trail Use and Economic Impact Study 8 City of Steamboat Springs Trail Use and Economic Impact Study 9 USFS Mount Zirkel Wilderness - Slavonia Trailhead

PROJECT GOALS To address the issues presented with increased visitation at popular pinch points, the team established the following goals:

PROJECT APPROACH

Overview

This project took place over a short timeline beginning in September 2019 and concluding in December 2019 and had two major steps: 1) To gain an understanding of the current conditions of the region and 2) To draft recommendations for managing growing destination management challenges. In order to inform these steps, our team conducted general research, stakeholder engagement, and system mapping summarized below.

Stakeholder Engagement & System Mapping

We engaged in site visits, phone calls, and in-person meetings with stakeholders. Following a kick-off meeting and site visits in September, our team engaged with each stakeholder individually at least once to learn about their experiences with increasing visitation and their needs and values regarding destination management. During these meetings, we asked the following questions:

● Do you have any visitor data? Are you willing to share these data with us? ● What are your top three management challenges associated with increasing visitation? ● What do you currently use to manage visitation? ● How do you envision destination management strategies helping you?

We identified these stakeholders during project scoping and successfully engaged with all groups. These stakeholders include:

● Colorado Parks and Wildlife

● City of Steamboat Springs, Parks & Recreation ● Routt County ● Steamboat Ski Resort Corporation ● Steamboat PowderCats ● Strawberry Park Group HOA ● Strawberry Park Hot Springs ● United States Forest Service ● Routt Recreation Roundtable

During interviews, two recurring concepts stood out: 1) The need for increased communication between stakeholders and 2) The need to evaluate and plan on a regional scale. While interviewed stakeholders share concerns regarding increased visitation, they each have unique perspectives. Therefore, we have determined that any destination management strategy implemented by the Steamboat Chamber needs to establish common goals and a vision between stakeholders.

After analyzing stakeholder interviews, a common goal we identified was the launch of a technological tool that shares real-time information to visitors and also integrates an education component. The majority of stakeholders expressed the need for a one-stop-shop to enhance the visitor experience and enable visitors to make better decisions about their recreation choices. This tool would ideally help visitors make more informed decisions about where and when to recreate, enabling both visitors and locals to have more enjoyable recreation experiences.

See Appendix A for a deeper analysis of the stakeholder engagement process.

Research

Concurrently with engaging stakeholders, our team researched how other communities in the state and country are tackling destination management challenges. Through a series of case studies and other technological/media research, our team gained insight into what strategies exist to help mitigate adverse destination management impacts. This research is summarized in our Research Snapshots included with each recommendation below.

OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS

This report includes two distinct recommendation plans that can be implemented individually or in conjunction with one another. The first is a technology recommendation that includes improving existing media platforms to act as a one-stop-shop for recreation information, and developing/implementing media platforms that share real-time information with visitors.

The second is to initiate a small to large scale regional recreation planning effort that will encourage management consistency between organizations and leverage the expertise of the Routt Recreation Roundtable (RRR). These recommendations will allow the City of Steamboat Springs and Routt County to improve destination management and will better equip the region to educate visitors on land and community stewardship principles.

RECOMMENDATION ONE: IMPLEMENT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

This section outlines relevant research that informed our technological recommendations and presents options for managing increasing visitation.

Research Snapshots

We researched existing technology and media platforms used by recreation providers in the City of Steamboat Springs (the City) and Routt County; recreation-based apps available from a variety of developers; social media as a platform for real-time information sharing; and real-time vehicle and pedestrian tracking solutions.

Existing Technology Inventory: Steamboat Springs & Routt County

Currently, the City and Routt County have several websites and applications (apps) for visitors to use when seeking information during their visit. The City has a website that allows visitors and residents to learn about city-managed recreation opportunities through the Parks and Recreation page. Information on recreation programs; Howelsen Ice Complex; Howelsen Hill Ski Area; city parks and facilities; and trails, open space, and rivers can be accessed here.10 The page also includes news and events within city limits.

The Steamboat Springs Chamber also has a website that is used by visitors looking for recreation opportunities in the area. This website has a “Things to do in Steamboat” banner on the front page, allowing visitors easy access to information about outdoor activities including geothermal hot springs.11

10 City of Steamboat Springs Parks and Recreation 11 Steamboat Springs Chamber

Strawberry Park Hot Springs (Hot Springs) operates a website for managing high visitation and providing visitors with parking conditions. This site allows visitors to see amenities provided by the park, information on shuttles that run to the park from the city, and parking lot information including the ability to reserve a parking spot at a specific time. The Hot Springs also have a system of posting on their website when the parking lot is at capacity and counting on visitors to call ahead of time to ask if the parking lot has reached capacity. Their website also offers suggestions for what to do if, upon arrival, the parking lot is full.12

The USFS website is the go-to place for information on recreation activities provided on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest which surrounds the City. The Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests & Thunder Basin page provides recreation suggestions on the homepage, as well as information on closures and delayed openings. This allows visitors to make informed decisions when traveling to Routt County and the City to recreate. The site also has links to special places; alerts and notices; passes and permits; and maps and publications along the left side of the homepage.13 These websites are among many that visitors and locals can access when making recreation plans.

Visitors to the City and Routt County also have access to phone-based apps that can be used to make informed decisions about recreation choices. The USFS has the most comprehensive and informative app. This platform complements the website and is easy to use when away from a computer. The app houses maps, trail information, and “know before you go” information that includes alerts. The City has an app with great potential for an update to house all information. The app currently allows users to view recreation opportunities, dining, weather, and city- managed skiing information. While the app already houses necessary information for visitors, it is not intuitive to use. Steamboat Ski Resort has an app to complement their website as well. While this user-friendly app is dedicated purely to the ski resort, it can serve as a model for the City and Routt County if an app is created or improved in the future. This app includes maps of the ski area with the ability to GPS track other app users with permission, recommendations on recreation opportunities provided by the resort, weather conditions, and webcams.

Recreation-Based Apps

A variety of recreation apps exist in addition to the ones designed specifically for the City and Routt County. REI-CoOp recently developed a suite of recreation apps, including Hiking Project, Mountain Project, Mountain Bike Project, Powder Project, and Trail Run Project, which aim to compile hundreds of thousands of expert-vetted trails and guidebooks into an easy-to-use and free app. These REI apps have a variety of useful features for recreationists to utilize such as offline capabilities with live GPS, information about route features (difficulty, elevation profile,

12 Strawberry Park Hot Springs 13 USDA Forest Service: Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest and Thunder Basin

maps, trail conditions, etc.), location-based weather updates, trail descriptions and overviews, etc. These apps are a great resource for any type of outdoor recreationist to utilize for their next adventure and are available on the App Store, Google Play, or online.14 In addition to the REI apps, the Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX) app was developed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and offers the most comprehensive trail map available for the state. The app is built upon data from 230 land managers and consists of trails for a variety of recreation activities, including biking, hiking, off-highway vehicle (OHV) riding, snowmobiling, horseback riding, nordic skiing, and snowshoeing. Features of the app allow any user to browse by featured routes, download maps offline, record trips and notes in the field, compete for challenges to earn badges, and share their experience with the online community. One neat feature of this app is the educational sidebar with the Leave No Trace (LNT) principles15 and an external link where app users can learn more about outdoor ethics and environmental stewardship.16 Although there are dozens of other trails and recreation focused apps that exist,17 these are two notable examples with great features and capabilities that the City and Routt County should keep in mind if they are eager to develop an app specific to the area.

Social Media as a Tool for Real-Time Information Sharing

Over the last decade, social media has emerged as a primary platform for billions of people around the world to access news. One innovative and useful feature of many social media platforms as compared to a newsprint, brochure, or magazine is that it has real-time information sharing capabilities. Some common social media sites that many businesses utilize to share information include Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Twitter is a microblogging and social networking service in which users post and interact with text-oriented messages called “tweets.” Tweets have a 280 character limit, and registered users can post, like, and retweet tweets. Twitter is a great resource to gain updates on real-time information and trending news.18 Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social networking service owned by Facebook. This app allows users to upload photos and videos, which can be edited with various filters and organized with hashtags and location information. An account’s posts can be shared publicly or with pre- approved followers, and users can like and comment on the posts.19 Facebook is a robust combination of many of the features found in both Twitter and Instagram. Users (including individuals and businesses) can create a customized profile where they can post text, photos, and multimedia which is shared with any other users that have agreed to be their “friend” or who

14 REI Co-Op Apps 15 Leave No Trace Principles 16 Colorado Trail Explorer 17 Two recreation app examples include ProTrails and AllTrails 18 Twitter 19 Instagram

have followed their business page.20 Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook all harbor the ability to share real-time information in an easy manner that can be accessed by anyone with access to a computer, smartphone, or the internet.

Real-Time Information Sharing: Eldora Mountain Resort Case Study

Eldora Mountain Resort is located just 21 miles west of Boulder, CO in the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest. Although Eldora is a relatively small resort (680 acres of skiable terrain) compared to others in Colorado, it has a variety of exceptional terrain for all ability levels. Eldora was added to the Ikon Pass in 2017 which has heightened awareness of the resort and has made Eldora an increasingly popular destination for skiers and snowboarders alike.21 Being a smaller ski area, Eldora has a limited number of parking spots. When their parking lot becomes full, visitors can experience major delays and traffic congestion extending from the resort, through Nederland, and onto CO 119 in Boulder Canyon. To try and mitigate some of these issues, in 2018 part way through the ski season Eldora attempted to implement a parking fee structure to encourage carpooling and use of public transportation. A $20 per car parking fee would be issued for cars with 2 or less passengers on “peak visitation days,” which includes holidays, weekends, and powder days. However, this initiative was faced with major pushback from customers even before the parking fee was initiated. As a result, Eldora decided to retract their parking fee and instead offer priority parking, close to the main lift, for visitors who carpool with 3 or more passengers.22 Because implementing a parking fee was not the correct course of action to mitigate some of Eldora’s parking lot issues, Eldora has utilized both their website for educational information about parking and access and their Twitter feed to share real-time parking updates to their guests.23 This case study illustrates how a popular recreation destination can harness the power of both social media and a website to create a positive experience for their guests without having to implement any additional parking fees.

Real-Time Vehicle and Pedestrian Tracking Software: TRAFx

TRAFx is a vehicle and pedestrian counter that is supported by a web-based platform to track, analyze, and share data. This tool is utilized by many local, state, and federal land management agencies and is currently the tracker of choice by local entities including CPW, USFS, and the City. Within the tool there are two different trackers. A vehicle counter is an infrared tracker that can be installed below or above ground in remote locations to record the number and frequency of OHVs, mountain bikes, and other wheeled vehicles. The trail counter by TRAFx counts pedestrians on common trails, paths, and sidewalks with the use of an infrared scope. This

20 Facebook 21 Eldora 22 Eldora Parking Fee 23 Eldora Parking Information

counter is easily mounted on trees or similar objects or has an option to be housed within a lockable box.

Data collected from both the vehicle and trail counters is uploaded to an online platform called DataNet and provides users a way to view, analyze, manage, and present data from the counters. The online platform can include charts, photos, and trail locations on maps, and a variety of other options. TRAFx has several successful case studies, including their use by the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative to track trail use on popular fourteener trails to determine where trail restoration projects should be emphasized. Additionally, the heavily used Lake Tahoe Rim Trail in South Lake Tahoe, CA experiences over 10,000 visitors annually, and utilizes TRAFx counters to determine the amount of maintenance needed for popular trails, how to mitigate user conflicts, what over-saturation of on-trail events looks like, and if shuttles should be used to reduce traffic congestion. In summary, TRAFx is an easily implementable tracking system, and the ability to share data amongst users makes it a valuable option for tracking and informing management approaches at pinch points in and around Steamboat Springs.24

Real-Time Vehicle Tracking Software: Lot Spot

One solution to reducing parking issues in popular areas (i.e., Buffalo Pass, Strawberry Park Hot Springs, Fish Creek Falls, etc. ) is tracking vehicle occupancy and informing visitors when parking lots have reached capacity. Lot Spot is an innovative vehicle tracking and online software package designed to reduce traffic congestion and help users time their recreation-based visits based on 99% accurate real-time data. This software simply tracks parking lot occupancy by counting the number of vehicles entering and exiting a specific area. Lot Spot tracks parking lot capacity with 1 to 20 different entrances and over 1,000 parking spots. This simple technological solution is a useful option for visitors to check the capacity of parking areas well before they leave for a trail or park. By knowing real-time parking data, potential visitors can recreate at another destination or reschedule their time of arrival for a non-peak time. Basic features of Lot Spot include: ● Low-cost parking management system that has an easy to use pricing estimator online; ● All data is sent to an online dashboard and mobile app; ● Data and reporting is easily transferable to other websites; ● Online dashboard can run studies, view historical data, and generate reports on parking usage.25

24 TRAFx 25 Lot Spot

Technology Recommendation Option A: Leverage Existing Media Platforms

Most land managers and recreation providers in the region already manage media platforms well suited for an upgrade, and capitalizing on existing platforms may require minimal resources. Additionally, developing a complimentary phone application that mirrors the future web-based platform would also be a valuable tool to provide further resources for visitors. For example, a solution can expand the Chamber’s website, leverage the new domain purchased by the RRR (RouttRecreation.org), or create an app using Visitapps.com.

Capitalizing on an existing web platform would not only include links to popular recreation areas and outfitters, parking lot cameras, and real-time social media feeds, it would also redirect visitors to the plethora of other existing real-time and crowd-sourced recreation applications such as COTrex, COTrips, REI’s recreation apps, and All Trails. The website would also house additional links or suggestions for recreation opportunities outside of the region’s main hot spots to disperse visitors safely. The inclusion of LNT materials onto such a platform would be paramount for visitor safety and ecosystem protection. These materials would be readily available to view and download from a tab or link on the platform.

This platform would best be marketed through social media, pamphlets at hotels, condos, or other lodging, promotional materials at the visitor center, and advertising on other websites. For example, Strawberry Park Hot Springs, Steamboat PowderCats, or the City could link this platform on their website.

Management of the platform would be determined by who owns the domain. If the Chamber chooses to expand their website to include these components, for example, their webmaster would manage the content. If the RRR domain is leveraged, this group could elect a webmaster to manage and curate the content on the platform.

While at first glance this solution is relatively simple, we strongly believe that improving existing web platforms in the region is an extremely realistic and effective strategy for educating visitors about where and when to recreate. This strategy requires far fewer resources than acquiring or developing a new app or information-sharing tool, and leverages the many apps already in place that convey information to visitors effectively. The Chamber does not need to reinvent the wheel on how to provide visitors with pertinent recreation information and data; rather, the Chamber can take advantage of already established resources that strive to meet the same goals stakeholders desire for visitor information sharing.

App Pricing for New & Custom Apps

Visitapps.com is a company that specializes in the development of “mobile apps for travel.”26 This company creates apps focused on specific regions. The apps are created to keep visitors connected, direct people to and pinpoint destinations, and supplant a visitor guide or website already in existence. The company provides tools to manage the app from an online platform, thus allowing for easy updates and the addition of materials to the app. An app, in addition to a web-based platform, would allow for a more diverse range of visitor groups to access information and allow visitors to access information on the go. For example, El Paso utilizes this company and has an app with options to pick recreation activities based on the amount of time visitors plan to spend in the area (full day, half-day, 1 hour). Visitapps.com has no pricing listed on their website, but has the option to “schedule a demo,” which would be a way to talk with a developer about what could be included in the app and how much app creation would cost (see their website to set up a demo27).

Technology Recommendation Option B: Real-Time Information Sharing

At many popular recreation areas around the City and within Routt County (i.e., Dry Lake Trailhead on Buffalo Pass, Fish Creek Falls, Emerald Mountain, Strawberry Park Hot Springs, and the Lower Bear Trailhead on RCR 36) parking lots are increasingly experiencing capacity issues. Harnessing the power of technology to showcase current conditions at these popular areas would be a useful tool for both residents and visitors to the City and Routt County to utilize when planning their excursions to different recreation areas. Live stream cameras or Lot Spot and sharing real-time updates (road conditions, parking lot statuses, alerts, etc.) via a Twitter feed, are valuable technological solutions that should be considered moving forward.

Live Stream Cameras/Lot Spot

Installing live stream cameras or Lot Spot at parking lots for popular recreation areas would be an automated way to share real-time information about the conditions and capacity of designated parking areas. Both of these technologies can equip visitors with the correct tools to check parking availability before they head out the door. A smart solution such as this can benefit both the visitors and recreation providers that manage parking lots by reducing parking inefficiencies and enhancing the overall visitor experience.

Lot Spot is an affordable parking management solution with varied pricing tiers based on how many entrances, exits, and spaces exist (in increments of 25 spaces) in the parking lot. For example, a parking lot with one entrance and 100 spots would cost $339 per month (see Lot

26 Visitapps.com 27 Visit Apps Demo

Spot’s website for more specific pricing information based on current needs/size of a parking lot).28

As for live stream cameras, HD Relay is a leading remote video monitoring solutions provider for managing, hosting, and maintaining live streaming video camera systems. They are one of the top names in outdoor live camera systems and have been utilized within a variety of markets such as snow reporting, weather streaming, resort and tourism, and traffic. For example, Steamboat Ski Resort currently utilizes the 24/7 live camera system to showcase their snow stake.29 Although pricing is not advertised on their website, quotes can be requested online (see website for pricing30) or by calling one of HD Relay’s representatives (866-883-8717). Moving forward, it may be beneficial to collaborate with and leverage the Steamboat Ski Resort Corp as a resource and to seek advice about the utility of the cameras because they have first-hand experience using this technology.

Twitter Feed

Integrating a social media feed to an existing website like the RRR domain or the Chamber’s website would be a useful feature for sharing real-time updates with people who visit the website or additionally follow that Twitter account on various devices. We recommend that one Twitter account be created to give access to any recreation provider to post updates to the news feed. Twitter is a free and easy to use platform that would enable any recreation provider to post updates such as road closures, parking availability, hazardous weather warnings, events, etc. Posting to a Twitter feed is not automatic, therefore, it will require at least one point person at each interested recreation organization or agency who is willing to post updates when needed. For example, if the Strawberry Park Hot Springs parking lot is nearing capacity, a hypothetical tweet could read, “6:10 pm Update - Strawberry Park Hot Springs parking lot is almost full, and traffic is slow on RCR 36. Please be patient with us until more spots begin to open up or consider hopping on one of our shuttles.” Tweets such as this example are an easy way to inform visitors with real-time updates about when and where to recreate. Furthermore, it will not often require visitors to download or search for new apps or websites.

RECOMMENDATION TWO: REGIONAL RECREATION PLANNING

This section outlines relevant research that informed our regional recreation planning recommendations and presents options for managing increasing visitation.

28 Lot Spot Pricing 29 HD Relay 30 HD Relay Pricing

Following several conversations with stakeholders including the RRR, USFS, CPW, Routt County, and the City of Steamboat Springs, we believe that a regional approach to recreation planning would be extremely powerful and result in more holistic management. A potential issue with implementing one technology solution is that it only addresses part of the overall challenge of increased visitation. While the results of a technological based tool on its own may in the short- term provide the benefit of dispersing recreationists, this dispersal may disrupt wildlife; leave visitors stranded with limited access to emergency services; require the County to put more resources into maintaining rural roads; cause further adverse environmental impacts to sensitive areas; and cause recreation areas with a special place in locals’ hearts to lose community value.

Conversations with stakeholders also uncovered a shared desire to determine which entities should (or already) manage which resources and amenities in the county (e.g., parking enforcement on Buffalo Pass, determining where recreation activities should be dispersed, and who collects and manages data). Collaborative planning can help streamline collecting and sharing pertinent data (i.e., trail conditions, parking capacity, natural resource conditions, and vehicle and pedestrian tracking), developing joint management decisions, and assigning lead agencies to achieve mutually agreed-upon goals, objectives, and priority challenges.

Collaborative planning efforts can also provide an opportunity for the public and interested parties to have their concerns about the nexus of increasing visitation and community values heard in one place. Civic engagement also has the ability to empower the community and decision-makers to create a robust plan that fosters and balances environmental and community stewardship with the benefits of recreation-related visitation. In light of these conversations and the trend in rural, recreation-based towns in Colorado towards a regional approach to managing increasing visitation, our team recommends that Routt County pursue regional recreation planning at either size scale as outlined in this section.

Our team recognizes that the City and Routt County have undertaken a considerable amount of planning efforts, including the 2008 Steamboat Springs Area Open Space & Trails Master Plan. Therefore, our regional recreation planning recommendations aim to reduce redundancy and provide a potential path forward based on the needs of the stakeholders we interviewed. In speaking with representatives from the RRR and Routt County, we found that the upcoming Routt County Master Plan revision may serve as a valuable opportunity for integrating regional recreation planning into the updated plan. Because Routt County has begun reaching out to the community for feedback on revising their Master Plan, there is a window available for the County and other land management agencies to consider how best to plan for increasing recreation visitation in the long-term.31 Leveraging the RRR may serve as an avenue to initiate conversations on how best to undertake a regional planning effort based on the two implementation

31 County Update: Weigh in on Routt County Master Plan

recommendations below. We recommend that these alternatives be discussed amongst members of the RRR and the Steamboat Chamber to foster consensus on the best path forward.

Research Snapshots

We researched planning related approaches to destination management in communities with similar demographics, landscapes, and challenges associated with increased visitation. Key takeaways from these case studies are included within the research snapshots below from City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, Eldorado Canyon State Park, North Lake Tahoe, Chaffee County, Town Estes Park, and Chautauqua Park. Although we do not recommend fees and passes for pinch points at this time, information for innovative fee programs is included in Appendix B.

City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP): Visitor Master Plan

The City of Boulder OSMP system experiences high visitation levels that encouraged the City of Boulder to establish a Visitor Master Plan in 2005. During this process, OSMP pursued opportunities to deal with increased visitation based on an analysis of current conditions. These opportunities include the promotion of education and safety, creating diverse recreation opportunities, improving infrastructure, protecting resources, reducing visitor conflict, and engaging the public. After exploring these options, OSMP landed on creating the following initiatives:32

● A voice and sight tag program which requires dog owners to register their dog and keep their dog within voice and sight distance when off-leash on certain OSMP lands. This program helps decrease visitor conflict, create diverse recreation opportunities, increases education about how individuals and pets can interact with public lands, and increases visitor safety.33 ● The commercial use permit program requires permits to allow commercial activities on OSMP lands. This initiative helps preserve the natural and cultural environment while improving the visitor experience.34 ● The off-trail permit program requires visitors to obtain a free permit to travel outside of designated trails within Habitat Conservation Areas. This initiative helps protect high- quality habitat areas in regions with minimal trails.35 ● OSMP created trail study areas to determine how existing trails can be modified to improve the quality of the visitor experience, protect natural and cultural resources, provide visitor access, and ensure the physical sustainability of the trails system.

32 City of Boulder Visitor Master Plan 33 City of Boulder Voice and Sight Tags 34 City of Boulder Commercial Use Permit 35 City of Boulder Off Trail Permits

OSMP also established a parking fee program where vehicles registered within Boulder County are exempt from paying for parking; however, those registered outside the county must pay a $5 daily or $25 annual fee to park at certain OSMP trailheads.

Eldorado Canyon State Park: Proposed Destination Management Solutions

Eldorado Canyon State Park has experienced a rapid increase in visitors since 2016, and the park is looking to create a management program that will help enhance the visitor experience. The park reaches maximum capacity most weekends (210 parking spaces which turn over 3-4 times per day), but only has four full-time staff members and an annual operating budget of $160,000. Currently, the park is navigating potential strategies including shuttles (either free or paid), a fee- based permit system, a picnic reservation system, road improvements, limits on special use agreements, and upgrades to existing infrastructure (including trails, facilities, signage, and the entrance station). A final decision and a Visitor Use Management Plan (VUMP) for the Park will be complete by the end of 2020.36

North Lake Tahoe Tourism Master Plan

North Lake Tahoe, CA, is a national and international recreation destination dependent on a tourism-driven economy. Visitors spend an estimated $500 million annually, with approximately 60% going towards employment and roughly 51% relating to tourism.37 In 2015, Placer County implemented a Tourism Master Plan as a guiding document for future tourism investments that outlines the long-term vision, goals, objectives, and funding opportunities that the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association (NLTRA) can pursue.38 The Tourism Master Plan includes direction for future tourism investment strategies through the implementation of a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) in North Lake Tahoe based on the then-current visitation and market trends. 60% of the TOT collected in North Lake Tahoe is allocated to funding infrastructure and visitor amenity projects. The NLTRA serves as an advisor to Placer County to help inform tourism investment options that focus on maintaining the region’s unique natural environment, community sense of place, and tourism opportunities. This plan aligns with other plans in Placer County such as regional, trails, and transportation plans. The degree of public involvement during the planning process was intentionally high, in order to specifically help define investment priorities over the eight-year term of the plan.

36 CPW Eldorado Canyon 37 Placer County: North Lake Tahoe Tourism Master Plan Board Approval 38 2015 North Lake Tahoe Tourism Master Plan

Envision Chaffee County: Recreation in Balance Program

Chaffee County’s recent countywide planning initiative, Envision Chaffee County, significantly informed our recommendations because it is highly relevant to the recreation challenges of Routt County. Envision Chaffee County is the result of a community-driven and participatory planning effort that strives to maintain the natural beauty, rural landscapes, and sense of community as the county continues to grow.39 The process was funded largely by the LOR Foundation, an organization that supports rural communities with identifying and improving community assets to enhance local quality of life.40 The final planning document of this initiative is the Envision Strategy, which highlights what the community values most in the county; illustrates a community vision for the future; and sets out an implementation strategy to foster that vision for the future.

As part of this implementation strategy, Chaffee County launched the Envision Recreation in Balance program which will “develop sustainable solutions to the urgent challenge of managing the rapid expansion of outdoor recreation in balance with watershed health and diverse stakeholder needs.”41 A taskforce representative of nonprofits, agencies, businesses, and community volunteers will create a Recreation and Natural Resource Atlas to inventory recreation, natural resource, and cultural use assets (e.g., cattle drive routes) in the county. A Recreation Impact Monitoring System will measure recreational impacts in the county relative to these assets, and data for this monitoring system will be collected from trained group volunteers. From there, Rapid Response Projects will address impacts in need of immediate solutions such as removing illegal fire rings at dispersed camping sites, and a holistic Balanced Recreation Plan will be developed to “guide new recreation development and watershed protection in coordination with existing local, state, and federal agency planning efforts.”42 The overall Envision Recreation in Balance Program is funded in large part by a recent 0.25% sales tax voted into place for environmental and conservation concerns, and a Colorado the Beautiful Grant from CPW. Resulting deliverables from the Envision Recreation in Balance program will inform other comprehensive plans in the region such as the San Isabel National Forest Plan. This comprehensive approach to recreation planning will critically evaluate and address “the benefits of increasing recreation use to economy and community health [...] in balance with protection of healthy watersheds, also vital to community health and economy.”43

39 Envision Chaffee County 40 LOR Foundation 41 Envision Recreation in Balance – Colorado the Beautiful Grant Application 42 Envision Recreation in Balance – Colorado the Beautiful Grant Application 43 Envision Recreation in Balance – Colorado the Beautiful Grant Application

Estes Valley Open Space and Outdoor Recreation Plan & Town of Estes Park Destination Management Strategies

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) recently awarded the Estes Valley Land Trust a planning grant intended to support the organization as it embarks on an effort to develop the Estes Valley Open Space and Outdoor Recreation Plan.44 This plan will bring together local and federal government agencies, local conservation and recreation organizations, other interest groups, and in particular the public to define what recreation and conservation success in the Estes Valley should look like over the next 20 years. Ultimately this plan will set out priorities to drive decision making and spending in the region based on identified priority conservation and recreation needs. The plan will ensure that new growth in the valley is balanced with land conservation.

During the summer season, the Town of Estes Park manages free daily shuttles with extended service for special days and events. The transit hub for these shuttles is located at the Estes Park Visitors Center which allows an additional opportunity for visitors to learn about recreation opportunities in the area. The town of Estes Park also benefits from the National Park Service’s management strategies next door at Rocky Mountain National Park, the prime destination of the town. For example, shuttle services provided by the park also connect to the town’s shuttle service system, offering a convenient way for visitors to access the park without congesting the town’s streets with vehicles.

Chautauqua Park: Visitor Shuttle System

Located in Boulder, CO, Chautauqua Park is the most popular recreation destination within the City’s boundaries and experiences more than half a million visitors each year - 80% of which arrive by car.45 Chautauqua Park provides approximately 40 miles of hiking trails that also serve as routes to notable rock climbing spots. The area is, however, relatively small, encompassing 40-acres of open space that is managed by the City of Boulder. Due to the popularity of the trail system and proximity to downtown Boulder and the University of Colorado - Boulder, the park experiences considerable traffic congestion, parking issues, and trail erosion. To address these issues, the City of Boulder, in partnership with the Colorado Chautauqua Association, developed the Chautauqua Access Management Plan (CAMP).46 This plan provides ways to manage the existing demand for access to the area while minimizing impacts on neighboring residents, visitor experiences, and natural resources. Through the CAMP, the City of Boulder also hired an outside consulting firm to undertake an analysis of existing parking utilization and duration and identify the surplus and deficit of parking in surveyed areas near the park entrance.47

44 Balancing Growth With Land Conservation & Public Access Highlight Land Trust Priorities 45 Colorado Chautauqua Association 46 Boulder Chautauqua Access Management Plan 47 Chautauqua Parking Analysis

In addition to analyzing traffic circulation and parking data, the City of Boulder conducted a variety of community engagement techniques to gain additional insight into how best to tackle this congestion issue while appeasing the values and concerns of the community. Public meetings, press releases, city council presentations, social media postings, online surveys, community working groups, and signs near the Chautauqua Park trailhead were all utilized to garner public input. Once feedback was collected from the public, and the traffic analysis was completed, the City developed a transit analysis comparison that weighted management solutions based on feasibility. Ultimately, the City of Boulder selected a shuttle option and parking fee for certain designated areas as solutions to the congestion problem.

The Park-to-Park shuttle program is a free service that runs between downtown Boulder and the nearby University of Colorado - Boulder campus. The shuttle makes its route every fifteen minutes and operates on Saturdays and Sundays between 8am-8pm from May to September. During its first year of conception, the Park-to-Park program reported an average ridership of approximately 900 individuals per day. Additionally, the City started charging parking fees at a rate of $2.50 in select areas on weekends. This paid parking program minimized the number of vehicles parked near Chautauqua trailheads and has relieved congestion.48 The area still receives a considerable amount of vehicle traffic and trailhead congestion; however, the combination of the shuttle service and designated fee areas for parking has helped to minimize some of the adverse impacts.

Regional Recreation Planning Recommendation Option A: Integrated Recreation Planning into Routt County Master Plan

Routt County’s upcoming Master Plan revision serves as an avenue to develop a comprehensive index of long-term goals, objectives, and policies for managing recreation resources at the regional-level. The County encompasses a variety of recreation opportunities that provide economic benefit from tourism, promote a high quality of life for residents, and support the overall sense of place that makes this region unique. As visitors continue to flock to Steamboat Springs and surrounding areas within the County, the Master Planning process must incorporate the identification, classification, and management of recreation resources necessary for sustaining world-class recreational opportunities, community values, and the natural environment.

The County is currently in the early stages of soliciting feedback from the community to evaluate the successes and failures of the current Master Plan and how the current goals and vision for the future should be amended. Moreover, representatives of the RRR have expressed interest in promoting the inclusion of a comprehensive regional planning approach to destination management in a County Master Plan revision. In addition to engaging with the public and

48 Denver Post: Chautauqua Park’s paid parking, shuttles test worked so well that Boulder wants system to go another 5 years

interested stakeholders throughout the Master Planning process, the RRR may serve as a pathway for workshopping ideas amongst members looking to find mutually-beneficial solutions to all interested parties and the community at large. Working in partnership with the County, the RRR can develop long-term goals and strategic objectives for recreation and destination management in the region. This strategy may consist of revisiting the practice of identifying and mapping “Recreational Influence Zones” and developing regulations or management practices tailored to sustaining these recreational resources based on community input.

The analysis of transportation options, congestion pricing, parking capacity, and environmental impacts associated with increased recreation that a regional planning effort allows, may be useful for determining how best to manage pinch points throughout the County, particularly in the areas close to the City of Steamboat Springs identified in this report. By taking a collaborative approach to this Master Plan integration, all recreation providers in the region will be able to streamline communication, understand how to capitalize and leverage resources already on hand, and map priorities from a community, tourism, and ecological perspective. This holistic planning approach would be best modeled after the Envision Chaffee County Recreation in Balance initiative.

Regional Recreation Planning Recommendation Option B: Develop Recreation Report for Stakeholder and Community Use

At a much smaller scale, a report that evaluates existing conditions of recreation areas and community values can lend value to the region. Such a report could include defining and identifying the carrying capacities of recreation hot spots and determining if those carrying capacities have been reached. Identifying carrying capacities includes defining desired visitor and resident experiences, the demand for certain recreation amenities from visitors and residents (e.g., mountain biking trails), and the ecological and infrastructure carrying capacities of recreation hot spots. In addition to a report on existing conditions, community surveys and engagement are necessary for understanding community values as they relate to the tourism infrastructure and favorite local recreation areas in the region. Such information could be integrated into this report to paint a complete picture of the state of recreation-related visitation in the region. This report could be led by the Steamboat Chamber, the City of Steamboat Springs, Routt County, the RRR, or another partnership with the University of Colorado - Boulder or other educational institution.

Ultimately, the intent of such a report would be to inform planning and management efforts based in holistic data to mitigate the challenges associated with increasing visitation. However, unlike a regional-scale planning effort, this report may require far fewer resources to develop.

Funding Mechanisms for Recreation Planning Efforts

The following are opportunities for funding to support small to large scale recreation planning efforts:

● Great Outdoors Colorado: Planning Grants ○ GOCO administers planning grants to assist local government agencies with the development and implementation of a wide range of planning processes. Grants administered under this program include site-specific plans, master plans, and strategic plans. These planning grants have a limit of $75,000; however, there is no maximum amount for project costs and applicants must front 25% of a project’s cost in matching funds. ● Great Outdoors Colorado: Conservation Excellence Grants ○ GOCO issues Conservation Excellence Grants to support conservation related projects that fall into the categories of Policy, Standards and Education, Community Engagement, and Stewardship and Long-Term Sustainability. Project grants are limited to $100,00. ● Great Outdoors Colorado: Local Government/Parks & Recreation Mini Grants ○ GOCO administers Local Park and Outdoor Recreation (LPOR) grants for a variety of projects including new park development, enhancing existing park facilities, park land acquisition, and environmental education facilities. ○ The LPOR grant covers up to $350,000 per project, and mini-grants up to $45,000 per project costing $60,000 or less. ● Great Outdoors Colorado: CPW Director’s Innovation Fund ○ GOCO and CPW jointly administer the Director’s Innovation Fund to support one- time projects that are in alignment with both entity’s respective missions. Applicants can request up to $20,000 and proposals are reviewed by both GOCO and CPW. ● Colorado Parks and Wildlife: Colorado the Beautiful Grant ○ The Colorado the Beautiful Grant Program funds regional trails planning grants and trail construction grants through a partnership between CPW and GOCO. A notable regional trail planning grant issued in 2019 includes the West Steamboat Trail Connection Plan. ● LOR Foundation Grants ○ LOR partners with rural communities in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico to provide grants and technical assistance with solutions to benefit local economies and ways of life. ● Dedicated Sales Tax or Transient Occupancy Tax

○ A resident-supported sales tax or Transient Occupancy Tax dedicated to conservation and/or outdoor recreation planning efforts could significantly help the region devote a dedicated funding stream to managing the impacts of increasing visitation.

SYNOPSIS OF RECOMMENDATIONS: HYPOTHETICAL APPLICATION FOR BUFFALO PASS RECREATION AREA

Buffalo Pass (Buff Pass) is located within the Routt National Forest and has approximately 15 miles of scenic dirt trails and countless backcountry opportunities traversing the Rocky Mountains. This area is frequently accessed by people wanting to recreate in a variety of ways (mountain biking, hiking, camping, picnicking, RVing, snowmobiling, backcountry skiing, wildlife watching, etc.), and in recent years, this area has become increasingly popular due to its proximity to Steamboat Springs.49

Sustaining the unique character of Steamboat Springs is critical. We recommend that goals, objectives, and policies are developed in one of the two proposed planning alternatives in conjunction with a technology solution to ensure that this resource is conserved in the long-term. Continued collaboration between the USFS, RRR, Routt County, and the Chamber should determine who manages the enforcement of parking on Buff Pass and the operation of a technology solution. Hiring temporary staff or bringing on volunteers (through local partnerships) to oversee the flow of traffic and to provide education opportunities to the public (informing visitors where to go and how to recreate in this area), may reduce street parking and relieve congestion.

The visitor experience at Buff Pass will also be significantly improved by implementing technology solutions. First, in the one-stop-shop website, potential visitors can gain information about trail conditions, trail closures, recreation opportunities, and other pertinent information needed to safely enjoy the area. This website will also house a real-time twitter feed with all pertinent information about not only Buffalo Pass but other recreation areas in the City and Routt County. Additionally, installing cameras or using Lot Spot will help visitors know the current parking lot capacity and discourage people from venturing to Buff Pass when the parking lot is full. Furthermore, an extensive marketing and education campaign will inform locals and visitors about the establishment of these resources and encourage more potential visitors to utilize these solutions. This campaign includes Steamboat Pilot articles; brochures at the Chamber, lodging, and other locations around town; banners along Lincoln Ave.; and creative stickers or memorabilia. These solutions will help ensure positive visitor experiences and the protection of existing infrastructure.

49 USFS Buff Pass

CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS

Our recommended approach to managing destination management in the City of Steamboat Springs and Routt County is twofold: implementing technological solutions and establishing a greater regional planning framework. Establishing web-based tools will ensure visitors are armed with better resources to make better decisions about recreating. Furthermore, by taking a step back to establish regional planning efforts, recreation will be more holistically and thoughtfully managed for the benefit of both locals and visitors.

To help implement these recommendations, we suggest the following next steps occur:

1. Apply for GOCO and other grants to provide a funding stream for future projects and continue researching solutions for managing increasing visitation in the region. 2. Solidify and deploy the home for a web-based platform to disseminate recreation information, including establishing who will manage the platform and how it will be maintained. 3. Integrate recreation planning into the revised Routt County Master Plan to establish uniform goals for destination management in the region. 4. Install cameras or use Lot Spot at busy parking lots to relay real-time parking information to visitors. 5. Monitor the success of any implemented strategies by identifying and using Key Performance Indicators.

By implementing these strategies, the City of Steamboat Springs and Routt County will be able to manage recreation in a way that balances the economic and social benefits of tourism and recreation with the stewardship of ecological and social values.

APPENDIX A: STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEW SUMMARIES

This system map addresses the components associated with destination management in Routt County and Steamboat Springs, CO. The map focuses on recreation in Steamboat Springs (green) with several main driving forces (yellow) and stakeholders (red). These components contribute to an increase in recreation and the need to manage for increased recreation. This map reveals the different roles that tourism plays within the City of Steamboat Springs and Routt County.

I. Overview of Stakeholder Interview Summaries

The following summaries encapsulate phone interviews conducted with stakeholders identified during the scoping process in Fall 2019.

Our primary takeaways from the engagement process are twofold: first, increased communication between stakeholders would help alleviate future problems and second, a singular technological solution for destination management will be more robust if regional planning initiatives exist. While all stakeholders were generally concerned about the same overarching challenge of increased visitation, they each have a unique angle - yet are seemingly unaware of each other’s perspectives. For this reason, we do not simply propose a technological, information-sharing solution to destination management until our stakeholders take a few steps back to understand each other’s concerns, coordinate visions for improved destination management, and learn from each other what is happening on-the-ground.

II. Interview Summary: Routt County Routt County has the broadest view of destination management challenges in the region compared to other stakeholders. Routt County is currently looking to update their master plan and has recently joined the newly created Routt Recreation Roundtable (RRR). Routt County’s primary concerns with increasing visitation are regional road maintenance (especially on more remote, less-maintained roads), traffic management, and the provision of emergency services. Since Routt County is not a recreation provider, they see a need for technological information- sharing solutions to be coupled with broader planning efforts and collaboration between stakeholders. Without doing so, each stakeholder might misunderstand their role in managing increased visitation - thereby creating management inefficiencies. Routt County is also concerned that a technological information-sharing solution might disperse recreation to more remote, less-developed areas, making emergency service access challenging.

III. Interview Summary: Strawberry Park Group Homeowners Association The Strawberry Park Group is a homeowners association (HOA) that was formed by the community in the 1970s. The HOA oversees the Strawberry Park neighborhood which is situated north of Steamboat Springs and consists largely of single family residences scattered along Routt County Road 36 (RCR 36). At the end of the road lies Strawberry Park Hot Springs which has recently experienced increased traffic congestion due to the increasing popularity of the hot springs. This poses safety concerns (especially during inclement weather events) and blocks the main road, sometimes preventing residents from reaching their homes. However, the Strawberry Park Group HOA is not currently employing any management controls to mitigate increased traffic to their road or neighborhood, but rather they are relying on Strawberry Park Hot Springs to better manage visitation.

The HOA believes that in order to have a successful recreation management tool, it will need community buy-in from all stakeholders (including both public and private entities at the local to federal level). A one-stop-shop tool with community information that includes features such as

trails, road and parking closures, and education about other recreation areas, while being ad- free, would provide immense benefit to the HOA.

IV. Interview Summary: Strawberry Park Hot Springs Located in the hills just a few miles outside of town, Strawberry Park Hot Springs is adjacent to Hot Springs Creek on Routt County Road 36 and is an extremely popular destination for residents and tourists alike. As visitation has increased, the parking lot capacity for Strawberry Park Hot Springs has remained stagnant with no intentions for expansion. To manage their visitation, the Hot Springs currently posts updates to their website when the parking lot is full, but there is no indication that visitors are checking the website before making the journey to the Hot Springs.

Up to this point, the Hot Springs have taken a more reactionary approach to visitor management. Over the years, they have increased staffing from 1 employee to as many as 5-6 employees at any given time (especially during peak demand on weekends and holidays). They have employed traffic control measures in which they close down the road two miles before the entrance of the Hot Springs if parking has become full (and let cars up on a one-in, one-out basis). Most recently, they created an online reservation system by which guests can reserve a parking spot for a designated time on the Hot Springs website. This reservation system has received positive feedback from visitors. However, the Hot Springs are aware that there is a lack of communication between their guests and parking closures, and they are eager to find a better way to share information and educate their visitors about the best times to visit the Hot Springs. Unfortunately, the Hot Springs has limited internet connection, making real-time information sharing challenging.

V. Interview Summary: Colorado Parks & Wildlife

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has three main parks within the jurisdiction of our project: Stagecoach State Park, Yampa River State Park, and Steamboat Lake State Park. Due to their proximity to the City of Steamboat Springs and increasing visitation trends, these parks have a variety of management challenges including aging infrastructure, overcrowding, and parking and camping site limitations. Unfortunately, there are few management strategies in place. Parking lot sizes currently limit the number of cars that can park at state park trailheads and the Integrated Parks and Wildlife System (IPAWS) manages permits, products, and camping spaces within the Colorado State Park system to limit the amount of people that can stay at the campgrounds. The goal of IPAWS is to offer a one-stop-shopping platform for all recreation in CPW. However, there is a need for increased education and real-time data to inform visitors of overcrowding, closures, hunting and fishing regulations, and other safety or visitor information. Furthermore, CPW would benefit from establishing a landscape level recreation plan and creating a real-time visitor use data tool between agencies (especially between the USFS, CPW, and Routt County).

VI. Interview Summary: Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest Districts

The Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest Districts house many of the hot spots that are assessed within this project, including the Buffalo Pass-Dry Lake recreation area and Fish Creek Falls. Both areas are limited by parking infrastructure and are looking for ways to encourage visitors to visit other lesser known areas around Steamboat Springs and Routt County, to limit the stress on the native landscapes and surrounding neighborhoods. Current educational resources for this area include a website and a recently launched mobile app. While both platforms can be used to get information on trails, they are not very intuitive. The USFS prefers a tool that will allow visitors to gain real time information about recreation opportunities around the county, offers locations of less crowded recreation areas, and provides educational opportunities to help increase visitor safety.

VII. Interview Summary: City of Steamboat Parks and Recreation

The City of Steamboat Springs Parks and Recreation Department experiences the complexities of increased visitation on a daily basis. The Parks and Recreation Department manages a variety of resources in the form of parks, open space, rental facilities, river access, trails, and ski areas that are frequently used by both out of town visitors and locals.

Information regarding the status of trail closures, events, parking lot capacity, and access to facilities is generally lacking and noted as an area to improve upon. A city-managed website with parks and recreation resources exists; however, it is difficult to use and does not provide comprehensive and easy to reference information about park resources. With so many resources to manage, the Parks and Recreation Department is stretched thin with limited funding to provide services for the maintenance of facilities and infrastructure, education and outreach to visitors, expansion or improvement of parking, and parking enforcement.

Providing a one-stop-shop online management tool option for delivering real-time information regarding trail conditions, parking availability, events, and environmental stewardship will assist this stakeholder in achieving their goals of improved communication and education. To implement such a management tool, effective messaging must be rolled out to encourage more use and awareness of needing to check on the status of events and park resources. A management tool that combines real-time information about park resources and effective messaging will likely foster more proactive and thoughtful use of popular areas.

VIII. Interview Summary: Routt Recreation Roundtable (RRR)

The Routt Recreation Roundtable was established in 2019 to foster conversation and collaboration between many land managers and recreation providers present in Routt County.

The goal of the RRR is to establish a collaborative platform for professionals to engage, discuss, and tackle issues surrounding recreation. By engaging a variety of land managers and recreation providers, the RRR strives to hear all perspectives and provide an opportunity for recreation professionals to layout their wants, needs, and expectations for managing outdoor recreation in the county. This organization establishes non-binding insights and recommendations to recreation providers within Routt County and will be an integral component of regional destination management.50

IX. Interview Summary: Steamboat PowderCats

The Steamboat PowderCats is a local backcountry ski outfitter who utilizes USFS land on Buffalo Pass for their operations. The outfitter maintains tracks in the area which in recent years have experienced increased use from locals and visitors wanting to backcountry ski, snowmobile, and recreate on USFS land. This increase in use has led to decreased positive visitor experiences for guests on PowderCats adventures and parking lots reach capacity early in the day, sometimes preventing snowplows from properly doing their job. Since this region relies on so many different entities (USFS, Routt County, CDOT, etc.), there are frequently disagreements over who should manage the parking area. A solution is needed that has real-time data sharing capabilities so potential visitors know parking lot and trail capacity prior to driving to Buffalo Pass. Furthermore, increased education is necessary to ensure visitors understand proper winter trail etiquette and are aware of other places to recreate. By increasing visitor education, safety of all recreators will be increased and everyone will have a better recreation experience.

X. Interview Summary: Steamboat Ski Resort

The Steamboat Ski Resort experiences large visitation during the winter months and uses its website, signs, parking attendants, webcams, and social media to educate and inform visitors of current conditions, parking lot capacity, trail statuses, and other necessary information. Since the ski resort’s resources are mainly used in the winter months, most of the parking lots are rarely used during the summer. Furthermore, the ski resort’s existing tools mitigate the destination management issues many of the recreation areas outside the resort experience. Moving forward, the ski resort does not need an additional tool but agrees that the tool would help the overall community and provide another avenue for guests and locals to understand recreation options.

50 Routt Recreation Roundtable Charter

APPENDIX B: U.S. Forest Service Regional Recreation Fee Programs

Adventure Pass

Southern California National Forests, including the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino National Forests implemented a regional recreation pass called the Adventure Pass51 which is required by visitors to purchase for standard amenity recreation fee areas. Signs are posted at various locations near U.S. Forest Service (USFS) boundaries to let visitors know that they are entering a recreation fee area and must display their recreation pass. The Adventure Pass can be purchased online, from USFS ranger stations at local businesses, and even REI for $5 per day or $30 annually. By selling these passes in local businesses, visitors can visit a convenient location to purchase a pass before making a trip to any of these recreation areas. The fees obtained through the Adventure Pass are utilized for the improvement and enhancement of operating, maintaining, and restoring recreation opportunities such as interpretative programs, transportation systems, campgrounds, day use sites, boat ramps, trails, rental cabins, and lookouts.

Tonto Pass

The Tonto National Forest, north of Phoenix, AZ, charges recreation fees through their Tonto Pass for both daily and overnight stays in standard amenity recreation sites.52 The Forest collects fees (at $8 per day and $80 annually) for the operation and maintenance of facilities, infrastructure, and hiring of temporary and full time staff. There are currently five different passes that visitors to the Forest can purchase through online vendors, kiosks located near visitor centers, and via a smartphone application called Viply. This application has been a useful way to provide quick and easy access to paying for recreation fees. Visitors recently surveyed through a “Fee Attitude Survey” conducted by Arizona State University reported a 95% approval rate for increasing user fees to access recreation sites in the Forest. The survey results highlight that local communities are amenable to the idea of paying for recreation opportunities to help preserve their public lands.

51 USFS Adventure Pass 52 USFS Tonto Pass