Visitor Use and Experience Survey at Capitol Reef National Park

OMB #: 1024-0224

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK
VISITOR USE AND EXPERIENCE SURVEY

PAPERWORK REDUCTION and PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT: The Paperwork Reduction Act requires us to tell you why we are collecting this information, how we will use it, and whether or not you have to respond. The National Park Service is authorized by (54 USC §100701) to collect this information. The routine uses of this information will be for the benefit of NPS Managers and Planning staff in Capitol Reef National Park (CARE) in future initiatives related to visitor use and resource management within the site. The data collected will be summarized to evaluate visitor uses and expectations during their visit at CARE. Your responses to this collection are completely voluntary and will remain anonymous. You can end the process at any time and will not be penalized in any way for choosing to do so. Data collected will only be reported in aggregates and no individually identifiable responses will be reported. A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and you are not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number (1024-0224).

BURDEN STATEMENT: We estimate that it will take about 9 minutes to complete this on-site questionnaire. You may send comments concerning the burden estimates or any aspects of this information collection: Megan McBride, National Park Service, megan_mcbride@nps.gov

[Part 1: Visitor and Trip Characteristics] “First, we will start with a few questions about your trip to Capitol Reef.”

Topic Area 1: GROUP4 (Variation: Modified to determine number of adults and children to better categorize families.)

1. How many people are in your group, including you?

_____ Number of adults (18 and older)

_____ Number of children

Topic Area 2: GROUP3 (Variation: Response wording simplified, and number of options reduced.)

2. Which of the following best describes the group you are traveling with? Please check all that apply.

• Alone

• Family

• Friends

• Commercial Tour Group

• Guided or non-commercial Organized Group

• School or University Group

• Group of 1-12 with an individual permit

Topic Area 3: CVIS1

3. Are you a first-time visitor to Capitol Reef National Park?

• YES

• NO

[Part 2: Trip Purpose] “Next, we will ask a few questions about your reasons for visiting Capitol Reef.”

Topic Area 2: TPURPOSE3 (Variation: Edited to ask inter-park visitation patterns and understand primary destination within the park.)

4. How did your visit to [survey site] fit into your travel plans for Capitol Reef? Please mark only one.

• This site was my primary destination at Capitol Reef. (Skip to 5)

• The site was a secondary destination at Capitol Reef. (Go to 4a)

• This site was one of several equally important destinations at Capitol Reef. (Skip to 5)

(If secondary destination selected this additional series will be displayed)

4a. Please explain more about where this site visit fits into your travel plans for Capitol Reef. Please mark only one.

• This site was a secondary destination at Capitol Reef, and I have already successfully visited my primary destination

• This was a secondary destination at Capitol Reef, and I have not yet attempted to visit my primary destination.

• This site was a secondary destination at Capitol Reef, and I could not visit my primary destination after attempting to do so.

Topic Area 6: EXP12 (Variation: Wording of items have been clarified to reflect modern language.

Note to Reviewer: Response item order will be randomized in Qualtrics.

5. Below is a list of possible experiences you may expect to have while visiting this site. For each item, please indicate how important the experience is to you on your visit to this specific site.

Experience:	Not at all Important	Slightly Important	Moderately Important	Very Important	Extremely Important
To view scenic beauty.	1	2	3	4	5
To be close to nature.	1	2	3	4	5
To experience a sense of discovery.	1	2	3	4	5
To develop knowledge of things at [survey site].	1	2	3	4	5
To learn more about things at [survey site].	1	2	3	4	5
To understand things at [survey site] better.	1	2	3	4	5
To get away from the noise back home.	1	2	3	4	5
To enjoy the sounds of nature.	1	2	3	4	5
To experience natural quiet.	1	2	3	4	5
To have thrills.	1	2	3	4	5
To experience a sense of exploration.	1	2	3	4	5
To share photos on social media.	1	2	3	4	5
To tell others about my trip.	1	2	3	4	5
To have others know that I have been here.	1	2	3	4	5
To gain a sense of self confidence.	1	2	3	4	5
To learn what I am capable of.	1	2	3	4	5
To show others my abilities.	1	2	3	4	5

Topic Area 3: PA4

Note to Reviewer: Response item order will be randomized in Qualtrics.

6. Please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with each of the statements about this specific site. Please select only one response for each item.

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly Agree
I am very attached to [survey site].	1	2	3	4	5
I feel no commitment to [survey site]	1	2	3	4	5
I identify strongly with [survey site].	1	2	3	4	5
[survey site] means a lot to me.	1	2	3	4	5
[survey site] is the best place for what I like to do.	1	2	3	4	5
The things I do at [survey site] I would enjoy doing just as much at a similar site.	1	2	3	4	5
I wouldn’t substitute any other area for doing the types of things I do at [survey site].	1	2	3	4	5

[Part 3: Site Experience] “Next we will ask you about your experiences while visiting Capitol Reef on this trip.”

Topic Area 6: VERP1 (Variation: Response option of “My preferred level of use…” added to the follow-up question.)

7. A) We would like to know how many people you think could visit [survey site] at any one time without feeling too crowded. To help judge this, a series of photographs of [survey site] show different numbers of visitors in [survey site].

Please rate each photograph by indicating how acceptable you find each one based on the number of visitors shown. A rating of “1” means the number of visitors is “completely unacceptable” and a rating of “7” means the number of visitors is “completely acceptable.” Circle one number for each photograph.

	Completely Unacceptable	Unacceptable	Slightly Unacceptable	Neither Acceptable nor Unacceptable	Slightly Acceptable	Acceptable	Completely Acceptable
Photo 1	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Photo 2	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Photo 3	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Photo 4	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Photo 5	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Photo 6	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Photo 7	1	2	3	4	5	6	7

B) Which photograph shows the level of use that you would prefer to experience in the [survey site]?

Photo Number ________

OR

My preferred level of use is lower than any of the presented photos.

Topic Area 6: VERP3

8. Which photograph looks most like the number of visitors you typically saw at [survey site] today?

Photo Number: ________

Topic Area 6: VERP3 (Variation: question altered to ask about crowding conditions impacts on visitation patterns.)

9. Which photograph, if any, shows the level of use where you would no longer want to visit this [survey site]?

Photo Number: _______

• None of the photos reflect a level of use where I would no longer visit

Topic Area 6: VERP2 (Variation: Changed “restriction” to “management action to address”.)

10. Which photograph shows the highest level of use that Capitol Reef should allow at [survey site]? In other words, at what point should the park take management action to address the number of visitors? If use should not be managed at any point represented in the photographs, or not managed at all, you may indicate that by checking one of the boxes below.

Photo Number ________

• None of the photographs show a level of use high enough for management actions related to the number of visitors in the [survey site]

• The number of visitors in the [survey site] does not need management under any circumstances.

Topic Area 4: PARKING14 (Variation: CARE specific items were added to the YES options)

11. On this visit to [survey site], did you and your group experience any parking problems related to congestion?

• NO

• YES If yes, how did you respond to congestion problems while searching for parking? Check all that apply.

  • Waited until a parking spot opened near my intended destination.

  • Parked some distance away from my intended destination and walked.

  • Went to an alternate destination.

  • Returned at a different time.

Topic Area 4: PARKING15 (Variation: added size of vehicle item to reflect current challenges in CARE.)

12. How much did each of the following issues affect your visit to [survey site]? Please select one number for each issue.

	No Affect	Minor Affect	Neutral	Moderate Affect	Major Affect
Too many large vehicles (e.g., buses, campers) were on the road	1	2	3	4	5
It was difficult to find a parking place	1	2	3	4	5
Roads and parking areas did not accommodate the size of my vehicle.	1	2	3	4	5
Too many people walking on, across, or along the road	1	2	3	4	5
Cars parked illegally (on road shoulders, in “no parking” areas)	1	2	3	4	5

Topic Area 2: CROWD28 (Variation: Wording simplified for easier understanding and specified for the survey site.)

13. How crowded did you feel during your hiking experience at [survey site]? Check one box.

Not at all crowded	Slightly crowded	Moderately crowded	Very crowded	Extremely crowded
1	2	3	4	5

Topic Area 2: ITIN15

14. During the planning process for your visit to [survey site], how did the possibility of crowding affect your plans? Select all that apply.

• It did not affect my plans.

• I planned to visit at a time that I thought would be less crowded.

• I planned to visit on a day of the week I thought would be less crowded.

• I planned to visit during the off-season when I thought it would be less crowded.

• Other: _____________________________________________

Topic Area 11: PRESAFE1 (Variation: Follow-up question added to understand when information was sought.)

15. Prior to this visit, did you seek out or obtain any information regarding safety at Capitol Reef?

• NO

• YES -- If yes, how recently did you seek this safety information? Please select more than one if you sought this information multiple times.

  • In the last 24 hours

  • In the last 25 to 72 hours (3 days)

  • In the last 4 to 7 days

  • In the last month (but not within the last week)

  • In the last year (excluding the last month)

[Part 4: Management Preferences and Reactions] “This next group of questions asks about your preference for potential future management at Capitol Reef National Park.”

Topic Area 8: MGMTOPT13

16. To what extent would you support or oppose each of the following hypothetical management actions at [survey site].

	Completely Oppose	Strongly Oppose	Oppose	Neither Support Nor Oppose	Support	Strongly Support	Completely Support
A day-use permit system for crowded areas and trails	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
A permit to access the Scenic Drive	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Vehicle length limits on narrow park roads and parking areas	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
A vehicle permit system for parking lots	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Limitations on the number of wilderness permits issued for backpacking and canyoneering by area or route	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Develop infrastructure for increased walking and biking from a more distant parking area to reduce issues of parking congestion	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Develop a shuttle system from a more distant parking area to reduce issues of parking congestion	1	2	3	4	5	6	7

[Part 5: Background and Demographics] “We have two last quick questions to help better understand who has responded to our survey.”

Topic Area 1: AGE1

17. What year were you born? ____________

Topic area 1: RES2 (variation: simplified wording)

18. Do you live in the United States?

• NO What is your country of residence? ______________________

• Yes What is your zip code? _____________

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