University of Kentucky UKnowledge KWRRI Research Reports Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute 9-1983 The Red River Gorge: The Existence of "Recreational Niches" and Their aM nagement Implications Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.13023/kwrri.rr.145 Sara E. Alexander University of Kentucky Billie R. DeWalt University of Kentucky Eugenie Scott University of Kentucky Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits oy u. Follow this and additional works at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/kwrri_reports Part of the Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration Commons, and the Tourism and Travel Commons Repository Citation Alexander, Sara E.; DeWalt, Billie R.; and Scott, Eugenie, "The Red River Gorge: The Existence of "Recreational Niches" and Their Management Implications" (1983). KWRRI Research Reports. 58. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/kwrri_reports/58 This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in KWRRI Research Reports by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Research Report No. 145 THE RED RIVER GORGE: THE EXISTENCE OF "RECREATIONAL NICHES" AND THEIR MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS By Sara E. Alexander Research Assistant Dr. Billie R. DeWalt Dr. Eugenie Scott Principal Investigators Project Number: A-079-KY Agreement Numbers: 14-34-0001-9019 (FY 1979) 14-34-0001-0119 (FY 1980) 14-34-0001-1119 (FY 1981) Project Period: June 1979 - May 1982 University of Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute Lexington, Kentucky The work upon which this report is based was supported in part by funds provided by the United States Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C., as authorized by the Water Research and Development Act of 1978. Public Law 95-467. September 1983 DISCLAIMER Contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the United States Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C., nor does the mention of trade names or co11111ercial products constitute their endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Government. ii ABSTRACT THE RED RIVER GORGE: THE EXISTENCE OF "RECREATIONAL NICHES" AND THEIR MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS Until the late 1960's, the Red River Gorge was just one of the more beautiful narts of the Daniel Boone National Forest. At this time, the Army Corps of Engineers proposed to dam the river for flood control, water supply, and recreation purposes. Intense opposition to the project generated considerable publicity and the Gorge area experienced substantial increases in visitation. The result has been not only severe environmental degradation but extensive overcrowding as well. These trends are presently overtaxing management capabilities of the United States Forest Service. 'Ihe most pressing issue has come to be how to effectively manage this area to oreserve both its ecological and social attractiveness. In an effort to provide management agencies with some important social parameters of recreation in Red River Gorge, this report examines the recreationists' socio­ demographic characteristics, the recreational activities engaged in, their density tolerance levels, and their preferences for development of the area. Eleven ''recreational niches" (defined as a specific location within a recreation area occupied by visitors pursuing different kinds of iii leisure-time activities) were identified. Preservation of the niches are recommended as a means for maintaining both the ecological and social diversity of the Red 1iver Gorge. Descriptors: Recreation Facilities*; Recreation Demand*; Recreation; Wild Rivers; Tourism; Management Planning Identifiers: River Recreation Management; Social Carrying Capacity; Recreational Niches; Visitor Preferences iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A large number of individuals must be recognized as contributing to this report. I would like to begin by thanking Jr. John Fox, without whose encouragement I ~ould not have come to theL University of Kentucky and begun my career in anthropology. I owe the completion of my field research to numerous assistants. Special thanks go to Cathy Atkins and Elizabeth Adelski, both of whom worked consistently throughout the project interviewing recreationists. Other interviewers include Dorothy Syce, Pam Brinegar, Ellen Dugan, Keith Crew and Allyn Writesel. I want to thank all of these people for having the courage, endurance and sense of adventure needed to traverse the Gorge in search of recreationists. I also extend my gratitude to every Gorge visitor who took the time to answer the questions and to the various managers who provided their opinions. My heart was won by Arthur and Eva Sexton whom I grew to love as they cared for me and loved me, making my time in the Gorge truly something special. I also want to thank Drs. Eugenie Scott and Billie R. DeWalt. As co-principal investigators their guidance was of special value. I would like to thank Dr. DeWalt in particular, for giving me total responsibility in carrying out all aspects of this research. It has been one of the most valuable experiences of my life. Final thanks go to my parents for their lifelong faith in me and their endurinis encouragement, and to Mamadou, for his continous support and his calm oresence, both of which have helped me to finally complete this pro,ject. v TABLE 0! CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS • • • . ... • • • • • • • • • • • • • iii I.ist of Figures . • . • • ~. • . • . • . iv List of Tables •••••••••••••••.••••. vi Chapter I - Red River Gorge: The Issue ••• , • , • , • 1 Recent Historical Background ••••••••••••• 1 Problem Statement •••••••••••••••••• 6 Chapter II - An Historical and Ethnographic Perspective. 15 National Context • •••••••••••••••••• 15 Historical Development of Wilderness Lands •••••• 18 Settlement and History of Red River Gorge • • • ·• • • 23 Local Residents of the Red River Gorge •••••••• 31 Establishment of the Red River Gorge as a Recreation Area • ••••••••••••••••••••• 37 Existing Management Policies for the Gorge Area ••• 39 Managers of the Red River Gorge , , , • , ••• , •• 43 Recent National Recreation Trends and Red River Gorge 48 Chapter III - Methodology • • , • • • • • • • ; • • • • 58 The Problem ••••••••••••••••••••• 58 Utilizing Participant Observation •••••••• 59 Constructing the Pre-test Instrument ••••••••• 61 The Recreation ist Survey . • . • • . • . • • • • 6~ More Participant Observations and "Recreational Niche" Identification • •••••••••••••••• oS sampling strategy Utilized •••••••••••• , • 66 Chapter IV - General Visitor Characteristics • • 70 The Red River Gorge Recreationist •••••••••• 70 The Survey Locations • .•••••••.•••••• • -·82 The Red River Gorge Recreationists by Location •••• 96 Summa tion--Typical Visitor by Location • • • • • • • 111 Chapter V - social Carrying Capacity • • • • • • • • • 119 The Visitor and His Social Surroundings •••• 119 Defined ••••••••••••••• ·• ••••• 121 Measurement Tools • •.••••••••••••• 125 Social Carrying Capacity According co Niche 135 Development Preferences • • • • • • • • • • • • 141 Factor Analysis ••.••••.•••••••••• 155 Chapter VI - Management Implications • • • • • • • • • 16d Recreation Management: The Issue ••••• , • • • • 1b8 A Summation: The "Recreational Niches" in Red River Gorge. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 174 Some Recommendations • ••••••••••••••• 18a Conclusion • , ••••••••••••••••••• 195 References Cited ••••••••.•••••••••• 218 vi I.IST OF FIGURES Fiigure, No. Page No. II-l Upper, Middle and Lower Divisions of the Red River Gorge • . • . • 32 IV-1 Survey Locations • . • • • • . • • • • • • 83 V-l Density Tolerance Curves of Total Visitor/ Recreationists •••••• • 130 V-2 Density Tolerance by Location •••••• 134 vii LIST OF TABLES Table No. II-l Visits to National Parks and Forests, 1904-1979 . 16 II-2 Wilderness Area Visitation 1960-1979 • 49 IV-1 Age Levels of the Red River Gorge Recreat.ionists . • . • • . • 72 IV-2 Sex Batios of the Red River Gorge Recreationists; ..•••••• 73 IV-3 Education Levels of the Red River Gorge . Recreationists •••••••• 73 IV-4 Residences of the Red River Gorge Recreationists . • • 75 IV-5 Occupations of the Red River Gorge Recreatiouists . 77 IV-6 Trip Motives of the Red River Gorge Recreationists •.•..••• 78 IV-7 Activities of the Red River Gorge Recreationists ••••••• • 80 IV-8 Main Activity of the Red River Gorge Recreationists , ••••••.. 80 IV-9 • The Typical Red River Gorge Recreationist : 81 IV-10 Number of cases per Location •••••••• 84 IV-ll Mean Age Levels of the Gorge Recreationists by LOca tion· • . • . • . • . 97 IV-12 Male-Female Batios of the Recreationists by Location . • . 98 IV-13 Completed Education Levels of the Recreationists by Location • . 99 IV-14 Residences of the Recreationists by I.ocation . • • . 101. IV-15 Occupations of the Recreationists by Location . , 103 IV-16 Trip Motives of the Recreationists by Location . 105 IV-17 Recreational Activities of the Visitors by Location .•.....•. 107 IV-18 Main Activity of the Recreationists by Location • . 110 IV-19 Typical Red River Gorge Recreationist by Location . • • • ••••. 112 Retu;n Potential Curve for the Entire Gorge Sample ••••••• 131 V-2 Number of People Actually Seen ••• 133 V-3 Feelings About Number of People Seen 133 V-4 Return Potential Curves by Location 136 139 viii Table No. V-5 Number of People Actually Seen by Location. 139 V-6 Feelings About the Number of People Seen by Location.