Public Land Reports

All reports on this site are downloadable for no charge. Costs associated with each report pertain to hard copies ordered directly from ITRR and do not apply to downloaded information.

State Parks

TCR96-4
Attitudes and Opinions About Montana State Parks
Authors: Norma P. Nickerson, Karen E. Sargeant and R. Neil Moisey
December 1996, 121 pp. $25.00
Identification of specific concerns and needs of current users (resident and nonresident) adn resident nonusers of Montana's state parks. The study provides necessary data for one portion of the overall comprehensive plan, "Vision 2020," by the Parks Division of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

RR27
Tourism Enhancement Plan: Flathead Lake,
Lewis and Clark Caverns, and Makoshika State Parks
Authors: Michael Reilly and Stephen F. McCool
February 1993, 62 pp., $16.00
Presents recommendations to develop strategic tourism plans for three Montana State Parks: Flathead Lake, Lewis and Clark Caverns, and Makoshika. Includes situation analyses, visitor characteristics, focus group results from local residents and officials, facility inventories, and estimates of economic impact.

RR20
An Analysis of Trends in Recreation Participation and
SCORP Policy Recommendations
Authors: Susan Yuan, Theron Miller, and Steve Smith
February 1992, 64 pp., $16.00
Summarizes results of seven past State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plans (SCORP) in terms of outdoor recreation participation, issues, and needs. Recommendations for future SCORPS are also included.

TCR91-9
Montana State Parks Attribute Inventory
Authors: James F. Richards, Walter L. Bradford, and Theron Miller
November 1991, 81 pp., $18.00
Inventories facilities (such as signs, interpretive facilities, campgrounds, picnic sites, and roads) within each Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks region statewide.

TCR90-1
Newspaper Opinion Poll of Montanans' Views on
State Parks Issues and Future
Authors: Neal A. Christensen and Stephen F. McCool
April 1990, 24 pp., $10.00
Results of a statewide opinion poll available through Montana's major newspapers to determine public support for a state park vision statement.

National Parks

TH 2004-1
Interpreting the Meaning of Recreation Impacts
(instructions to download and print)
Author: Robert G. Dvorak
May 2004, 176 pp., $33.00
The purpose of this study was to explore how visitors and managers perceived recreation impacts in a wilderness setting, how their constructs of impacts compare, and to what extent these impacts were important to each group. Forty visitors and 11 managers were interviewed in Zion National Park during the summer of 2003. The results of this study suggest that differences in impact conceptualization appear related to an individual’s expectations, their awareness, and the given natural context. It also suggests that future impact research needs to consider how visitors define impacts in order to develop meaningful measures of impacts that can be utilized by resource managers.

TCR 2003-1
What the People Think - Glacier National Park and Vicinity
(instructions to download and print)
Author: Norma Nickerson
May 2003, 26pp., $11.00
This report brings together many studies and articles written over the years about people and places in and around the Flathead Valley area of Montana. The report was written for the National Parks Conservation Association for use in their report, "Gateway to Glacier, the Emerging Economy of Flathead County." The NPCA report can accessed at http://www.npca.org/across_the_nation/npca_in_the_field/northern_rockies/gateway/default.asp

RR 2002-10
The Montana Nonresident Visitor: A Comparison of Glacier, Yellowstone, and Non-Park Visitors
(instructions to download and print)
Author: Norma Nickerson
September 2002, 30pp., $12.00
This report provides a profile of nonresident visitors to Montana who visited one or both of the national parks or neither park. It is based on a four-month study period from June through September of 2001 and describes visitors in terms of demographics, trip characteristics, travel behavior, visitor satisfaction and observation.

TH 2002-1
Exploring Visitor Experiences on Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park
(instructions to download and print)
Author: Robert Giordano
August 2002, 117 pp., $25.00
This research was designed to assist park managers in determining future changes to Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) by describing and analyzing the experiences on the road today. Forty on-site interviews were conducted at Logan Pass (the pinnacle of GTSR) with drivers, passengers in a car, cyclists, and shuttle riders. A primary goal was to gain a greater understanding of the ‘mobility dynamics,’ both within modes and between modes. To attain this goal, three research questions were addressed: 1) What are the experiences of travelers on Going-to-the-Sun Road? 2) How does travel mode affect the experience? 3) How might travelers’ experiences be improved on Going-to-the-Sun Road?

RR36
The Glacier National Park Visitor Use Study
Authors: Theron A. Miller and Stephen F. McCool
August 1994, 83 pp., $19.00
Presents results of a survey of Glacier National Park visitors from November 1992 to October 1993. Seasonal visitor demographic characteristics and trip characteristics are presented as well as visitor expectations, preferences, perceptions, and satisfactions.

TCR91-2
An Estimate of Backcountry Day Use in the Many Glacier Area, Glacier National Park, 1990 Season
Authors: Amy Braithwaite, Stephen F. McCool,
and Katherine C. Kendall
April 1991, 18 pp., $10.00
Replication of research in 1988 (see RR4) and 1989 (see TCR90-2) to further validate use estimation models and equations.

RR4
An Estimate of Backcountry Day Use of Glacier National Park
(instructions to download and print)
Authors: Stephen F. McCool, Amy M. Braithwaite,
and Katherine C. Kendall
May 1989, 53 pp., $15.00
Estimates the number of people entering the Glacier National Park backcountry for the summer season of 1988 using infrared beam-activated photography, embedded vibration sensing counters, and trailhead registration validated by personal observation. The study also developed an equation to estimate use levels in future seasons at low cost.

National Forests

TH 2005-1
Off-road Vehicle Policy on USDA National Forests: Evaluating User Conflicts and Travel Management
Author: Brenda Yankoviak
December 2005, 78 pp.
This paper examines the recent changes in the travel management policy of the National Forest System, specifically off-road vehicle (ORV) management, while also investigating common themes of conflict between motorized and non-motorized users. In addition, it provides a historical context and an up-to-date analysis of what the policy requires.

RR33
Visitor Use Estimation Guide for Developed, Dispersed Roaded,
and Dispersed Non-Roaded Recreation Areas
Authors: Susan Yuan, Brian Maiorano, and Michael Yuan
December 1993, 177 pp., Distributed by Forest Service
Assists USDA Forest Service personnel in selecting and implementing visitor use estimation techniques at developed, dispersed roaded, and dispersed non-roaded sites. This report is distributed by the Forest Service. Copies should be requested from: Gary Hoshide, USDA Forest Service Technology & Development Center, Fort Missoula, Building 1, Missoula, MT 59801. Phone: (406) 329-1029.

RR24
The Bitterroot Forest Visitor Analysis
Authors: Tim Hammond and Michael Yuan
July 1992, 97 pp., $22.00
Additional analysis of data collected in 1990 and presented in RR18-B. Questions to be answered by the analysis were developed and prioritized by Bitterroot Forest recreation managers.

RR18 A-L
1990 Montana National Forest Visitor Study
Authors: Michael Yuan and Tim Hammond
March 1991, 60 pp. each, $16.00 each
Ten separate reports present resident and nonresident recreational use information for each National Forest in Montana, including participant profiles, participation patterns, and preferences for recreation opportunities, facilities, developments, and programs. One report summarizes this information statewide.

Bureau of Land Management

RR13
The 1989 Bear Trap Canyon Visitor Study
Authors: Stephen F. McCool, Steven R. Martin, and Michael Yuan
May 1990, 118 pp., $25.00
Identifies the importance of solitude to Bear Trap Canyon Wilderness visitors, visitor expectations for receiving solitude, their preference for a desired level of solitude, and their evaluation of the currently experienced level of solitude. Identifies visitor preferences for management actions maintaining or restoring the desired level of solitude and reactions to other significant resource or social conditions found in the canyon. Compares results of the current research with previous studies to identify significant changes.

Bureau of Reclamation

RR 2004-6
2003-2004 Clark Canyon Recreation Survey
(instructions to download and print)
Authors: Robert Dvorak, Norma P. Nickerson, Jim Wilton
May 2004, 100pp., $23.00
This report summarizes a study of recreation use on Clark Canyon Reservoir and Barretts Campground from May 24, 2003 to February 29, 2004.

RR 2004-5
2003-2004 Canyon Ferry Recreation Survey
(instructions to download and print)
Authors: Robert Dvorak, Norma P. Nickerson, Jim Wilton, Megan McBride
May 2004, 215pp., $40.00
This report summarizes a study of recreation use on Canyon Ferry Reservoir from May 24, 2003 to February 28, 2004. The summer results from 2003-2004 are compared to the results of the 1995 and 1999 Canyon Ferry Recreation studies, as the same survey instrument was used.

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To order publications, send a request by e-mail to itrr@forestry.umt.edu, or by regular mail to the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research, 32 Campus Drive #1234, Missoula, MT 59812-1234. Include the publication number(s) that are listed in bold at the beginning of each description and enclose payment for the documents as listed. You can also call us with your request. Our telephone number is (406) 243-5686.

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