Assessing Recreation, Access, and Scenery on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs 02/20/2014 Assessing Recreation Settings, Opportunities and Access, and Scenic Character 1 Assessing Recreation, Access, and Scenery on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs 02/20/2014 Table of Contents 9.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 6 9.0.1 Nantahala and Pisgah NFs Visitation ........................................................................................... 7 9.0.2 Tourism in Western North Carolina ........................................................................................... 11 9.0.3 Outdoor Recreation in the Southern Region of the United States .............................................. 12 9.0.4 What is the Availability of Recreation Opportunities on Other Lands within in the Broader Landscape? .......................................................................................................................................... 13 9.1 Preferences and Demand for Specific Recreation Opportunities ...................................................... 18 9.1.1 What Are the Recreation Preferences and Demands for North Carolina? ................................. 19 9.1.2 What Are the Recreation Preferences and Demands for the Southern Region and United States? ............................................................................................................................................................ 20 9.2 Recreational Settings ........................................................................................................................ 21 9.2.1 What Are the Preferences of the Public and Demand for Specific Recreation Settings? .......... 21 9.2.2 What Are the Available Ranges, Acreages, and Spatial Distributions of Recreation Settings in the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs? ........................................................................................................... 22 9.2.3 What Are the Conditions Affecting the Quality of Recreation Settings? .................................. 26 9.3 Recreational Opportunities ............................................................................................................... 27 9.3.1 What Are the Available Recreational Types by Range, Capacities, and Distribution? What Are the Nature, Extent, and Condition of Trails and Other Transportation to Provide Recreational Access? ............................................................................................................................................... 27 9.3.2 What Are the Conditions Affecting the Quality of Recreation Opportunities? ......................... 45 9.3.3 What are the Opportunities to Connecting People with Nature? ............................................... 46 9.4 Recreational Scenic Character .......................................................................................................... 54 9.4.1. How Is Scenery Currently Managed and What are the Visual Quality Objectives (VQO) Across the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs? ............................................................................................... 54 9.4.2 How Many Acres of Each VQO exist on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs? ................................ 57 9.4.3 What Are the Identified Distinctive Landscapes and How Are They Managed? ...................... 59 9.4.4 What Are the Conditions Affecting the Quality of Scenery? ..................................................... 60 9.5 Recreational Trends .......................................................................................................................... 61 9.5.1 What Are the General Trends for Recreation in the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs? ...................... 61 9.5.2 What Are the Emerging New or Unique Recreational Trends That May Affect Future Demand on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs? ...................................................................................................... 64 9.6 Sustainable Recreation ...................................................................................................................... 64 9.6.1 How Are Recreational Opportunities, Settings, and Infrastructure Financially Sustained? ...... 64 References ............................................................................................................................................... 66 2 Assessing Recreation, Access, and Scenery on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs 02/20/2014 Appendices .............................................................................................................................................. 70 Appendix A – Nantahala and Pisgah NFs Crown Jewels – Uniquely Special Places ......................... 70 Appendix B – ROS maps for each Ranger District ............................................................................. 71 Appendix C – List of Camps with Special Use Permits on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs ............... 76 Appendix D – VQO maps for each Ranger District ........................................................................... 80 3 Assessing Recreation, Access, and Scenery on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs 02/20/2014 Tables and Figures Table 9.0.1 Top Ten Most Visited National Forests in the National Forest System .................................... 6 Table 9.0.2 Overview of Visitation to the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs.......................................................... 7 Table 9.0.3 Purpose of Visit to the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs by Percentage ............................................. 8 Table 9.0.4 Distance Traveled to Visit the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs by Percentage. ................................ 8 Table 9.0.5 Visit Duration to the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs by Percentage ................................................ 9 Table 9.0.6 Gender, Race, and Ethnic Makeup of Visitors to the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs by Percentage ...................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Table 9.0.7 Ages Groups of Visitors to the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs by Percentage ................................ 9 Table 9.0.8 Activity Participation of Visitors to the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs by Percentage; Percent Noting as Main Activity; and Average Time Spent Doing the Activity ..................................................... 10 Table 9.0.9 Percent of National Forest Visits by Overall Satisfaction Rating for the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs .............................................................................................................................................................. 11 Table 9.0.10 Percent Satisfied Index Scores for Aggregate Categories for the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs11 Table 9.0.11 Travel Economic Impact Statistics for Nantahala and Pisgah NFs 18 County Area ............. 12 Table 9.0.12 Non-Forest Service National Recreation Trails within the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs 18 County Area ................................................................................................................................................ 15 Table 9.1.1 Percent of NC Residents of Age 16 or Older Participating in Selected Outdoor Recreation Activities ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 Table 9.1.2 Percentages of the Population Participating in Recreational Activities in the South and United States in 2001 .............................................................................................................................................. 21 Table 9.2.1 Recreation Opportunity Spectrum by Management Area, based on Nantahala and Pisgah Land and Resource Management Plan, Amendment 5, 1994. ............................................................................. 24 Table 9.2.2 Percentage of each ROS classification on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs .............................. 25 Table 9.2.3 Spatial Distribution of ROS Classifications on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs ...................... 26 Table 9.3.1 Developed Recreation Sites by Type and District for the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs ............. 28 4 Assessing Recreation, Access, and Scenery on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs 02/20/2014 Table 9.3.2 Whitewater Put-ins and Take-outs on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs ..................................... 31 Table 9.3.3 Waterfalls on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs by Ranger District ............................................ 33 Table 9.3.4 Motorized Boat Launches and Boat Ramps on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs ....................... 34 Table 9.3.5 Motorized mileage for the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs ............................................................ 35 Table 9.3.6 Non-motorized mileage by Ranger District by use type for the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs ... 36 Table 9.3.7 Nationally Designated Trails within the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs ....................................... 37 Table 9.3.8 Trail Shelters on the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs ...................................................................... 38 Table 9.3.9 Overview of Wildernesses in the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs .................................................. 40 Table 9.3.10 Overview of Wilderness Study Areas in the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs ............................... 40 Table 9.3.11 Hunting and Fishing Licenses for Western North Carolina in 2011-2012