1998 NORTH CAROLINA
STATEWIDE TRAIL AND GREENWAY SURVEY
March 31, 1999
Submitted to:
The North Carolina
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Division of Parks and Recreation
Submitted by:
Roger L. Moore
Christos Siderelis
Ju-Hee Lee
Mark I Ivy
Glenn Bailey
Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC
Table of Contents
-Page
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS - xii
I. INTRODUCTION - 1
- Sample - 3
- Data Collection - 3
- Response Rates - 4
- Definitions - 4
- Analyses and Reporting - 5
III. RESULTS - 7
- Respondent Characteristics - 7
- Trail Use - 11
-
Constraints to Trail Use - 17-
Trail Awareness, Availability and Information Sources - 20-
Most Recent Trail Visit - 23- The Importance of Trails in North Carolina - 29
The Future of Trails in North Carolina - 32
- Page
Recreation Modeling Strategy - 40
Changes in Trail Quality - 41
Findings - 42
- Objective One - Determine the level of use of existing trails and greenways - 45
- Objective Two - Determine the level of awareness of existing trail and
- greenway opportunities - 46
- Objective Three - Document the importance and benefits of existing trail
- and greenway opportunities - 47
- Objective Four - Document public attitudes and preferences regarding
- future trail and greenway development - 49
- Recommendations - 50
REFERENCES CITED - 53
APPENDICES
- Page
Appendix A. Respondent Comments - 56
Appendix B. Trail Participation by Activity and Trail Type - 65
Appendix C. Telephone Questionnaire - 73
Appendix D. Mailed Questionnaire - 79
Appendix E. Study Contacts - 87
LIST OF FIGURES
- Page
Figure 1. Gender of Respondents - 8
Figure 2. Age of Respondents. - 8
Figure 3. Education Level of Respondents - 9
Figure 4. Annual Household Income of Respondents - 9
Figure 5. Number of Adults Living in Household - 10
Figure 6. Number of Children Living in Household - 11
Figure 7. Proportion of North Carolinians Who Used Trails in Last 12 Months - 12
Figure 8. Trail Use by Age - 13
Figure 9. Trail Use by Education Level - 13
Figure 10. Trail Use by Annual Household Income - 14
Figure 11. Proportion of North Carolinians Who Used or Wanted to Use Trails
- in Last 12 Months - 19
Figure 12. Demand Curves for Existing and Hypothetical Ideal Trail Systems. - 43
LIST OF TABLES
- Page
Table 1. Number of Different Trails Used in the Past 12 Months - 15
Table 2. Number of Trail Users in Household by Age Group - 15
Table 3. Overall Annual Participation Rates by Activity and Trail Type - 16
Table 4. Percent of Individuals who Participated in Each Activity by Trail Type - 17
Table 5. Reasons Nonusers Had Not Used Trails in North Carolina During the
- Past 12 Months - 18
Table 6. - Reasons Respondents Did Not Use Trail as Often as Desired During the
- Past 12 Months - 20
Table 7. Proportion Who Were Aware of Various Types of Trails in
North Carolina - 21
Table 8. Proportion Who Used Various Sources of Information about Trails in
- North Carolina - 22
Table 9. Proportion Preferring to use Various Sources of Trail Information - 23
Table 10. One-way Miles from Primary Residence to Nearest Trail - 23
Table 11. Type of Trail Visited Most Recently - 25
Table 12. - One-way Miles to Trail Visited Most Recently - 25
Table 13. One-way Travel Time to Trail Visited Most Recently - 25
Table 14. Mode of Transportation to Trail Visited Most Recently - 26
Table 15. Total Expenditures Made on Most Recent Trail Trip - 26
Table 16. How Frequently Respondents Used Most Recently Visited Trail
- During the Past 12 Months - 26
Table 17.
Effects of Encountering Other Trail Users on Most Recent Trail Trip - 27Table 18.
How Encounters With Other Trail Users Affected Enjoyment - 28
- Page
Table 19.
Level of Potential Problems Experienced on Most Recent Trail Visit - 29Table 20. Importance Attached to the Existence of Trails in North Carolina - 30
Table 21. Importance of Various Benefits Regarding Trails and Trail Corridors for
Surrounding Communities - 31
Table 22. Willingness to Pay per Year for Trail Use if Money Used to Develop and Maintain Trails in North Carolina - 31
Table 23. Opinions about the Following Aspects of Trails in North Carolina - 33
Table 24. Proportion Who Would Like to Have an Unsurfaced Trail Closer to Home - 33
Table 25.
Proportion Who Would Like to Have a Surfaced Trail Closer to Home - 33Table 26. Proportion Who Would Prefer to Use a Trail If One Were Available
- Near Them - 34
Table 27. Attitude about Living Immediately Adjacent to a Trail or Greenway - 34
Table 28. Importance of Providing a Trail within 15 Minutes of Every North
- Carolina Resident - 34
Table 29. Proportion Who Intend to Participate in Various Trail Activities During the
- Next Five Years - 36
Table 30. Opinions Regarding the Priority of Future Trail Development in
- North Carolina - 36
Table 31. Single Most Important Way to Improve the North Carolina Trail System - 37
Table 32. Frequency of Hiking by Trail Type - 65
Table 33. Frequency of Pleasure Walking by Trail Type - 65
Table 34. Frequency of Bicycle Use by Trail Type - 66
Table 35. Frequency of Equestrian Use by Trail Type - 66
Table 36. Frequency of In-line Skating by Trail Type - 66
Table 37. Frequency of Jogging/Running by Trail Type - 67
Table 38. Frequency of Backpacking by Trail Type - 67
Table 39. Frequency of All Terrain Vehicle Use by Trail Type - 67
Table 40. Frequency of Four Wheel Drive Vehicle Use by Trail Type - 68
Table 41. Frequency of Motorcycle Use by Trail Type - 68
Table 42. Frequency of Cross Country Ski Use by Trail Type - 68
Table 43. Frequency of Canoe Use by Water Body Type - 69
Table 44. Frequency of Kayak Use by Water Body Type - 69
Table 45. Trail Users’ Hiking Participation Over the Previous 12 Months - 70
Table 46. Trail Users’ Pleasure Walking Participation Over the Previous 12 Months - 70
Table 47. Trail Users’ Bicycling Participation Over the Previous 12 Months - 70
Table 48. Trail Users’ Horseback Riding Participation Over the Previous 12 Months - 70
Table 49. Trail Users’ In-Line Skating Participation Over the Previous 12 Months - 70
Table 50. Trail Users’ Jogging/Running Participation Over the Previous 12 Months - 71
Table 51. Trail Users’ Backpacking Participation Over the Previous 12 Months - 71
Table 52. Trail Users’ All Terrain Vehicle Participation Over the Previous
12 Months - 71
Table 53. Trail Users’ Four Wheel Drive Vehicle Participation Over the Previous
12 Months - 71
Table 54. Trail Users’ Motorcycle Participation Over the Previous 12 Months - 71
Table 55. Trail Users’ Cross Country Skiing Participation Over the Previous
12 Months - 72
Table 56. Trail Users’ Canoeing Participation Over the Previous 12 Months - 72
Table 57. Trail Users’ Kayaking Participation Over the Previous 12 Months - 72
Executive Summary
This report presents the results of a comprehensive trail and greenway study conducted by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at North Carolina State University during 1998. It was sponsored by the State Trails Program of the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation to provide information necessary to assist all interested organizations and partners in planning, developing and managing the statewide trails system. The data were obtained from telephone interviews with 2,025 randomly selected North Carolinians and mail questionnaires from 492 interviewees who agreed to complete them.
This study found that approximately one third of all adult North Carolinians used a trail in the past 12 months and another 22% wanted to, but were unable to for some reason. Trail participation was slightly more likely for males than females, highest among those younger than 40, and generally increased as levels of education and income rose except for those at the highest income levels. Walking for pleasure was the most popular trail and greenway activity based on numbers participating (and annual participation rates) followed by hiking, biking and running. The main reasons for not using trails at all were not having enough time or not being interested in the outdoors. The key reasons some people were not able to use trails as often as they would have liked were not having enough time and not having trails close to home. North Carolinians reported that the single most important way to improve the system of trails in the state would be to provide more information on trails and their locations. Although most people were currently getting their trail information from friends, the methods actually preferred were trail brochures, the Internet, and parks and recreation offices.
North Carolinians, overall, valued their trails and greenways quite highly. Nearly three-quarters felt it was important to have trails available in North Carolina and the majority felt that trails are important in providing aesthetic beauty, health and fitness, public recreation opportunities, undeveloped open space, public education about nature and the environment, community pride, and tourism and business development. This study found that trail and greenway use makes a significant contribution to the state’s economy. Users reported that they spent a median amount of $10 on their most recent trail trip. Based on this figure, the estimated total direct expenditures made by North Carolina residents on trail-related trips in North Carolina were approximately $91,883,000 annually.
The total economic benefits of North Carolina trails were also modeled for state users. Consumer surplus, or the economic benefit the user receives above his or her actual costs was estimated to be in excess of $148 per user. Considering all adult trail users in North Carolina, this indicates that the value of trails and trail use in the state is approximately $331.5 million.
Most users experienced few problems on their most recent trail visits. There were, however, some problems with lack of drinking water, restrooms and other services; conflicts with other users; and maintenance-related issues on some trails. In general North Carolinians would like to see their trail system expanded. The majority would like to have both an unsurfaced and a surfaced trail nearer to their homes. Currently North Carolinians say they have to travel an average of over 20 miles one-way to access the nearest trail. The mix of trail activities North Carolinians plan to participate in during the next five years generally reflects their current use patterns, with walking for pleasure, hiking, bicycling, backpacking and jogging/running being the expected activities for the largest proportions. However, the level of use is likely to increase with 76% of North Carolinians reporting that they expect to use a trail or greenway in the next 5 years.
Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that more trails be developed in North Carolina, especially ones nearer to where people live; that more and better information be made available about existing trail opportunities; and that more resources be invested in providing high quality trail facilities, maintenance, and management. Finally, it is recommended that the importance of trails to North Carolinians, the substantial benefits of trails and the potential future benefits of trails be better documented and publicized.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the North Carolina State Trails Program Staff, the North Carolina Trails Committee and the leaders of the North Carolina Division of State Parks for making this study possible. Their foresight and desire to create the highest quality trail system possible are most appreciated. In particular we would like to thank State Trails Coordinator Darrell McBane without whose planning and patience this study would have never occurred. We also want to express our sincere appreciation to the over 2,000 North Carolinians who took the time to talk with us on the phone or complete mailed questionnaires in order to provide the information on which this study is based. Finally, we want to recognize and thank the countless volunteers, staff, trail organizations and other partners who build and maintain the trails and greenways in North Carolina. You are making a lasting contribution to the quality of life in our state.
INTRODUCTION
Trails and greenways and the experiences people have while using them appear to be quite important to the people of North Carolina. According to the 1995 to 2000 North Carolina Outdoor Recreation Plan (Division of Parks and Recreation, 1995), activities that frequently occur on our trails are extremely popular. Walking for pleasure, for instance, had the highest participation rate of any outdoor recreation activity in North Carolina at that time and bicycling for pleasure, nature study, running or jogging, and viewing scenery were all in the top ten in terms of participation rates. More importantly, consistent with nationwide projections, the future demand for many trail-related activities is predicted to increase nationwide. The USDA Forest Service, for example, estimates that the number of trips with hiking as the primary purpose will increase from 557.7 million trips in 1995 to 847.7 million trips by the year 2050. The rate of primary purpose hiking trips is expected to grow most rapidly in the South, with a 132% increase expected by 2050 (Cordell, Betz, Bowker, English, Mou, Bergstrom, Teasley, Tarrant & Loomis, 1999).
In order to meet present and future demand for trails and greenways in the state, the North Carolina General Assembly passed the North Carolina State Trails System Act in 1973. The State Trails Program of the Division of Parks and Recreation and the North Carolina Trails Committee have the responsibility for implementing the provisions of this act which include establishing trails in natural and scenic areas of the state and near urban areas. Specifically, the program is responsible for providing professional comprehensive statewide trail planning, as well as consultations and technical assistance to agencies and organizations involved in planning, developing, and managing trails in North Carolina.
Any effective planning, development or management effort must be based on valid and timely information. This is particularly true of providing trail and greenway resources in a rapidly growing and changing state like North Carolina. Although the state's comprehensive outdoor recreation plan and other sources provide general information regarding participation rates and trends, other important pieces of information are needed to enable the State Trails Program and North Carolina Trails Committee to meet their mandate. The Division of Parks and Recreation, therefore, contracted with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at North Carolina State University to conduct a comprehensive trail and greenway study. The study had four primary objectives:
1. Determine the level of use of existing trails and greenways.
2. Determine the level of awareness of existing trail and greenway opportunities.
3. Document the importance and benefits of existing trail and greenway opportunities.
4. Document public attitudes and preferences regarding future trail and greenway development.
RESEARCH METHODS
Sample
The study methods and survey instruments were designed by faculty from NC State University in collaboration with State Trails Program staff and North Carolina Trails Committee members. Most trail-related research has been conducted using samples consisting of trail users alone. Since trail planning is directed at serving all citizens, it was essential that this study include not only current users, but potential users and nonusers as well. Therefore, the study population was defined as all North Carolina residents and a representative sample of North Carolinians was drawn by a private firm specializing in survey sampling. The sample was based on both motor vehicle registration records and telephone listings and was drawn to be proportional to actual population sizes at the county level. Only adults aged 18 years and older were included in the study.
Data Collection
Two methods of data collection were used — telephone interviews and mailed follow-up questionnaires. The telephone interviews lasted approximately five minutes and focused on levels of trail and greenway use, constraints to trail use, and respondent demographic characteristics. The final part of the interview sought permission to send the respondent a follow-up mail questionnaire. The telephone interviews were conducted by the Applied Research Group of the Center for Urban Affairs and Community Services at NC State University. Those who granted permission were sent the eight-page follow-up questionnaire approximately one week after their telephone interview. The mailed questionnaire sought more detailed information regarding trail use, attitudes and preferences. Up to two additional appeals and replacement questionnaires were sent to subjects who did not respond to the initial mailing. This combination of telephone interviews and mailed questionnaires was used to minimize the burden on respondents and, therefore, maximize response rates while also providing the level of detail needed to accomplish the study objectives. Copies of both the telephone and mail questionnaires are included in the appendices of this report.
Response Rates
The sample used for the telephone portion of the study consisted of 5,000 randomly selected North Carolina phone numbers generated as described above. Of this sample, 1,624 were ineligible (i.e., the numbers were actually business, government, FAX machine, modem, out of service, disconnected, etc.) making the effective useable sample 3,376. Of these, 2,025 provided completed interviews making the response rate to the telephone survey 60%. A total of 1,140 (56%) of those completing interviews agreed to receive the mail questionnaires. Of those agreeing to receive mail questionnaires, 492 (42%) returned completed questionnaires.
Definitions
Careful attention was paid to defining "trails and greenways" for respondents to minimize confusion about what was and was not a trail. The following introduction was included on the mailed questionnaire and a very similar, but more concise statement was provided at the beginning of each interview:
There are many types of trails in North Carolina and people participate in many different activities on them. Trails range from narrow paths, to paved bicycle trails and greenways, to off-highway vehicle trails. For the purposes of this study, please consider only trails in North Carolina that are marked and maintained for recreational use and are open to the public even if a fee is charged. Some of the questions break trails into the following two types:
Unsurfaced Trails These are natural paths of various kinds such as traditional "backcountry" trails, paths, most of the Appalachian Trail and trails in many State Parks. They are generally narrow, unimproved, and have a natural dirt surface.
Surfaced Trails These are trails that have been surfaced in some material like bark chips, gravel, cement or asphalt. They are generally wider and more heavily used than unsurfaced trails and include "greenway" trails in or near cities and towns. Sidewalks are not considered trails.
When we simply use the word "trail" we are referring to both of these types together.
Analyses and Reporting
Data were entered, checked for errors and analyzed using the STATA statistical package. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the findings regarding the characteristics of the survey respondents, and their trail use, attitudes, experiences, and preferences. For each result, it is important to note whether that data was obtained from the telephone interviews or the mail questionnaires since these were separate samples with different sample sizes and response rates. Results based on the telephone interviews have smaller sampling errors (due to the larger sample size) and less chance of nonresponse bias (due to the higher response rate) than those based on the mailed questionnaires. In order to make the mail questionnaire results as representative as possible of the actual population of North Carolina they are generally presented in two ways — unweighted and weighted. Means and percents reported in the tables are based only on the actual responses to that question in the mail questionnaire. The "weighted means" and "weighted percents" reported for data obtained from the mail questionnaires have been adjusted. They have been weighted to reflect the actual proportions of the following three groups identified during the telephone interviews: trail users, nonusers who did not want to use trails, and nonusers who wanted to use trails but were unable to for some reason. However, in the vast majority of cases very little difference was found between the weighted and unweighted results.