National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior
Natural Resource Program Center
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Visitor Study Summer 2010
Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/SSD/NRR—2011/636/106766
ON THE COVER Photograph courtesy of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Visitor Study Summer 2010
Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/SSD/NRR—2011/636/106766
Ariel Blotkamp, Nancy C. Holmes, Dr. Wayde Morse, Steven J. Hollenhorst
February 2011
U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center Fort Collins, Colorado
The National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public.
The Natural Resource Report Series is used to disseminate high-priority, current natural resource management information with managerial application. The series targets a general, diverse audience, and may contain NPS policy considerations or address sensitive issues of management applicability.
All manuscripts in the series receive the appropriate level of peer review to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and designed and published in a professional manner.
Data in this report were collected and analyzed using methods based on established, peer-reviewed protocols and were analyzed and interpreted within the guidelines of the protocols.
Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and data in this report do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Government.
This report is available from the Social Science Division (http://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/index.cfm) and the Natural Resource Publications Management website (http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/NRPM).
Please cite this publication as:
Blotkamp, A., N. C. Holmes, W. Morse, S. J. Hollenhorst. 2011. Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Summer 2011. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/SSD/NRR—2011/636/106766. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.
2011/636/106766 February 2011
ii Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Contents
CONTENTS ...... III EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... V Acknowledgements ...... vi About the Authors ...... vi INTRODUCTION ...... 1 Organization of the Report...... 1 Presentation of the Results ...... 2 METHODS ...... 3 Survey Design ...... 3 Sample size and sampling plan ...... 3 Questionnaire design ...... 4 Survey procedure ...... 4 Data analysis ...... 5 Limitations ...... 5 Special conditions ...... 5 Checking Non-response Bias ...... 6 RESULTS...... 7 Group and Visitor Characteristics ...... 7 Visitor group size ...... 7 Visitor group type ...... 7 Visitors with organized groups ...... 8 United States visitors by state of residence...... 10 Visitors from Georgia and adjacent states by county of residence ...... 11 International visitors by country of residence ...... 12 Frequency of visits ...... 13 Visitor age ...... 14 Visitor ethnicity ...... 14 Visitor race ...... 15 Language used for speaking and reading ...... 16 Services needed in languages other than English ...... 17 Visitors with physical conditions ...... 18 Household income ...... 19 Household size ...... 19 Awareness of park management ...... 20 Awareness of safety requirements ...... 20 Trip/Visit Characteristics and Preferences ...... 21 Information sources prior to visit ...... 21 Information sources for future visit ...... 23 Types of information at park sites ...... 24 Forms of transportation used to arrive at the NRA ...... 27 Number of vehicles ...... 27 Length of visit ...... 28 Locating sites to visit ...... 29 Units visited/used on past visits ...... 31 Units visited/used on this visit ...... 32 Visit to one specific site ...... 35 Finding a specific site ...... 37 Finding parking at a specific site ...... 37 Activities on past visits ...... 38 Activities on this visit ...... 39 Primary reason for this visit ...... 40
iii Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
CONTENTS (continued)
Safety issues at Chattahoochee NRA ...... 41 Reasons for feeling unsafe in Chattahoochee NRA ...... 44 Reasons for feeling unsafe in own neighborhood ...... 45 Ratings of Services, Facilities, Attributes, and Resources ...... 46 Information services used ...... 46 Importance ratings of information services ...... 47 Quality ratings of information services ...... 51 Mean scores of importance and quality ratings of information services ...... 55 Visitor services and facilities used ...... 56 Importance ratings of visitor services and facilities ...... 57 Quality ratings of visitor services and facilities ...... 60 Mean scores of importance and quality ratings of visitor services and facilities ...... 63 Preferences for Future Visit ...... 64 Ranger-led talks and programs ...... 64 Preferred types of ranger-led programs on a future visit ...... 66 Methods of learning on a future visit ...... 67 Additional services or facilities on a future visit ...... 68 Overall Quality ...... 72 VISITOR COMMENTS ...... 73 Additional comments ...... 73 APPENDIX 1: THE QUESTIONNAIRE ...... 75 APPENDIX 2: ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS ...... 77 APPENDIX 3: DECISION RULES FOR CHECKING NON-RESPONSE BIAS ...... 79 References ...... 80 APPENDIX 4: VISITOR SERVICES PROJECT PUBLICATIONS ...... 81
iv Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Executive Summary
• This report describes the results of a visitor study at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (NRA) during June 15-24, 2010. A total of 1,083 questionnaires were distributed to visitor groups. Of those, 622 questionnaires were returned resulting in a 57.4% response rate.
• This report profiles a systematic random sample of Chattahoochee River NRA visitors. Most results are presented in graphs and frequency tables.
• Thirty-five percent of visitor groups were alone and 34% were in groups of two. Thirty-seven percent of visitor groups were made up of family members.
• United States visitors comprised 99.8% of total visitation during the survey period, with 94% from Georgia and smaller proportions from 22 other states. International visitors were from two countries.
• Thirty-six percent of visitors were ages 36-55 years, 14% were ages 15 years or younger, and 5% were ages 66 or older.
• Most visitor groups (74%) obtained information about the park prior to their visit. Prior to this visit, visitor groups most often obtained information about the park through previous visits (56%), and most (91%) received the information they needed. Forty percent of visitor groups would like to use the park website to obtain information for a future visit.
• Thirty-one percent of visitors visit the park occasionally during the year and 28% visit every week. Thirty-nine percent of visitor groups spent up to one hour visiting the park, and the average length of visit was 2.1 hours.
• The most common activities among visitor groups were walking/hiking (54%), exercising/running/ jogging (41%), and enjoying solitude/quiet (33%).
• Visitor groups’ most common primary reasons for visiting Chattahoochee NRA were walking/hiking (33%) and exercising/running/jogging (29%).
• The most common units visited/used on this visit were Columns Drive (27%) and Interstate North Parkway (21%).
• The information service most commonly used by visitor groups was the directional signs (58%). The information service that received the highest combined proportion of “extremely important” and “very important” ratings was ranger-led programs (78%, N=37). The information service that received the highest combined proportion of “very good” and “good” quality ratings was assistance from park staff (96%, N=31).
• The visitor services and facilities most commonly used by visitor groups were the trails (75%) and restrooms (53%). The visitor service/facility that received the highest combined proportion of “extremely important” and “very important” ratings was the trails (97%, N=383). The service/facility that received the highest combined proportion of “very good” and “good” quality ratings was also the trails (86%, N=362).
• Most visitor groups (90%) rated the overall quality of facilities, services, and recreational opportunities at Chattahoochee River NRA as “very good” or “good.” One percent of visitor groups rated the overall quality as “very poor” or “poor.”
For more information about the Visitor Services Project, please contact the Park Studies Unit at the University of Idaho at (208) 885-7863 or the following website http://www.psu.uidaho.edu.
v Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Acknowledgements
We thank Wayde Morse for overseeing the field work, Philip Cook and the staff and volunteers of Chattahoochee River NRA for assisting with the survey, and David Vollmer and Matthew Strawn for data processing.
About the Authors
Ariel Blotkamp and Nancy C. Holmes are Research Assistants with the Visitor Services Project. Dr. Wayde Morse is Assistant Professor, School of Forestry and Wildlife Science at Auburn University. Dr. Steven Hollenshorst is the Director of the Park Studies Unit, Department of Conservation Social Science, University of Idaho.
vi Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Introduction
This report describes the results of a visitor study at Chattahoochee River (NRA) in Sandy Springs, GA, conducted June 15-24, 2010 by the National Park Service (NPS) Visitor Services Project (VSP), part of the Park Studies Unit (PSU) at the University of Idaho.
The National Park Service website for Chattahoochee River NRA describes the park: “Today the river valley attracts us for so many reasons. Take a solitary walk to enjoy nature’s display, raft leisurely through the rocky shoals with friends, fish the misty waters as the sun comes up, or have a picnic on a Sunday afternoon. Experience your Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area” (www.nps.gov/chat, retrieved October, 2010).
Organization of the Report
The report is organized into three sections.
Section 1: Methods. This section discusses the procedures, limitations, and special conditions that may affect the study results.
Section 2: Results. This section provides summary information for each question in the questionnaire. The presentation of the results of this study does not follow the order of questions in the questionnaire.
Section 3: Appendices Appendix 1: The Questionnaire. A copy of the questionnaire distributed to visitor groups. Appendix 2: Additional Analysis. A list of sample questions for cross-references and cross comparisons. Comparisons can be analyzed within park or between parks. Results of additional analyses are not included in this report. Appendix 3: Decision rules for checking non-response bias. An explanation of how the non- response bias was determined. Appendix 4: Visitor Services Project Publications. A complete list of publications by the VSP. Copies of these reports can be obtained by visiting the website: www.psu.uidaho.edu/vsp/reports.htm or by contacting the VSP office at (208) 885-7863.
1 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Presentation of the Results
Results are presented in the form of graphs (see example below), scatter plots, pie charts, tables, or text.
SAMPLE ONLY
1. The figure title describes the graph's 2 information. N=2174 individuals* 2. Listed above the graph, the “N” shows the number of individuals or visitor groups 4 or more 4% responding to the question. If “N” is less than 30, “CAUTION!” is shown on the graph to indicate 3 5% the results may be unreliable. 5 Number of visits * appears when total percentages do not equal 2 16% 100 due to rounding. 3 **appears when total percentages do not equal 1 76% 100 because visitors could select more than one answer choice. 0 500 1000 1500 2000 4 3. Vertical information describes the response Number of respondents categories.
Figure 14. Number of visits to the park in 4. Horizontal information shows the number or 1 past 12 months proportions of responses in each category.
5. In most graphs, percentages provide additional information.
2 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Methods
Survey Design
Sample size and sampling plan
All VSP questionnaires follow design principles outlined in Don A. Dillman's book Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method (2007). Using this methodology, the sample size was calculated based on the park visitation statistics of previous years.
Brief interviews were conducted with a systematic, random sample of visitor groups that arrived at selected locations in Chattahoochee River NRA during June 15-24, 2010. Visitors were surveyed between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Table 1 shows the thirteen locations, number of questionnaires distributed at each location, and the response rate for each location. During this survey, 1,144 visitor groups were contacted and 1,083 of these groups (94.7%) accepted questionnaires (average acceptance rate for 211 VSP visitor studies conducted from 1988 through 2009 is 91.8%). Questionnaires were completed and returned by 622 visitor groups resulting in a 57.4% response rate for this study. The average response rate for the 211 VSP visitor studies is 73.5%.
Table 1. Questionnaire distribution
Distributed Returned
Sampling site N % N % Interstate North 250 23 149 24 Columns Drive 181 17 121 19 Paces Mill 132 12 60 10 Powers Island 99 9 53 6 Johnson Ferry North 80 7 45 7 Jones Bridge 76 7 43 7 Sope Creek 65 6 33 5 Island Ford 54 5 34 5 Medlock Bridge 53 5 31 5 Abbotts Bridge 33 3 12 2 Palisades: Whitewater Creek 33 3 22 4 Gold Branch 17 2 15 2 Settles Bridge 10 1 4 1 Totals 1,083 100 622 97*
*Percentage does not equal 100 due to rounding
3 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Questionnaire design
The Chattahoochee River NRA questionnaire was developed at a workshop held with park staff to design and prioritize the questions. Some of the questions were comparable with VSP studies conducted at other parks while others were customized for Chattahoochee River NRA. Many questions asked visitors to choose answers from a list of responses, often with an open-ended option, while others were completely open-ended.
No pilot study was conducted to test the Chattahoochee River NRA questionnaire. However, all questions followed Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidelines and/or were used in previous surveys, thus the clarity and consistency of the survey instrument have been tested and supported.
Survey procedure
Visitor groups were greeted, briefly introduced to the purpose of the study, and asked to participate. If visitors agreed, they were asked which member (at least 16 years old) had the next birthday. The individual with the next birthday was selected to complete the questionnaire for the group. An interview, lasting approximately two minutes, was conducted with that person to determine group size, group type, and the age of the member completing the questionnaire. These individuals were asked for their names, addresses, and telephone numbers or email addresses in order to mail them a reminder/thank-you postcard and follow-ups. Visitors were asked to complete the survey after their visit, and return the questionnaire by mail. The questionnaires were pre-addressed and affixed with a U.S. first class postage stamp.
Two weeks following the survey, a reminder/thank-you postcard was mailed to all participants who provided a valid mailing address (see Table 2). Replacement questionnaires were mailed to participants who had not returned their questionnaires four weeks after the survey. Seven weeks after the survey, a second round of replacement questionnaires was mailed to visitors who had not returned their questionnaires. Due to low response, a third round of replacement questionnaires was mailed 12 weeks after the survey.
Table 2. Follow-up mailing distribution
Mailing Date U.S. International Total Postcards July 8, 2010 1027 1 1028 1st Replacement July 22, 2010 579 1 580 2nd Replacement August 11, 2010 518 0 518 3rd Replacement September 16, 2010 425 0 425
4 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Data analysis
Returned questionnaires were coded and the visitor responses were processed using custom and standard statistical software applications—Statistical Analysis Software® (SAS), and a custom designed FileMaker Pro® application. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations were calculated for the coded data and responses to open-ended questions were categorized and summarized. Double-key data entry validation was performed on numeric and text entry variables and the remaining checkbox (bubble) variables were read by optical mark recognition (OMR) software.
Limitations
Like all surveys, this study has limitations that should be considered when interpreting the results.
1. This was a self-administered survey. Respondents completed the questionnaire after the visit, which may have resulted in poor recall. Thus, it is not possible to know whether visitor responses reflected actual behavior. 2. The data reflect visitor use patterns at the selected sites during the study period of June 15- 24, 2010. The results present a ‘snapshot-in-time’ and do not necessarily apply to visitors during other times of the year. 3. Caution is advised when interpreting any data with a sample size of less than 30, as the results may be unreliable. Whenever the sample size is less than 30, the word "CAUTION!" is included in the graph, figure, table, or text. 4. Occasionally, there may be inconsistencies in the results. Inconsistencies arise from missing data or incorrect answers (due to misunderstood directions, carelessness, or poor recall of information). Therefore, refer to both the percentage and N (number of individuals or visitor groups) when interpreting the results.
Special conditions
The weather during the survey period was generally hot and humid, with occasional clouds and breezy periods. No special events occurred in the area that would have affected the type and the amount of visitation to the park.
5 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Checking Non-response Bias
Four variables were used to check non-response bias: average age, group size, group type, and overall quality rating score. Respondents and nonrespondents differed in average age, group size, and group type (see Table 3). There were no significant differences between early and late responders in terms of overall quality rating (see Table 4). There is a potential bias due to nonresponse error. Results of visitor demographic and group composition need to be interpreted with caution. However, there is no evidence of potential bias in visitors’ opinion of park operations. See Appendix 3 for more details on the non-response bias checking procedures.
Table 3. Comparison of respondents and nonrespondents
Variable Respondents Nonrespondents p-value (t-test) Age (years) 45.39 (N=620) 37.60 (N=457) <0.001 Group size 2.4 (N=615) 2.9 (N=458) 0.003 Group type Chi-square Alone 215 157 Family 226 140 Friends 115 113 Family and friends 52 35 Other 4 7 0.048
Table 4. Comparison of respondents at different mailing waves
Between st st Before postcard and 1 After 1 postcard replacement replacement p-value Overall quality rating 4.40 4.29 4.27 0.106
6 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Results
Group and Visitor Characteristics
Visitor group size
Question 18b N=615 visitor groups On this visit, how many people were in your personal group, including yourself? 5 or more 8%
Results 4 11% • 36% of visitors were alone (see Figure 1). 3 11% • 34% were in groups of two. Group size • 22% were in groups of three or four. 2 34%
1 36%
0 50 100 150 200 250 Number of respondents
Figure 1. Visitor group size Visitor group type
Question 18a N=612 visitor groups On this visit, what kind of personal group (not commercial/school/other organized Family 37% group) were you with?
Alone 35% Results • 37% of visitor groups were made up Group of family members (see Figure 2). type Friends 19%
• 35% were alone. Family and 8% friends • “Other” group types (1%) were:
Other 1% Business partner Co-worker 0 50 100 150 200 250 Number of respondents
Figure 2. Visitor group type
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
7 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Visitors with organized groups
Question 17a N=547 visitor groups On this visit, were you and your Yes 0% personal group part of a commercial With commerical guided fishing group? guided fishing group? No 100% Results • No visitor groups were part of a commercial guided fishing 0 200 400 600 group (see Figure 3). Number of respondents
Figure 3. Visitors with a commercial guided fishing group
Question 17b N=550 visitor groups On this visit, were you and your personal group part of a commercial With commericial Yes 4% boat, canoe, kayak, raft, tube, or boat, canoe, kayak, raft, tube or bicycle bicycle group? group? No 96%
Results • 4% of visitor groups were part 0 200 400 600 of a commercial boat, canoe, Number of respondents kayak, raft, tube, or bicycle group (see Figure 4). Figure 4. Visitors with commercial boat, canoe, kayak, raft, tube, or bicycle group
Question 17c On this visit, were you and your N=540 visitor groups* personal group part of a school/ educational group? Yes <1% With school/ education Results group? No 100% • Less than 1% of visitor groups were part of a school/ educational group (see 0 200 400 600 Figure 5). Number of respondents
Figure 5. Visitors with a school/educational group
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
8 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Question 17d N=537 visitor groups On this visit, were you and your Yes 2% personal group part of an “other” With ''other'' organized group (scouts, work, organized church, etc.)? group? No 98%
Results • 2% of visitor groups were part 0 200 400 600 of an “other” organized group Number of respondents (see Figure 6). Figure 6. Visitors with an “other” organized group
Question 17e N=14 visitor groups If you were with one of these organized groups, how many 11 or more 29% CAUTION! people, including yourself, were in this group? Number 6-10 50% of people Results - Interpret with CAUTION! Up to 5 21% • Not enough visitor groups responded to this question to provide reliable results (see 02468 Figure 7). Number of respondents
Figure 7. Organized group size
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
9 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
United States visitors by state of residence
Table 5. United States visitors by state of residence* Question 21b For you and your personal Percent of group on this visit, what is U.S. Percent of your state of residence? total visitors Number visitors of N=1,245 N=1,248 Note: Response was limited to State visitors individuals individuals seven members from each visitor group. Georgia 1168 94 94 Florida 12 1 1 Results South Carolina 10 1 1 • U.S. visitors were from 23 Tennessee 10 1 1 states and comprised 99.8% California 6 <1 <1 of total visitation to the park Alabama 5 <1 <1 during the survey period. Indiana 4 <1 <1 Texas 4 <1 <1 • 94% of U.S. visitors Colorado 3 <1 <1 came from Georgia 14 other states 23 2 2
(see Table 5 and Figure 8).
• Smaller proportions of U.S. visitors came from 22 other states.
Figure 8. Proportions of United States visitors by state of residence
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
10 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Visitors from Georgia and adjacent states by county of residence
• Visitors from Georgia and Table 6. Visitors from Georgia and adjacent state visitors by adjacent states were from 39 county of residence* counties and comprised 97% of the total U.S. visitation to Number of visitors the park during the survey N=1,206 period. County, State individuals Percent
Fulton, GA 549 46 • 46% came from Fulton County, GA (see Table 6). Cobb, GA 418 35 • Gwinnett, GA 79 7 • 35% came from Cobb DeKalb, GA 41 3 County, GA. Cherokee, GA 28 2 • Forsyth, GA 10 1 • Smaller proportions of came Clayton, GA 7 1 from 37 other counties. Paulding, GA 7 1 York, SC 7 1 30 other counties 60 5
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
11 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
International visitors by country of residence
Question 21b Table 7. International visitors by country of residence For you and your personal CAUTION! group on this visit, what is Percent of Percent of your country of residence? international total Number visitors visitors Note: Response was limited to of N=3 N=1,248 seven members from Country visitors individuals individuals each visitor group. Netherlands 2 67 <1 Australia 1 33 <1 Results - Interpret with CAUTION! • Not enough visitor groups responded to this question to provide reliable results (see Table 7).
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
12 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Frequency of visits
Question 21c N=1266 individuals*
For you and your personal group on this Daily 10% visit, how frequently have you visited
Chattahoochee River NRA (including Every 28% this visit)? week
Every Note: Response was limited to seven Frequency 19% of visits month members from each visitor group. Occasionally 31% Results during the year • 31% of visitors visit occasionally during the year (see Figure 9). First visit 11%
• 28% visit every week. 0 100 200 300 400 Number of respondents
Figure 9. Frequency of visits to Chattahoochee NRA
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
13 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Visitor age
Question 21a N=1359 individuals For you and your personal group on 76 or older 1% this visit, what is your current age? 71-75 1% Note: Response was limited to seven 66-70 3% members from each visitor group. 61-65 5% Results 56-60 8% • Visitor ages ranged from 1 to 90 years. 51-55 8%
• 36% of visitors were in the 46-50 10% 36 - 55 years age group (see Figure 10). Age group 41-45 8% (In years) 36-40 10% • 14% were 15 years or younger. 31-35 8% • 5% were 66 or older. 26-30 12%
21-25 8%
16-20 4%
11-15 5%
10 or younger 9%
0 50 100 150 200 Number of respondents
Figure 10. Visitor age
Visitor ethnicity
Question 23a N=1340 individuals Are you or members of your personal group Hispanic or Latino? Yes 5% Hispanic or Latino? Note: Response was limited to seven No 95% members from each visitor group.
Results 0 500 1000 1500 • 5% of visitors were Hispanic or Number of respondents Latino (see Figure 11). Figure 11. Visitors who were Hispanic or Latino
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
14 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Visitor race
Question 23b N=1374 individuals What is your race? What is the race of White 91% each member of your personal group? Asian 4% Note: Response was limited to seven members from each visitor group. Black or African 2% American Race American Indian Results 2% or Alaska Native • 93% of visitors were White (see Figure 12). Multiple races 1%
Native Hawaiian or • 4% were Asian. 0% other Pacific Islander 0 500 1000 1500 Number of respondents
Figure 12. Visitor race
Question 23b Results – Interpret with CAUTION! If any members are Asian, please list • 21 visitor groups listed Asian the Asian group(s) that the person(s) groups to which they belonged (see belongs to (e.g., Chinese, Filipino, Table 8). Japanese, etc.).
Table 8. Asian groups represented (N=21 comments) CAUTION!
Number of times Asian group mentioned Indian 5 Japanese 4 Korean 4 Vietnamese 3 Chinese 2 American/Korean 1 Filipino 1 South Asian 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
15 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Language used for speaking and reading
Question 19a N=613 visitor groups When visiting an area such as Chattahoochee River NRA, which English 99% language(s) do you and most members Language of your personal group prefer to use for Other 1% speaking?
Results 0 200 400 600 800 • 99% visitor groups reported English Number of respondents as their preferred language for speaking (see Figure 13). Figure 13. Language preferred for speaking • Other languages (1%) are listed in Table 9.
Question 19b N=577 visitor groups When visiting an area such as English 99% Chattahoochee River NRA, which language(s) do you and most members Language of your personal group prefer to use for Other 1% reading? 0 200 400 600 Results Number of respondents • 99% visitor groups preferred English for reading (see Figure 14). Figure 14. Language preferred for reading
• Other languages (1%) are listed in Table 10.
Table 9. Other languages preferred for speaking Table 10. Other languages preferred for reading (N=11 comments) CAUTION! (N=8 comments) CAUTION!
Number of times Number of times Language mentioned Language mentioned Spanish 4 Spanish 3 French 2 Russian 2 Russian 2 French 1 Guajarati 1 Hindi 1 Lithuanian 1 Lithuanian 1 Tamil 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
16 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Services needed in languages other than English
Question 19c N=619 visitor groups What services in the park need to be Yes 25% provided in languages other than English? Services (Open-ended) needed in other languages? No 75% Results • 25% of visitor groups felt that services 0 100 200 300 400 500 should be provided in languages other Number of respondents than English (see Figure 15). Figure 15. Visitor groups that needed • 53 visitor groups provided comments services in languages other than English on services that need to be provided in languages other than English (see Table 11).
Table 11. Services needed in other languages (N=80 comments; some visitor groups made more than one comment.)
Number of times Service mentioned Rules/regulations 14 All services 10 Restrooms 8 Directions 6 Signs 6 Parking information 5 Fee information 4 Emergency information 3 Safety information 3 Safety issues 3 Fishing regulations 2 Maps 2 Trails 2 Water/river safety regulations 2 Directional signs 1 Fee machines 1 No littering signs 1 Park office 1 Pet rules 1 Rules and regulation signs 1 Shuttle service for tubing returns 1 Trail maps 1 Trail mileage 1 Welcome 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
17 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Visitors with physical conditions
Question 20a N=618 visitor groups Does anyone in your personal group have a physical condition that made it Have Yes 2% physical difficult to access or participate in park condition? activities or services? No 98%
Results 0 200 400 600 800 • 2% of visitor groups had members Number of respondents with physical conditions that made it difficult to access or participate in Figure 16. Visitor groups that had park activities or services (see members with physical conditions Figure 16).
Question 20b Results – Interpret with CAUTION! If YES, on this visit, what activities or • 9 visitor groups commented on the services did the person(s) have activities or services that were difficulty accessing or participating in? difficult to access or participate in (Open-ended) (see Table 12).
Table 12. Activities/services that were difficult to access/participate in (N=11 comments; some visitor groups made more than one comment.) CAUTION!
Number of times Service mentioned Handicap access/ramps to river 2 Walking 2 Baby stroller accessible trails 1 Getting in and out of boat and raft 1 Kayak handling 1 More detailed maps 1 Signage needs to be more clear/ 1 readable Steep trails 1 Widen trails to avoid poison ivy 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
18 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Household income
Question 22a N=595 respondents Which category best represents $200,000 or more 10% your annual household income? $150,000-$199,999 10% Results • 22% of respondents reported a $100,000-$149,999 22% household income of $100,000- $149,999 (see Figure 17). $75,000-$99,999 13%
$50,000-$74,999 14% • 14% had an income of $50,000- Income $74,999. $35,000-$49,999 8%
$25,000-$34,999 4%
Less than $24,999 4%
Do not wish 15% to answer
0 6 12 18 24 30 Proportion of respondents
Figure 17. Annual household income
Household size
Question 22b N=506 respondents How many people are in your household? 5 or more 9%
Results 4 18% • 42% of respondents had two people in their household (see 3 13% Figure 18). Number of people • 18% had one person and 18% 2 42% had four people.
1 18%
0 50 100 150 200 250 Number of respondents
Figure 18. Number of people in household
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
19 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Awareness of park management
Question 2 N=617 visitor groups Prior to this visit, were you and Yes 80% your personal group aware that Aware of NPS Chattahoochee River NRA is a unit management? of the National Park System? No 20%
Results 0 100 200 300 400 500 • Prior to their visit, 80% of visitor groups were aware that Number of respondents Chattahoochee River NRA is a unit of the National Park Figure 19. Visitor groups that were aware that System (see Figure 19). Chattahoochee River NRA is a unit of the National Park System
Awareness of safety requirements
Question 3 N=609 visitor groups Prior to this visit, were you and Yes 48% your personal group aware of the Aware of safety requirements for water safety activities in Chattahoochee River requirements? No 52% NRA?
Results 0 100 200 300 400 • Prior to their visit, 48% of Number of respondents visitor groups were aware of the safety requirements for Figure 20. Visitor groups that were aware of the water activities in safety requirements for water activities at Chattahoochee River NRA Chattahoochee River NRA (see Figure 20).
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
20 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Trip/Visit Characteristics and Preferences
Information sources prior to visit
Question 1a N=614 visitor groups Prior to your visit, how did you and your personal group obtain Yes 74% information about Chattahoochee Obtained information? River NRA? No 26%
Results • 74% of visitor groups obtained 0 100 200 300 400 500 information about Chattahoochee Number of respondents River NRA prior to their visit (see Figure 21). Figure 21. Visitor groups that obtained information about Chattahoochee River NRA • As shown in Figure 22, among prior to visit those visitor groups that obtained information about Chattahoochee River NRA prior to N=452 visitor groups** their visit, the most common Previous visits 56% sources were: Friends/relatives/ 47% 56% Previous visits word of mouth 47% Friends/relatives/word of Other websites 23% mouth Park website 21% • “Other” sources (5%) were: Maps/brochures 15% Drove by Other National Park 8% Local resident Service sites/units Fish Hawk Newspaper/ 4% Former resident magazine articles Source Travel guides/ Orvis shop 3% Saw entrance sign tour books Inquiry to park via Signs on road side 2% phone, mail, or e-mail
Social media 2% Chamber of commerce/ visitors bureau/ 2% state welcome center School class/programs 1%
Local business 1%
Other 5%
0 100 200 300 Number of respondents
Figure 22. Sources of information used prior to visit
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
21 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Question 1c N=413 visitor groups From the sources you used prior to this visit, did you and your personal Received Yes 91% group receive the type of information needed information? about the park that you needed? No 9%
Results • 91% of visitor groups received 0 100 200 300 400 needed information prior to their Number of respondents visit (see Figure 23). Figure 23. Visitor groups that received needed information prior to their visit
Question 1d Results If NO, what type of park information • 32 visitor groups listed information they did you and your personal group need needed but was not available (see Table 13). that was not available? (Open-ended)
Table 13. Needed information (N=45 comments; some visitor groups made more than one comment.)
Number of times Type of information mentioned Detailed trail maps 6 Trail distances 4 Trail guide/maps/safety information 4 Park address/location 3 Detailed maps 2 Information on programs 2 Park facilities 2 Park maps 2 Better maps 1 Bike path information 1 Bike regulations 1 Cost of annual pass 1 Cost of parking 1 Event space and requirements 1 Fishing information 1 Hours of operation 1 Information on children's areas 1 Information on films 1 Information on raft rental 1 Information on river play area 1 Information on tubing 1 More advertisement 1 More information 1 More specific park signage 1 Other related parks/sites 1 Pet regulations 1 River access 1 Signs with creek names 1 ______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
22 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Information sources for future visit
Question 1b N=421 visitor groups** If you were to visit Chattahoochee Park website 40% River NRA in the future, how would you and your personal group prefer to Other websites 37% obtain information about the park? Previous visits 29% Results Friends/relatives/ 27% • As shown in Figure 24, visitor word of mouth groups’ most preferred sources of information to plan a future visit Maps/brochures 19% were: Other National Park 12% Service sites/units
40% Park website Inquiry to park via 10% phone, mail, or e-mail 37% Other websites Source Newspaper/ 29% Previous visits 10% magazine articles • “Other” sources of information Social media 8% (2%) were: Travel guides/tour books 5% President Jimmy Carter Chamber of commerce/ Local resident visitors bureau/ 4% Orvis shop state welcome center Sign board at parking lot School class/programs 3% Talk radio WSB 750 Local business 3%
Other 2%
0 50 100 150 200 Number of respondents
Figure 24. Sources of information to use for a future visit
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
23 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Types of information at park sites
Question 5a N=619 visitor groups Chattahoochee River NRA has many different sites along 48 miles of the Yes 89% Information river. Which types of information would useful? be most useful to you and your No 11% personal group as you arrive at any park site? 0 200 400 600 Results Number of respondents • 89% of visitor groups felt that information would be useful upon Figure 25. Visitor groups that felt arrival at park sites (see Figure 25). information would be useful upon arrival at park sites • As shown in Figure 26, the types of information at park sites that visitor groups felt would be most useful were: N=551 visitor groups** Trail maps 86% 86% Trail maps 58% Restroom locations Restroom 58% locations • Table 14 shows “other” types of Rules and Type of 33% information (14%) that visitor information regulations groups would find useful at park Fee payment 32% sites. locations
Other 14%
0 100 200 300 400 500 Number of respondents
Figure 26. Types of information that would be useful to visitors at park sites
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
24 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Table 14. “Other” types of information that would be helpful at park sites (N=79 comments)
Number of times Type of information mentioned Boat launches/put-in locations 5 Fishing information 5 Location of water fountains 5 Activities available 4 Bike trail information 4 Other park locations 3 Points of interest 3 Safety information 3 Trail information 3 Water levels/conditions 3 Wildlife 3 Access to river/water 2 Area history 2 Facilities/amenities 2 Flood information/warnings 2 Hours of operation 2 How to purchase annual parking pass 2 Pet regulations 2 Trail mileage 2 Activities 1 Automated parking space numbers/notification 1 Bags for dog feces 1 Camping information 1 Children's activities 1 E. coli levels 1 Equipment 1 Historic sites, information, brochures 1 Improved water release schedule 1 Kayak put-in/take-out locations 1 Local geology 1 Locations of parking lots 1 Park closures 1 Park hours 1 Park layout 1 Picnic areas 1 Property boundary unclear on ridge trail 1 Running information 1 Snake identification 1 Special events 1 Vegetation 1 Water 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
25 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Question 5b In which forms would you and your N=542 visitor groups** personal group like to get the above Park website 64% information about Chattahoochee River NRA? Signs 62%
Results Bulletin boards 36% • As shown in Figure 27, the most Form of common forms in which visitor information Brochures 34% groups would like to receive information were: Cell phone/ 17% iPod download Park travel 64% Park website 4% 62% Signs radio station Other 5% • “Other” forms of information (5%) were: 0 100 200 300 400
Number of respondents A big sign that says no glass! Detailed maps Figure 27. Forms in which visitor groups Email would like to receive information about Enforcement rangers Chattahoochee River NRA Facebook Internet iPhone application Landraid OS - Waterproof maps Twitter Web WSB Radio 750
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
26 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Forms of transportation used to arrive at the NRA
Question 11a N=610 visitor groups** On this visit, how did you and your Vehicle 95% personal group arrive at Chattahoochee River NRA? Walk 6% Results Form of transportation • As shown in Figure 28, the most Bicycle 2% common form of transportation used to arrive at Chattahoochee River NRA was: Other 1%
95% Vehicle 0 200 400 600 Number of respondents • “Other” forms of transportation (1%) were: Figure 28. Forms of transportation used to arrive at Chattahoochee River NRA Tubing Bus River
Number of vehicles
Question 11b N=559 visitor groups* On this visit, how many vehicles did you and your group use to arrive at 3 or more 5% Chattahoochee River NRA? Number of 2 14% Results vehicles • 82% of visitor groups used one vehicle to arrive at the NRA (see 1 82% Figure 29). 0 100 200 300 400 500 Number of respondents
Figure 29. Number of vehicles used to arrive at Chattahoochee River NRA
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
27 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Length of visit
Question 14 N=596 visitor groups On this visit, how long in total did you and your personal group stay at 6 or more 4% Chattahoochee River NRA? 5 5% Results • 39% of visitor groups spent up to 4 9% 1 hour visiting the park (see Number Figure 30). of hours 3 12% • 31% spent 2 hours. 2 31% • The average length of visit was 2.1 hours. Up to 1 39%
0 50 100 150 200 250 Number of respondents
Figure 30. Length of visit
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
28 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Locating sites to visit
Question 4a N=619 visitor groups** Knew about locations During your travel to and within from previous visit(s) 79% Chattahoochee River NRA, how did you or from living in the area and your personal group locate the sites Road signs 19% that you wanted to visit? Park website 17% Results Method of locating Written or verbal • As shown in Figure 31, the most 9% sites directions from the park common method used to locate sites at Chattahoochee River Map/travel guide/tour book 9% NRA was: GPS or other electronic 7% navigation systems 79% Knew about locations from previous visit(s) or from living Other 5% in the area 0 100 200 300 400 500 Number of respondents • “Other” methods (5%) of locating sites were: Figure 31. Method of locating sites while traveling to and within Chattahoochee River Friends NRA Exploring on own Family Google maps Internet Chattahoochee Outfitters Group leader River Tubing Service
Question 4b N=600 visitor groups Did your personal group have any difficulty locating the sites? Yes 5% Difficulty locating Results sites? No 95% • 5% of visitor groups had difficulty locating sites (see Figure 32). 0 200 400 600 Number of respondents
Figure 32. Visitor groups that had difficulty locating sites
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
29 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Question 4c Results If YES, what was the problem (Open- • 31 visitor groups listed reasons for ended)? difficulties locating park sites (see Table 15).
Table 15. Reasons for difficulties finding park sites (N=31 comments)
Number of times Reason mentioned Inaccurate trail maps 3 GPS led to wrong location 2 Incorrect signage on trails 2 Signage not adequate 2 Trail signs need maintenance 2 Trails were confusing 2 Address not clear 1 Ambiguous entrances on both sides of river 1 Confusing trail maps 1 Differences between parks not clear 1 Difficulty finding bike trails 1 Difficulty finding sites 1 Directions 1 Directions to Whitewater Creek hard to follow 1 Entrance signs not clear 1 GPS could not find Johnson Ferry 1 Indian Cave unmarked on maps 1 Lack of information 1 Lack of trail information east of Johnson Ferry 1 Not enough road signs 1 Road access to river is hard to find 1 Trail maps hard to understand 1 Unfamiliar with the area 1 Web information doesn't agree with signs 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
30 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Units visited/used on past visits
Question 9a N=545 visitor groups On past visits, which of the following units at Chattahoochee River NRA Yes 1% have you and your personal group First visit? visited/used? No 99%
Results • For 1% of visitor groups, this was 0 200 400 600 their first visit to Chattahoochee Number of respondents River NRA (see Figure 33). Figure 33. Visitor groups on their first visit to • As shown in Figure 34, of the Chattahoochee River NRA visitor groups that were not first-time visitors, the most common units visited/used at N=540 visitor groups** Chattahoochee River NRA Columns Drive 53% on past visits were: Sope Creek 43% 53% Columns Drive Interstate North Parkway 43% 43% Sope Creek 43% Interstate North Powers Island 35% Parkway Paces Mill 33%
• “Other” (3%) sites were: Akers Mill 32% Johnson Ferry North 31% Big Creek Buford Dam Island Ford 28% Garrard Landing Johnson Ferry South 27% McGinnis Ferry Morgan Falls Unit Jones Bridge 25% North Lower Roswell Vickery Creek 23% North Ridge Pallisades Whitewater Creek 20% South of ATC 18% Medlock Bridge Indian Trail 16%
Abbotts Bridge 15%
Gold Branch 13%
Settles Bridge 9%
Bowmans Island 7%
Other 3%
0 100 200 300 Number of respondents
Figure 34. Units visited/used at Chattahoochee River NRA on past visits
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
31 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Units visited/used on this visit
Question 9b N=500 visitor groups** On this visit, which of the following Columns Drive 27% units at Chattahoochee River NRA did you and your personal group Interstate North Parkway 21% visit/use? Paces Mill 12% Results Sope Creek 11% • As shown in Figure 35, the most common units visited/ Powers Island 11% used at Chattahoochee River 9% NRA on this visit were: Jones Bridge Johnson Ferry North 8% 27% Columns Drive 21% Interstate North Akers Mill 7% Parkway Medlock Bridge 7% • “Other” (1%) sites were: Whitewater Creek 6% Unit Morgan Falls Johnson Ferry South 6% Palisades 6% Park near Vinings Island Ford West Palisades Abbotts Bridge 3%
Gold Branch 3%
Vickery Creek 2%
Indian Trail 2%
Settles Bridge 1%
Bowmans Island <1%
Other 1%
0 50 100 150 Number of respondents
Figure 35. Units visited/used at Chattahoochee River NRA on this visit
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
32 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Question 9c Results If you and your personal group visited • 272 visitor groups listed reasons for only one site on this visit, why did you choosing a particular site (see Table 16). choose that site? (Open-ended)
Table 16. Reasons for choosing a particular site (N=307 comments; some visitor groups made more than one comment.)
Number of times Reason mentioned Close to home 116 Location 18 Convenient 15 Running/jogging 15 Good running trail 10 Good fishing 9 Hiking/walking 9 Trails 8 Familiarity 7 Feel safe 5 New place 5 Access to river/creek 3 Bicycle trail 3 Dog walking 3 Drove by 3 Exercise 3 Good hiking for kids 3 Kayaking 3 Scenery 3 Trails with mile markers 3 Baby stroller accessible 2 Biking 2 Boat ramp 2 Daily walk 2 Only one for which we knew the location 2 Picnic areas 2 Restroom 2 Shade on trail 2 Beauty 1 Best bird watching 1 Best tubing 1 Cleanliness 1 Close by our camp 1 Close to the hotel 1 Creek 1 Depth of water 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
33 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Table 16. Reasons for choosing a particular site (continued) Number of times Reason mentioned Good parking 1 Great float trip 1 I saw the sign 1 Ideal length of walking loop (2 miles) 1 In area at time 1 Interstate North Parkway 1 Kayak put-in 1 Like the trail by the river 1 Lots of people 1 Lots to see 1 Meeting up with tubers for Father's Day 1 Mill ruins 1 More people friendly 1 Most natural trail 1 Not crowded 1 Parking access 1 Past history/knowledge 1 Photography opportunities in the area 1 Proximity to Virginia Highlands section of Atlanta 1 Rafting 1 Ranger station 1 Referred by friend 1 River 1 Seeing friends 1 Short of time 1 Start point for nice tubing +/- 3 to 4 hours 1 Stream monitoring site 1 Take dog to river 1 There’s a nice area for our dogs to play 1 Time and cost of tubing now uneconomical 1 Site seeing 1 To purchase permit 1 Tubing 1 Wading water for children and dog 1 Water 1 White Water Creek 1 Wildlife 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
34 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Visit to one specific site
Question 12a N=612 visitor groups On this visit to Chattahoochee River NRA, did you and your personal group have Planned to Yes 56% only one specific site within the park that visit only one site? you planned to visit? No 44%
Results 0 100 200 300 400 • 56% of visitor groups had only one specific park site they Number of respondents planned to visit (see Figure 36). Figure 36. Visitor groups that had only one specific park site they planned to visit
Question 12b Results If YES, what site was it? (Open-ended) • Table 17 shows the one specific site that visitor groups planned to visit.
Table 17. Site visited (N=281 comments) Number of times SIte mentioned Chattahoochee River 34 Columns Drive 28 Trails 21 Sope Creek 18 Walking trail 17 Cochran Shoals 16 Interstate North Parkway 16 Running trails 16 Paces Mill 10 Jones Bridge 8 Boat ramp 7 Jogging trail 7 5k running trail 6 Island Ford 6 Powers Island 6 3-mile walking loop 5 Akers Mill 5 Cochran Shoals trail 5 Gold Branch 5 Medlock Bridge 5 Walk trail 4 Abbotts Bridge 3 Johnson Ferry 3 Johnson Ferry North 3 Picnic facilities 3 Bike trails 2 Canoe ramp 2
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
35 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Table 17. Site visited (continued) Number of times Site mentioned Columns Drive running trail 2 Johnson Ferry South 2 Walking path - Interstate North to 2 Columns Drive A trail (unspecified) 1 Biking on Columns Drive 1 Bob Callan Trail 1 C.R. Walk Trail 1 Diving rock 1 Johnson Ferry Trail 1 Jones Bridge Park 1 Jumping rocks 1 Little Branch area 1 Long Island Shoals 1 Main trail 1 National Park Service visitor center 1 Northside Interstate trail 1 Parking lot 1 Pick-up site for tubing 1 Powers Ferry 1 Rafting from Johnson Ferry North 1 River at Powers Ferry 1 Rottenwood Creek at Paces Mill 1 The park at Columns Drive 1 The river walk 1 Using "The River" running path 1 West Palisades 1 Whitewater 1 Whitewater Creek Palisades 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
36 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Finding a specific site
Question 12c N=322 visitor groups* On this visit, were you and your personal group able to find that site? Yes 100% Found site? Results No <1% • Nearly 100% of visitor groups were able to find a particular site (see Figure 37). 0 100 200 300 400 Number of respondents
Figure 37. Visitor groups that were able to find a particular site
Finding parking at a specific site
Question 12d N=314 visitor groups On this visit, were you and your personal Yes 99% group able to find parking at that site? Found parking? Results No 1% • 99% of visitor groups were able to find parking at a particular site (see Figure 38). 0 100 200 300 400 Number of respondents
Figure 38. Visitor groups that were able to find parking at a particular site
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
37 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Activities on past visits
Question 8a N=581 visitor groups On past visits, in which activities did you and your personal group Yes 8% First participate within Chattahoochee visit? River NRA? No 92%
Results 0 200 400 600 • For 8% of visitor groups, this was their first visit to Chattahoochee Number of respondents River NRA (see Figure 39). Figure 39. Visitor groups on their first visit to Chattahoochee River NRA • As shown in Figure 40, of the visitor groups that were not first-time visitors, the most N=534 visitor groups** common activities on past visits were: Walking/hiking 79%
79% Walking/hiking Exercising/running/jogging 60% 60% Exercising/running/ jogging Enjoying solitude/quiet 49% 49% Enjoying solitude/ Viewing wildlife, quiet wildflowers, 37% birdwatching, etc.
Bicycle riding 34% • “Other” activities (6%) were:
Tubing/rafting 31% Baseball Climbing General sightseeing 26% Dog walking Exercise pet Kayaking/canoeing 24% Kite flying Activity Looking for morel Fishing 22% mushrooms Model rockets Picnicking 21% Orienteering Park clean-up events Creative arts 5% Playing in water/rocks Attending ranger-led talks/ Restoring trails programs/demonstrations 4% River wading or special events Rowing Motor boating 3% Search and rescue training Sex Fishing with guide 2% Skipping stones Stream monitoring Attending fitness class 1% Swimming Unicycling Other 6% Wading with dog Work 0 100 200 300 400 500 Number of respondents
Figure 40. Activities at Chattahoochee River NRA on past visits ______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
38 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Activities on this visit
Question 8b N=512 visitor groups** On this visit, in which activities did you Walking/hiking 54% and your personal group participate within Chattahoochee River NRA? Exercising/running/jogging 41%
Results Enjoying solitude/quiet 33% • As shown in Figure 41, visitor Viewing wildlife, groups’ most common wildflowers, 25% activities at Chattahoochee birdwatching, etc. River NRA on this visit were: General sightseeing 18%
Tubing/rafting 12% 54% Walking/hiking 41% Exercising/running/ Fishing 11% jogging 33% Enjoying solitude/ Kayaking/canoeing 9% quiet Activity Bicycle riding 9% • “Other” activities (8%) were: Picnicking 6% Climbing Dog walking Motor boating 2% Event site inspection 2% Exercise pet Creative arts Attending ranger-led talks/ Obtain parking permit programs/demonstrations 1% Planning future visits or special events Playing/wading in river Fishing with guide 1% Seeking a site for team- building venue Attending fitness classes 0% Sightseeing Skipping stones Other 8% Spending time with friends Stream monitoring 0 100 200 300 Swimming Number of respondents Trails Visit Indian Cave Figure 41. Activities at Chattahoochee River Work NRA on this visit
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
39 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Primary reason for this visit
Question 8c N=466 visitor groups* On this visit, which one of the above Walking/hiking 33% activities was the primary reason you and Exercising/ your personal group visited 29% Chattahoochee River NRA? running/jogging
Tubing/rafting 9% Results • As shown in Figure 42, the most Fishing 8% common primary reason visitor (unguided)
groups visited Chattahoochee Kayaking/ 5% River NRA were: canoeing
Bicycle riding 5% 33% Walking/hiking
29% Exercising/running/ Picnicking 2% jogging Activity General 1% • “Other” primary reasons (7%) were: sightseeing Viewing wildlife, wildflowers, 1% Clean-up birdwatching, etc. Dog walking Enjoying 1% Event site inspection solitude/quiet Gathering information for future Attending ranger-led talks/ programs/demonstrations <1% visits or special events Playing/wading in river Attending 0% Sightseeing and planning future fitness class visits Skipping stones Creative arts 0% Stream monitoring Fishing with 0% Swimming guide Obtaining parking permit Unicycling Motor boating 0% Work Other 7%
0 40 80 120 160 Number of respondents
Figure 42. Primary reason for visiting Chattahoochee River NRA
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
40 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Safety issues at Chattahoochee NRA
Question 6a N=616 visitor groups* Please indicate how safe you and your personal group felt from crime (personal Very safe 63% safety) during this visit to Chattahoochee Somewhat River NRA. 29% safe Results Neither safe 5% • 63% of visitor groups felt “very safe” Rating nor unsafe from crime during this visit to Somewhat Chattahoochee River NRA (see 3% Figure 43). unsafe
• 29% felt “somewhat safe.” Very unsafe <1%
0 100 200 300 400 Number of respondents
Figure 43. Personal safety from crime at Chattahoochee River NRA
Question 7a N=614 visitor groups* Please indicate how safe you and your personal group felt from crime (personal Very safe 56% safety) in your neighborhood. Somewhat 37% Results safe • 56% of visitor groups felt “very safe” Neither safe from crime in their neighborhoods 5% (see Figure 44). Rating nor unsafe
Somewhat 2% • 37% felt “somewhat safe.” unsafe
Very unsafe <1%
0 100 200 300 400 Number of respondents
Figure 44. Personal safety from crime in visitor groups’ neighborhoods
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
41 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Question 6a N=616 visitor groups Please indicate how safe you and your personal group felt from accidents during Very safe 59% this visit to Chattahoochee River NRA. Somewhat 31% Results safe • 59% of visitor groups felt “very safe” Neither safe from accidents during this visit to 7% Rating nor unsafe Chattahoochee River NRA (see Figure 45). Somewhat 2% unsafe • 31% felt “somewhat safe.” Very unsafe 1%
0 100 200 300 400 Number of respondents
Figure 45. Personal safety from accidents at Chattahoochee River NRA
Question 7a N=612 visitor groups Please indicate how safe you and your personal group felt from accidents in your Very safe 57% neighborhood. Somewhat 36% Results safe • 57% of visitor groups felt “very safe” Neither safe from accidents in their neighborhoods 5% (see Figure 46). Rating nor unsafe
Somewhat 1% • 36% felt “somewhat safe.” unsafe
Very unsafe 1%
0 100 200 300 400 Number of respondents
Figure 46. Personal safety from accidents in visitor groups’ neighborhoods
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
42 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Question 6a Please indicate how safe you and your N=614 visitor groups personal group felt from crime (personal property) during this visit to Very safe 43% Chattahoochee River NRA. Somewhat 38% safe Results Neither safe • 43% of visitor groups felt “very safe” 12% from crime (personal property) during Rating nor unsafe this visit to Chattahoochee River NRA Somewhat 6% (see Figure 47). unsafe
• 38% felt “somewhat safe.” Very unsafe 1%
0 100 200 300 Number of respondents
Figure 47. Safety of personal property from crime in Chattahoochee River NRA
Question 7a N=613 visitor groups* Please indicate how safe you and your personal group felt from crime (personal Very safe 42% property) in your neighborhood. Somewhat 44% Results safe • 42% of visitor groups felt “very safe” Neither safe from crime (personal property) in their 9% Rating nor unsafe neighborhoods (see Figure 48). Somewhat 5% • 44% felt “somewhat safe.” unsafe
Very unsafe <1%
0 100 200 300 Number of respondents
Figure 48. Safety of personal property from crime in visitor groups’ neighborhoods
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
43 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Reasons for feeling unsafe in Chattahoochee NRA
Question 6b Results If you marked “very unsafe” or • 67 visitor groups listed reasons for “somewhat unsafe” for any of the feeling “very unsafe” or “somewhat above items, please explain why. unsafe” in Chattahoochee NRA (see (Open-ended) Table 18).
Table 18. Reasons for feeling unsafe in the NRA (N=59 comments; some visitor groups made more than one comment.)
Number of times Reason mentioned Heard about car break-ins 15 Experienced car break-in 7 Being alone in park 3 Cautious about leaving valuables in car 3 Lack of parking lot patrols 3 Need more law enforcement personnel 3 Secluded parking lots 3 Broken windshield glass in parking lot 2 Fallen trees on trails 2 Loiterers 2 Loiterers in parking lot 2 Single female 2 Big city near by 1 Bikes on Columns are a hazard 1 Bikes ride too close to cars 1 Homeless people 1 Lack of bicycle lane 1 Lack of law enforcement on weekdays 1 Lots of people on trails 1 Metal trash (cans, etc.) 1 Mountain bikers and runners sharing trails 1 Need security camera at Sope Creek 1 Overflow in payment box - attracts thieves 1 Parking lots 1 Poison ivy on trails 1 Poor visibility 1 Recent murder 1 Steep muddy banks 1 Trails dangerous for children 1 Unsafe kayak shuttle driver 1 Vandalism 1 Water fountains broken 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
44 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Reasons for feeling unsafe in own neighborhood
Question 7b Results – Interpret with CAUTION! If you marked “very unsafe” or • 29 visitor groups listed reasons for “somewhat unsafe” for any of the feeling “very unsafe” or “somewhat above items, please explain why. unsafe” in their own neighborhoods (see (Open-ended) Table 19).
Table 19. Reasons for feeling unsafe in own neighborhood (N=33 visitor groups; some visitor groups made more than one comment.) CAUTION!
Number of times Reason mentioned Thefts/break-ins in neighborhood 12 Have experienced break-ins at home 6 Live in the city 2 Apartment get left open 1 Car break-ins 1 Change in population 1 Crime is prevalent 1 Live in high crime area 1 Poor economy 1 Robbery 1 Security is lacking 1 Use an alarm system 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
45 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Ratings of Services, Facilities, Attributes, and Resources
Information services used
Question 10a N=377 visitor groups**
Please indicate all the information Directional signs 58% services that you or your personal group used at Chattahoochee River Information signs 47% NRA during this visit. Bulletin boards 37% Results • As shown in Figure 49, the most Park brochure/map 23% common visitor information services used by visitor groups Park website 21% were: Service Assistance from 21% park staff 58% Directional signs River Guide 18% 47% Information signs brochure Ranger-led programs 11% • The least used information service was: Regulation signs 10% Visitor center 4% <1% Junior Ranger program bookstore
Outdoor exhibits 3%
Junior Ranger <1% program
0 50 100 150 200 250 Number of respondents
Figure 49. Information services used
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
46 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Importance ratings of information services
Question 10b Next, for only those services and N=number of visitor groups facilities that you or your personal that rated each item group used, please rate their Ranger-led 78%, N=37 importance to your visit from 1-5. programs Park brochure/map 76%, N=34 1=Not important 2=Somewhat important Park website 69%, N=45 3=Moderately important 4=Very important Directional signs 67%, N=86 5=Extremely important Service Assistance from 67%, N=31 park staff Results • Figure 50 shows the Information signs 65%, N=85 combined proportions of River Guide 58%, N=60 “extremely important” and brochure “very important” ratings of information services that were Bulletin boards 41%, N=70 rated by 30 or more visitor groups. 0 20406080100 Proportion of respondents • The information services receiving the highest Figure 50. Combined proportions of combined proportions of “extremely important” and “very important” “extremely important” and ratings of information services “very important” ratings were:
78% Ranger-led programs 76% Park brochure/map 69% Park website
• Figures 51 to 62 show the importance ratings of each service and facility.
• The information services receiving the highest “not important” ratings that were rated by 30 or more visitor groups were:
3% Bulletin boards 3% Park brochure/map 3% River Guide brochure
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
47 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
N=31 visitor groups N=70 visitor groups Extremely Extremely 35% 17% important important
Very Very 32% 24% important important
Moderately Moderately 23% 40% Rating important Rating important
Somewhat Somewhat 10% 16% important important
Not Not 0% 3% important important
0 5 10 15 0 102030 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 51. Importance of assistance from Figure 52. Importance of bulletin boards park staff
N=86 visitor groups* N=85 visitor groups Extremely Extremely 41% 33% important important
Very Very 26% 32% important important
Moderately Moderately 26% 27% Rating important Rating important
Somewhat Somewhat 6% 8% important important
Not Not 2% 0% important important
0 10203040 0 102030 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 53. Importance of directional signs Figure 54. Importance of information signs
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
48 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
N=1 visitor groups N=8 visitor groups* Extremely Extremely 0% 25% important important
Very Very 100% 0% important important
Moderately Moderately 0% 50% Rating important Rating important
Somewhat Somewhat 0% 13% important CAUTION! important CAUTION!
Not Not 0% 13% important important
01 024 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 55. Importance of Junior Ranger Figure 56. Importance of outdoor exhibits program
N=34 visitor groups N=45 visitor groups Extremely Extremely 41% 33% important important
Very Very 35% 36% important important
Moderately Moderately 15% 20% Rating important Rating important
Somewhat Somewhat 6% 9% important important
Not Not 3% 2% important important
0 5 10 15 0 5 10 15 20 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 57. Importance of park Figure 58. Importance of park website: brochure/map www.nps.gov/chat (used before or during visit)
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
49 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
N=37 visitor groups* N=20 visitor groups Extremely Extremely 43% 55% important important
Very Very 35% 35% important important
Moderately Moderately 16% 10% Rating important Rating important
Somewhat Somewhat 5% 0% important important CAUTION!
Not Not 0% 0% important important
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 59. Importance of ranger-led Figure 60. Importance of regulation signs programs
N=60 visitor groups* N=9 visitor groups* Extremely Extremely 18% 0% important important CAUTION!
Very Very 40% 22% important important
Moderately Moderately 30% 22% Rating important Rating important
Somewhat Somewhat 8% 33% important important
Not Not 3% 22% important important
0 102030 0123 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 61. Importance of River Guide Figure 62. Importance of visitor center brochure bookstore sales items (selection, price, etc.)
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
50 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Quality ratings of information services
Question 10c Finally, for only those services N=number of visitor groups and facilities that you or your that rated each item personal group used, please rate Assistance from 96%, N=31 their quality from 1-5. park staff Park website 78%, N=40 1=Very poor River Guide 72%, N=53 2=Poor brochure 3=Average 4=Good Information signs 69%, N=82 Service 5=Very good Directional signs 66%, N=77
Ranger-led Results 65%, N=34 • Figure 63 shows the combined programs proportions of “very good” and Bulletin boards 64%, N=66 “good” quality ratings of information services that were Park brochure/map 50%, N=32 rated by 30 or more visitor groups. 0 20 40 60 80 100 Proportion of respondents • The information services that received the highest Figure 63. Combined proportions of “very good” combined proportions of “very and “good” quality ratings of information services good” and “good” quality ratings were:
96% Assistance from park staff 78% Park website
• Figures 64 to 75 show the quality ratings of each information service.
• The visitor information services receiving the highest “very poor” quality ratings that were rated by 30 or more visitor groups were:
2% River Guide brochure 2% Information signs
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
51 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
N=31 visitor groups* N=66 visitor groups
Very good 77% Very good 20%
Good 19% Good 44%
Average 3% Average 33% Rating Rating
Poor 0% Poor 3%
Very poor 0% Very poor 0%
0102030 0102030 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 64. Quality of assistance from park Figure 65. Quality of bulletin boards staff
N=77 visitor groups* N=82 visitor groups*
Very good 31% Very good 26%
Good 35% Good 43%
Average 22% Average 26% Rating Rating
Poor 10% Poor 4%
Very poor 1% Very poor 2%
0102030 0 10203040 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 66. Quality of directional signs Figure 67. Quality of information signs
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
52 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
N=1 visitor groups N=6 visitor groups
Very good 0% Very good 0%
Good 100% Good 83%
Average 0% Average 17% Rating Rating
Poor 0% CAUTION! Poor 0% CAUTION!
Very poor 0% Very poor 0%
01 0246 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 68. Quality of Junior Ranger Figure 69. Quality of outdoor exhibits program
N=32 visitor groups N=40 visitor groups*
Very good 16% Very good 40%
Good 34% Good 38%
Average 41% Average 20% Rating Rating
Poor 9% Poor 3%
Very poor 0% Very poor 0%
0 5 10 15 0 5 10 15 20 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 70. Quality of park brochure/map Figure 71. Quality of park website: www.nps.gov/chat (used before or during visit)
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
53 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
N=34 visitor groups N=20 visitor groups
Very good 24% Very good 45%
Good 41% Good 20%
Average 35% Average 30% Rating Rating
Poor 0% Poor 0% CAUTION!
Very poor 0% Very poor 5%
0 5 10 15 0246810 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 72. Quality of ranger-led programs Figure 73. Quality of regulation signs
N=53 visitor groups* N=8 visitor groups
Very good 19% Very good 50%
Good 53% Good 50%
Average 25% Average 0% Rating Rating
Poor 2% Poor 0% CAUTION!
Very poor 2% Very poor 0%
0102030 024 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 74. Quality of River Guide Figure 75. Quality of visitor center brochure bookstore sales items (selection, price, etc.)
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
54 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Mean scores of importance and quality ratings of information services
• Figures 76 and 77 show the mean scores of importance and quality ratings of all services that were rated by 30 or more visitor groups.
• All information services were rated above average.
Figure 76. Mean scores of importance and quality ratings of information services
Figure 77. Detail of Figure 76
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
55 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Visitor services and facilities used
Question 13a N=544 visitor groups** Please indicate all the visitor services and facilities that you or Trails 75% your personal group used at Chattahoochee River NRA during Restrooms 53% this visit. River 41% Results • As shown in Figure 78, the most Boat or step- Service/ 21% common visitor services and facility down ramps facilities used by visitor groups were: Picnic areas 8%
75% Trails Visitor center 5% 53% Restrooms Access for people 1% • The least used service/facility with disabilities was: 0 100 200 300 400 500 1% Access for people with Number of respondents disabilities Figure 78. Visitor services and facilities used
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
56 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Importance ratings of visitor services and facilities
Question 13b Next, for only those services and N=number of visitor groups facilities that you or your personal that rated each item group used, please rate their importance to your visit from 1-5. Trails 97%, N=383
1=Not important River 96%, N=211 2=Somewhat important 3=Moderately important Service/ facility Restrooms 88%, N=274 4=Very important 5=Extremely important Boat or step- 85%, N=110 down ramps Results • Figure 79 shows the Picnic areas 60%, N=40 combined proportions of “extremely important” and “very important” ratings of 0 20406080100 visitor services and facilities Proportion of respondents that were rated by 30 or more Figure 79. Combined proportions of visitor groups. “extremely important” and “very important”
ratings of visitor services and facilities • The services and facilities receiving the highest combined proportions of “extremely important” and “very important” ratings were:
97% Trails 96% River
• Figures 80 to 86 show the importance ratings of each service and facility.
• The service/facility receiving the highest “not important” rating that was rated by 30 or more visitor groups was:
2% Boat or step-down ramps
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
57 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
N=4 visitor groups N=110 visitor groups* Extremely Extremely 100% 55% important important
Very Very 0% 30% important important
Moderately Moderately 0% 6% Rating important Rating important
Somewhat Somewhat 0% 6% important CAUTION! important
Not Not 0% 2% important important
024 0 255075 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 80. Importance of access for Figure 81. Importance of boat or step- people with disabilities down ramps
N=40 visitor groups* N=274 visitor groups* Extremely Extremely 25% 61% important important
Very Very 35% 27% important important
Moderately Moderately 33% 8% Rating important Rating important
Somewhat Somewhat 8% 4% important important
Not Not 0% <1% important important
0 5 10 15 0 60 120 180 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 82. Importance of picnic areas Figure 83. Importance of restrooms
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
58 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
N=211 visitor groups* N=383 visitor groups* Extremely Extremely 81% 78% important important
Very Very 15% 19% important important
Moderately Moderately 2% 2% Rating important Rating important
Somewhat Somewhat <1% 1% important important
Not Not 1% 1% important important
0 60 120 180 0 100 200 300 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 84. Importance of river Figure 85. Importance of trails
N=23 visitor groups Extremely 30% important
Very 22% important
Moderately 35% Rating important
Somewhat 13% important CAUTION! Not 0% important
02468 Number of respondents
Figure 86. Importance of visitor center
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
59 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Quality ratings of visitor services and facilities
Question 13c Finally, for only those services N=number of visitor groups and facilities that you or your that rated each item personal group used, please rate Trails 86%, N=362 their quality from 1-5.
1=Very poor River 84%, N=195 2=Poor Service/ Boat or step- 3=Average facility 80%, N=103 4=Good down ramps 5=Very good Restrooms 62%, N=266 Results • Figure 87 shows the combined Picnic areas 53%, N=36 proportions of “very good” and “good” quality ratings of visitor 0 20406080100 services and facilities that were Proportion of respondents rated by 30 or more visitor
groups. Figure 87. Combined proportions of “very good” and “good” quality ratings of visitor services and • The services and facilities that facilities received the highest combined proportions of “very good” and “good” quality ratings were:
86% Trails 84% River
• Figures 88 to 94 show the quality ratings of each service and facility.
• The service/facility receiving the highest “very poor” quality rating that was rated by 30 or more visitor groups was:
4% Restrooms
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
60 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
N=4 visitor groups N=103 visitor groups*
Very good 25% Very good 45%
Good 25% Good 35%
Average 25% Average 15% Rating Rating
Poor 0% CAUTION! Poor 4%
Very poor 25% Very poor 2%
01 0 1020304050 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 88. Quality of access for people Figure 89. Quality of boat or step-down with disabilities ramps
N=36 visitor groups* N=266 visitor groups
Very good 11% Very good 30%
Good 42% Good 32%
Average 42% Average 26% Rating Rating
Poor 3% Poor 8%
Very poor 3% Very poor 4%
0 5 10 15 0 255075100 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 90. Quality of picnic areas Figure 91. Quality of restrooms
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
61 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
N=195 visitor groups N=362 visitor groups
Very good 45% Very good 43%
Good 39% Good 43%
Average 11% Average 10% Rating Rating
Poor 4% Poor 3%
Very poor 1% Very poor 1%
0 255075100 0 40 80 120 160 Number of respondents Number of respondents
Figure 92. Quality of river Figure 93. Quality of trails
N=23 visitor groups*
Very good 39%
Good 43%
Average 13% Rating
Poor 4% CAUTION!
Very poor 0%
0246810 Number of respondents
Figure 94. Quality of visitor center
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
62 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Mean scores of importance and quality ratings of visitor services and facilities
• Figures 95 and 96 show the mean scores of importance and quality ratings of all visitor services/facilities that were rated by 30 or more visitor groups.
• All visitor services/ facilities were rated above average.
Figure 95. Mean scores of importance and quality ratings of visitor services and facilities
Figure 96. Detail of Figure 95
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
63 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Preferences for Future Visit
Ranger-led talks and programs
Question 15a N=619 visitor groups* If you were to visit Chattahoochee River Yes, likely 23% NRA in the future, would you and your personal group be interested in attending Interested No, unlikely 53% ranger-led talks/programs? in attending?
Results Not sure 25% • 23% of visitor groups would be interested in attending ranger-led 0 100 200 300 400 talks/programs on a future visit Number of respondents (see Figure 97). Figure 97. Visitor groups that would be interested in attending ranger-led talks/ programs in the future
Question 15b Results If YES, what theme or topic would interest • 115 visitor groups responded to this you and your personal group? (Open- question. Table 20 shows the themes ended) and topics of ranger-led talks/programs that would interest visitor groups.
Table 20. Themes/topics for ranger-led talks/programs (N=212 comments; some visitor groups made more than one comment.)
Number of times Theme/topic mentioned Wildlife 46 Plants 16 History 12 Nature/natural history 12 Animals 11 Fishing 8 Area history 7 Birds 7 Children's nature programs/activities 5 Plant/tree identification 5 Canoeing 4 Geology 4 Hiking 4 Native plants 4 River history 4 Botany 3 Ecology 3 Civil War history 2 Night walks 2
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
64 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Table 20. Themes/topics for ranger-led talks/programs (continued) Number of times Theme/topic mentioned Owls 2 River conservation 2 Snake information 2 Topics of interest to children 2 Water activities 2 Wildlife conservation 2 Air quality 1 Any topic 1 Biology 1 Chattahoochee River 1 Children's nighttime programs 1 Cultural history 1 Edible plants 1 Education 1 Fish 1 General information 1 Geological history 1 Guided hikes 1 Hydrology 1 Insects 1 Kayaking 1 Life in Chattahoochee River 1 Mill history 1 Native American history 1 Nocturnal animals 1 Outdoors 1 Park features 1 Park layout 1 Preservation 1 Rafting safety 1 River flow 1 River information 1 River safety 1 River upkeep 1 River vegetation 1 Sightseeing 1 Stars 1 Sustainable living 1 Tour of ruins 1 Trail history 1 Trails 1 Trees 1 Variety of topics 1 Water quality 1 Wildflowers 1 Wildlife dangers 1 Wildlife signs 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
65 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Preferred types of ranger-led programs on a future visit
Question 15c N=139 visitor groups** Which types of ranger-led programs Nature hike 77% would interest you and your personal group? Canoe/kayak 63% float trip Results History program 61% • As shown in Figure 98, the types of ranger-led programs preferred by Type of Night hike 49% most visitor groups were: program Evening program 36% 77% Nature hike Children's 32% 63% Canoe/kayak float trip program 61% History program Other 4% • “Other” programs (4%) were: 0 30 60 90 120 Early morning Number of respondents Birds Customized for team-building Figure 98. Types of ranger-led programs clients that would interest visitor groups Fishing Moonlight canoe Overnight stay Raptors (hawks) River clean-up Indigenous animals and insects Snake education Trail building Wildflowers
Question 15d N=133 visitor groups* What program length would be most suitable for you and your personal 1 - 2 hours 47% group? 1/2 - 1 hour 50% Results • As shown in Figure 99, the Program Under length 3% program lengths preferred by most 1/2 hour visitor groups were:
Other 1% 50% 1/2 - 1 hour 47% 1 - 2 hours 0 20406080 • “Other” program lengths (1%) Number of respondents were: Figure 99. Preferred program length 3-4 hours As long as needed Longer than 2 hours on weekends ______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
66 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Methods of learning on a future visit
Question 16 N=598 visitor groups If you visit Chattahoochee River NRA in Yes 80% the future, how would you and your Interested in personal group prefer to learn about learning about cultural and natural history/features of the park? No 20% Chattahoochee River NRA?
Results 0 100 200 300 400 500 Number of respondents • 80% of visitor groups were interested in learning about the park (see Figure 100). Figure 100. Visitor groups that were interested in learning about the park • As shown in Figure 101, the methods of learning about cultural and natural history/ N=479 visitor groups** features of Chattahoochee Park website 52% River NRA preferred by most visitor groups were: Self-guided tours 48%
52% Park website Printed materials 43% 48% Self-guided tours
Outdoor exhibits 42% • “Other” preferred methods of learning about the park (3%) were: Ranger-led 28% interpretive programs Signage 22% Email Method Special events
Bulletin board at park entrance Electronic 22% Comprehensive map media/devices Detailed topographical maps Volunteer 16% Interpretive signs at trails opportunities Outdoor bulletin board Films, movies, 12% Signs at points of interest slide shows Talk radio WSB 750 Trail maps Indoor exhibits 12%
Other 3%
0 50 100 150 200 250 Number of respondents
Figure 101. Preferred methods of learning about the park
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
67 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Additional services or facilities on a future visit
Question 24a N=582 visitor groups If you visit Chattahoochee River NRA in the future, are there any additional Additional Yes 30% facilities or services that you and your services/ facilities? personal group would like to have No 70% available?
Results 0 100 200 300 400 500 • 30% of visitor groups indicated Number of respondents they would like additional services or facilities on a future Figure 102. Visitor groups that would like visit (see Figure 102). additional services or facilities
Question 24b Results If YES, what services or facilities would • 174 visitor groups responded to this you and your group like to see provided? question. (Open-ended) • Table 21 shows a summary of visitor comments.
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
68 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Table 21. Additional services and facilities (N=233 comments; some visitor groups made more than one comment.)
Number of times Category Service/facility mentioned Bicycling Additional bike/mountain bike trails 3 Bike lanes 1 Paved bike/rollerblade trails 1 Boating Shuttles for boaters/kayakers/tubers 3 Additional boat ramps 1 Better maintained boat ramps 1 Better/easier access for drop-off pick-up 1 Boat dock/tie-up point to facilitate launch 1 Improved put-in/take-outs 1 More accessible boat ramps 1 More affordable rafting options 1 More kayak drops 1 Remove silt build-up at put-ins/take-outs 1 Slalom gates at Powers Island 1 Watercraft washing area 1 Children Children’s playground 3 Child friendly area 1 Children’s wading areas 1 Larger playgrounds 1 Fishing Better fishing access from river bank 1 Enforce trout size regulations 1 Stock fishing 1 Food/water Additional water fountains 8 Functioning water fountains 8 Refreshments (snack bar/vending machines) 8 Concession 1 Handicap transportation 1 Information Maps 3 Brochure to identify plants/animals 2 Information on river flow 2 Information on wildlife that might be seen 2 Snake information/warning signs 2 Brochure on Sope Creek history 1 Emergency phones 1 Information desk 1 More information on history/points of interest 1 More maps 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
69 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Table 21. Additional services and facilities (continued)
Number of times Category Service/facility mentioned Information (continued) River flow schedules 1 Warnings on water quality/hazard 1 Website notification of trail conditions/closures 1 Parking Additional parking 7 Fix parking pass machine 3 Improved parking 3 Larger parking areas 1 More parking for boat trailers 1 Paint parking lines 1 Parking area near river for put-in 1 Parking for horse trailers 1 Pave parking lot 1 Safe parking at McGinnis Ferry 1 Pets Dog feces bags 7 Dog off-leash trails 3 Enforcement of leash laws 2 Ticket dog owners who don't clean up 2 Trash bins for dog bags 2 Dog showers 1 Limits on dog leash lengths 1 Rentals Boat/raft/kayak rental 3 Kayak/canoe rental 2 Bike rental 1 Restrooms Restrooms 10 Cleaner restrooms 8 Soap in restrooms 7 Additional restrooms 6 Repaired restrooms 4 Showers 4 Repair mid-trail restrooms 3 Restrooms along trails 3 Restrooms at all sites/locations 3 Paper towels in restrooms 2 Additional restrooms at Sope Creek 1 Restrooms accessible from outside building 1 Restrooms at Hyde Farm 1 Restrooms at White Water Creek 1 Toilet paper in restrooms 1
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
70 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Table 21. Additional services and facilities (continued) Number of times Category Service/facility mentioned Security/safety Cell phone accessible emergency number 1 Empty cash boxes more often 1 First aid 1 Law enforcement personnel to deal with rule- 1
breakers More park rangers on patrol 1 More ranger presence on trails 1 Patrol or camera surveillance at Island Ford 1
parking Security/law enforcement patrols 1 Trails Benches along trails/river 3 Improve trail maintenance 2 Accurate trail signs 1 Additional fitness stations 1 Additional trails 1 Bridge to Morgan Falls 1 Connect greenways Forsyth to Fulton 1 Foot bridge from Powers Island to Interstate North 1
Parkway Horseback trails 1 Improve muddy areas on trails 1 Improved hiking trails 1 Improved/cleared trails 1 Storm shelters along trails 1 Waste management Trash cans along trails 4 Additional trash cans 2 Recycling bins at all locations 2 Less trash 1 More trash cans along trails 1 Trash cans 1 Other Repair/improve fitness station equipment 3 Annual pass 1 Barbeque facilities 1 Basketball courts 1 Beer gardens 1 Clean up the park 1 Eliminate poison ivy 1 Fitness equipment at parking 1 Improve picnic areas 1 Picnic tables 1 Release CFS with graph nylon mesh on walkway 1 Restore lawn areas 1 Shaded seating near gazebos 1 Swimming pools 1 Update event facilities 1 Water spray/misting stations to cool off 1 ______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
71 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Overall Quality
Question 26 N=618 visitor groups* Overall, how would you rate the quality of the facilities, services, and Very good 46% recreational opportunities provided to you and your personal group at Chattahoochee River NRA during Good 44% this visit? Average 9% Results Rating • 90% of visitor groups rated the overall quality of facilities, Poor <1% services, and recreational opportunities as “very good” or “good” (see Figure 103). Very poor <1%
• 1% of visitor groups rated the 0 100 200 300 quality as “very poor” or “poor.” Number of respondents
Figure 103. Overall quality rating of facilities, services, and recreational opportunities
______*total percentages do not equal 100 due to rounding **total percentages do not equal 100 because visitors could select more than one answer
72 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Visitor Comments
Additional comments
Question 25 Results Is there anything else you and your personal • 42% of visitor groups (N=264) group would like to tell us about your visit to responded to this question. Chattahoochee River NRA? (Open-ended) • Table 22 shows a summary of visitor comments followed by the hand-written comments.
Table 22. Additional comments (N=360 comments; some visitor groups made more than one comment.)
Number of times Comment mentioned PERSONNEL (3%) Rangers/staff are friendly 5 Need more ranger/law enforcement presence 2 Other comments 2
INTERPRETIVE SERVICES (3%) Improve trail maps 3 More information about long-term passes 2 Other comments 5
FACILITIES/MAINTENANCE (35%) Well maintained 11 Repair parking pass machine 9 Park is clean 8 Repair/keep-up trail signs/maps 8 Increase parking 7 Need more trash receptacles 6 Clear trails of brush/downed trees 5 Restrooms need repair/up-keep 5 Trails need maintenance 5 Enjoy the trails 4 Repair water fountains 4 Restrooms need cleaning 4 Appreciate recent improvements 3 Clean up trash 3 Better trail maintenance 2 Boat ramps too short/too shallow 2 Increase number of mountain bike trails 2 Keep dog feces off trail 2 Need more dog bags 2 Repair fitness station equipment 2 Restrooms need soap 2 Restrooms need toilet paper 2 Trails are well maintained 2 Other comments 25
73 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Table 22. Additional comments (continued)
Number of times Comment mentioned POLICIES/MANAGEMENT (19%) Need more ranger/law enforcement presence 5 Stricter enforcement of dog waste pick up 5 Dogs should be on leash at all times 4 Keep it natural/wild 4 Bikes too fast on trails 3 More access to mountain bike trails 3 Parking fee box was overflowing 3 Separate mountain biker from other trail users 3 Enforce littering regulations 2 Enforce parking fees 2 Keep it as it is 2 No new bike trails 2 Parking pass holder melted 2 Other comments 27
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (5%) Fishing is good 3 Need dam/water release schedule 2 Other comments 12
CONCESSIONS (<1%) Comments 2
GENERAL COMMENTS (36%) Enjoyable visit/experience 29 Love the park 25 Enjoyed the park 17 Thank you 11 Good job 9 Good place to run/exercise 8 Keep up the good work 7 Glad park exists/is available 6 Appreciate having park in the city 5 Enjoy nature/outdoors 5 Other comments 8
74 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Appendix 1: The Questionnaire
75 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
76 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Appendix 2: Additional Analysis
The Visitor Services Project (VSP) offers the opportunity to learn more from VSP visitor study data through additional analysis. Two-way and three-way cross tabulations can be made with any questions.
Below are some examples of the types of cross tabulations that can be requested. To make a request, please use the contact information below, and include your name, address and phone number in the request.
1. What proportion of family groups with children attend interpretive programs? 2. Is there a correlation between visitors’ ages and their preferred sources of information about the park? 3. Are highly satisfied visitors more likely to return for a future visit? 4. How many international visitors participate in hiking? 5. What ages of visitors would use the park website as a source of information on a future visit? 6. Is there a correlation between visitor groups’ rating of the overall quality of their park experience, and their ratings of individual services and facilities? 7. Do larger visitor groups (e.g., four or more) participate in different activities than smaller groups? 8. Do frequent visitors rate the overall quality of their park experiences differently than less frequent visitors?
For more information please contact:
Visitor Services Project, PSU College of Natural Resources P.O. Box 441139 University of Idaho Moscow, ID 83844-1139
Phone: 208-885-7863 Fax: 208-885-4261 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.psu.uidaho.edu
77 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
78 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Appendix 3: Decision Rules for Checking Non-response Bias
Non-response bias is one of the major threats to the quality of a survey project. It affects the ability to generalize from a sample to general population (Salant and Dillman, 1994; Dillman, 2007; Stoop 2004; Filion 1976; Dey 1997). Since non-response bias is usually caused by participants failing to return their questionnaires, a higher response rate is more desirable. However, higher response rates do not guarantee low non-response bias. Researchers have suggested different methods to detect non-response bias. The most common variables used to detect non-response bias are demographic variables. Some researchers such as Van Kenhove (2002), Groves (2000) also suggest that saliency of topic has an effect on response rate. In this visitor study, visitor satisfaction (overall quality rating) could be considered as one of the salient factors as we aim to collect opinions from both unsatisfied and satisfied visitors. There are also several methods for checking non-response bias suggested in the literature. We decided to follow the method suggested by Groves (2006), De Rada (2005), and Rogelberg and Luong (1998) to compare the demographic characteristics as well as satisfaction scores of respondents in three different mailing waves. This seems to be the most suitable method because the visitor population is generally unknown.
Respondents were categorized based on the date their questionnaire was received. The first wave is defined as surveys received before the reminder postcards was mailed, the second wave is between postcards and 1st replacement, and the third wave contains surveys received after the 1st replacement.
Respondents and nonrespondents were compared in term of average age, group size, and group type. An ANOVA was used to compare the overall quality rating at different mailing waves. The hypotheses were that the differences in average age, group type, group size, and overall quality rating are insignificant. If the p-value is greater than 0.05, the difference is judged to be insignificant.
Therefore, the hypotheses for checking non-response bias are:
1. Respondents and nonrespondents had the same average age. 2. Respondents and nonrespondents had the same average group size. 3. There was no significant difference between respondents and nonrespondents in term of group type. 4. Overall quality ratings were insignificantly different among mailing waves.
Tables 3 and 4 show significant difference in age, group size and group type. There was no significant difference in overall quality rating. The non-response bias is thus judged to be significant and the results need to be interpreted with caution.
79 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
References
De Rada, D. V. (2005). The Effect of Follow-up Mailings on the Response Rate and Response Quality in Mail Survey. Quality & Quantity, Vol 38: 1-18. Dey, E.L. (1997). Working with Low Survey Response Rates: The Efficacy of Weighting Adjustment. Research in Higher Education, 38(2): 215-227. Dillman, D. A. (2007). Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method, Updated version with New Internet, Visual, and Mixed-Mode Guide, 2nd Edition, New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Filion, F. L. (Winter 1975-Winter 1976). Estimating Bias due to Non-response in Mail Surveys. Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol 39 (4): 482-492. Goudy, W. J. (1976). Non-response Effect on Relationships Between Variables. Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol 40 (3): 360-369. Groves, R. M. (2006). Nonresponse Rates and Nonresponse Bias in Household Surveys. Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol 70 (5): 646-675. Groves, R. M., Singer, E., and Corning, A. (2000). Leverage-Saliency Theory of Survey Participation Description and Illustration. Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol 64: 299-308. Rogelberg, S. G. and Luong, A. (1998). Nonresponse to Mailed Surveys: A Review and Guide. Current Directions in Psychological Science, Vol 7 (2): 60-65. Salant, P. and Dillman, D. A. (1994). How to Conduct Your Own Survey. U.S.: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Stoop, I. A. L. (2004). Surveying Non-respondents. Field Methods, 16 (1): 23. Van Kenhove, P., Wijnen, K., and De Wulf, K. (2002). The Influence of Topic Involvement on Mail- Survey Response Behavior. Psychology and Marketing, Vol 19 (3): 293-301. .
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Appendix 4: Visitor Services Project Publications
All VSP reports are available on the Park Studies Unit website at www.psu.uidaho.edu.vsp.reports.htm. All studies were conducted in summer unless otherwise noted.
1982 1989 (continued) 1. Mapping interpretive services: A pilot study at 24. Lincoln Home National Historic Site Grand Teton National Park. 25. Yellowstone National Park 26. Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area 1983 27. Muir Woods National Monument 2. Mapping interpretive services: Identifying barriers to adoption and diffusion of the method. 1990 3. Mapping interpretive services: A follow-up study 28. Canyonlands National Park (spring) at Yellowstone National Park and Mt Rushmore 29. White Sands National Monument National Memorial. 30. National Monuments & Memorials, Washington, 4. Mapping visitor populations: A pilot study at D.C. Yellowstone National Park. 31. Kenai Fjords National Park 32. Gateway National Recreation Area 1985 33. Petersburg National Battlefield 5. North Cascades National Park Service Complex 34. Death Valley National Monument 6. Crater Lake National Park 35. Glacier National Park 36. Scott's Bluff National Monument 1986 37. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument 7. Gettysburg National Military Park 8. Independence National Historical Park 1991 9. Valley Forge National Historical Park 38. Jean Lafitte National Historical Park (spring) 39. Joshua Tree National Monument (spring) 1987 40. The White House Tours, President's Park (spring) 10. Colonial National Historical Park (summer & fall) 41. Natchez Trace Parkway (spring) 11. Grand Teton National Park 42. Stehekin-North Cascades NP/Lake Chelan NRA 12. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park 43. City of Rocks National Reserve 13. Mesa Verde National Park 44. The White House Tours, President's Park (fall) 14. Shenandoah National Park (summer & fall) 15. Yellowstone National Park 1992 16. Independence National Historical Park: 45. Big Bend National Park (spring) Four Seasons Study 46. Frederick Douglass National Historic Site (spring) 47. Glen Echo Park (spring) 1988 48. Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site 17. Glen Canyon National Recreational Area 49. Jefferson National Expansion Memorial 18. Denali National Park and Preserve 50. Zion National Park 19. Bryce Canyon National Park 51. New River Gorge National River 20. Craters of the Moon National Monument 52. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, AK 53. Arlington House-The Robert E. Lee Memorial 1989 21. Everglades National Park (winter) 22. Statue of Liberty National Monument 23. The White House Tours, President's Park
81 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Visitor Services Project Publications (continued)
1993 1996 (continued) 54. Belle Haven Park/Dyke Marsh Wildlife Park 86. Fort Bowie National Historic Site (spring) (spring) 87. Great Falls Park, Virginia (spring) 55. Santa Monica Mountains National 88. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Recreation Area (spring) 89. Chamizal National Memorial 56. Whitman Mission National Historic Site 90. Death Valley National Park (fall) 57. Sitka National Historical Park 91. Prince William Forest Park (fall) 58. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore 92. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (fall) 59. Redwood National Park 60. Channel Islands National Park 1997 61. Pecos National Historical Park 93. Virgin Islands National Park (winter) 62. Canyon de Chelly National Monument 94. Mojave National Preserve (spring) 63. Bryce Canyon National Park (fall) 95. Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site (spring) 1994 96. Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial 64. Death Valley National Monument 97. Grand Teton National Park Backcountry (winter) 98. Bryce Canyon National Park 65. San Antonio Missions National Historical 99. Voyageurs National Park Park (spring) 100. Lowell National Historical Park 66. Anchorage Alaska Public Lands Information Center 1998 67. Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts 101. Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Park 68. Nez Perce National Historical Park (spring) 69. Edison National Historic Site 102. Chattahoochee River National Recreation 70. San Juan Island National Historical Park Area (spring) 71. Canaveral National Seashore 103. Cumberland Island National Seashore 72. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (fall) (spring) 73. Gettysburg National Military Park (fall) 104. Iwo Jima/Netherlands Carillon Memorials 105. National Monuments & Memorials, 1995 Washington, D.C. 74. Grand Teton National Park (winter) 106. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, 75. Yellowstone National Park (winter) AK 76. Bandelier National Monument 107. Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 77. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve 108. Acadia National Park 78. Adams National Historic Site 79. Devils Tower National Monument 1999 80. Manassas National Battlefield Park 109. Big Cypress National Preserve (winter) 81. Booker T. Washington National Monument 110. San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico 82. San Francisco Maritime National Historical (winter) Park 111. St. Croix National Scenic Riverway 83. Dry Tortugas National Park 112. Rock Creek Park 113. New Bedford Whaling National Historical 1996 Park 84. Everglades National Park (spring) 114. Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve 85. Chiricahua National Monument (spring) 115. Kenai Fjords National Park 116. Lassen Volcanic National Park 117. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (fall)
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Visitor Services Project Publications (continued)
2000 2003 continued 118. Haleakala National Park (spring) 151. Mojave National Preserve (fall) 119. White House Tour and White House Visitor Center (spring) 2004 120. USS Arizona Memorial 152. Joshua Tree National Park (spring) 121. Olympic National Park 153. New River Gorge National River 122. Eisenhower National Historic Site 154. George Washington Birthplace National 123. Badlands National Park Monument 124. Mount Rainier National Park 155. Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve 2001 156. Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical 125. Biscayne National Park (spring) Park 126. Colonial National Historical Park 157. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (Jamestown) 158. Keweenaw National Historical Park 127. Shenandoah National Park 159. Effigy Mounds National Monument 128. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore 160. Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site 129. Crater Lake National Park 161. Manzanar National Historic Site 130. Valley Forge National Historical Park 162. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
2002 2005 131. Everglades National Park (spring) 163. Congaree National Park (spring) 132. Dry Tortugas National Park (spring) 164. San Francisco Maritime National Historical 133. Pinnacles National Monument (spring) Park (spring) 134. Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve 165. Lincoln Home National Historic Site 135. Pipestone National Monument 166. Chickasaw National Recreation Area 136. Outer Banks Group (Cape Hatteras National 167. Timpanogos Cave National Monument Seashore, Ft. Raleigh National Historic Site, 168. Yosemite National Park and Wright Brothers National Memorial) 169. Fort Sumter National Monument 137. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks and 170. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Sequoia National Forest 171. Cuyahoga Valley National Park 138. Catoctin Mountain Park 172. Johnstown Flood National Memorial 139. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site 173. Nicodemus National Historic Site 140. Stones River National Battlefield (fall) 2006 2003 174. Kings Mountain National Military Park (spring) 141. Gateway National Recreation Area: Floyd 175. John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site Bennett Field (spring) 176. Devils Postpile National Monument 142. Cowpens National Battlefield (spring) 177. Mammoth Cave National Park 143. Grand Canyon National Park – North Rim 178. Yellowstone National Park 144. Grand Canyon National Park – South Rim 179. Monocacy National Battlefield 145. C&O Canal National Historical Park 180. Denali National Park & Preserve 146. Capulin Volcano National Monument 181. Golden Spike National Historic Site 147. Oregon Caves National Monument 182. Katmai National Park and Preserve 148. Knife River Indian Villages National Historic 183. Zion National Park (spring and fall) Site 149. Fort Stanwix National Monument 150. Arches National Park
83 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – VSP Visitor Study 230 June 15-24, 2010
Visitor Services Project Publications (continued)
2007 2009 (continued) 184.1. Big Cypress National Preserve (spring) 212. Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial 184.2. Big Cypress National Preserve (ORV Permit 213. Women’s Rights National Historical Park Holder/Camp Owner) 214. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park 185. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (spring) Unit -Seattle 186. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (spring 215. Yosemite National Park and summer) 216. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore 187. Lava Beds National Monument 217. James A. Garfield National Historic Site 188. John Muir National Historic Site 218. Boston National Historical Park 189. Fort Union Trading Post NHS 219. Bryce Canyon National Park 190. Fort Donelson National Battlefield 220. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore 191. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument 221. Acadia National Park 192. Mount Rushmore National Memorial 222. Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve 193. Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve 223. Martin Van Buren National Historic Site 194. Rainbow Bridge National Monument 195. Independence National Historical Park 2010 196. Minute Man National Historical Park 224.1 Death Valley National Park (fall) 224.2 Death Valley National Park (spring) 2008 225. San Juan National Historic Site (spring) 197. Blue Ridge Parkway (fall and summer) 226. Ninety Six National Historic Site (spring) 198. Yosemite National Park (winter) 227. Kalaupapa National Historical Park 199. Everglades National Park (winter and spring) 228. Little River Canyon National Preserve 200. Horseshoe Bend National Military Park 229. George Washington Carver National (spring) Monument 201. Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site 230. Chattahoochee River National Recreation (spring) Area 202. Fire Island National Seashore resident (spring) 203. Fire Island National Seashore visitor 204. Capitol Reef National Park 205.1 Great Smoky Mountains National Park (summer) 205.2 Great Smoky Mountains National Park (fall) 206. Grand Teton National Park 207. Herbert Hoover National Historic Site 208. City of Rocks National Reserve
2009 209. Fort Larned National Historic Site 210. Homestead National Monument of America 211. Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
For more information about the Visitor Services Project, please contact the University of Idaho Park Studies Unit, website: www.psu.uidaho.edu or phone (208) 885-7863
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The Department of the Interior protects and manages the nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors its special responsibilities to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated Island Communities.
NPS 636/106766, February 2011
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