ONPVisitationSurveyRangeMagagine

Range Magazine

Written and research by Dave Skinner

Olympic Peninsula
"Tourism and Wilderness"

Forest Service did research in in 2006 (when the ecomomy was in FAR better shape) when People still had money to travel and spend instead of struggling to survive. This research was to find out what most park visitors do and how they spend their money.

Here is what Dave found out about 19,000 Forest Service visitors.

Over half of Forest Service vistors were "locals" traveling less then 50 miles. Locals spent less. Even on overnight trips. Most ate and/or bought gasoline.
Visitors that stayed in "off-forest lodging dropped $362 per trip. Developed campgroungs dropped to $138. Undeveloped campers down to $115 per trip. Down hill skiers spent the most. Hikers, bikers and auto drivers spent the least.

Here is what Dave found out about "Wilderness" visitors.

The National Visitor use profile for Forest Service from 2005-2009 estimated 198 million site visits. Only 6.7 million were Wilderness visits (3.4%). For Pacific region wilderness 5%.
60% of ALL user visits were less then six hours, 70% were under six hours and 80% under 12 hours for short day hikes.
According to the Michigan State University papers on the Olympic National Park visitation in 2000, out of 3.3 million visitors the vast majority of 2.1 million visitors were day trippers. 1.36 million were non-local day trips (mainly Seattle). who spent 45.21 per trip.
Only (2.3%) percent were campers and back country hikers spending about $24 per night.
Out of 78,000 in-park lodge guests - spent an average of $244 a night.
Out of 68,000 out of park motel guests - spent an average of $198 per night.
75% of backcountry camping occured June-September. 624 camped out in January.

Burrrrrrr! Now that's hard core!!!!!!!!

So as you can see, there was no jobs or money to be found in wilderness. This research was done during a period of better economic stability. Imagine the Impact now, in times when our country is in shabbles, with no improvement in sight. Where Inflation has sky rocketed.