Use Patterns and Solitude Preferences of Shelter Campers in Great Smoky Mountains National, U.S.A.

Visitor use management in wildland recreation areas depends on visitor use and preference information about various types of users. This study reports on the user characteristics, use patterns and encounter preferences of backcountry shelter campers, a type of user little studied in the past. In 1987, 252 backpackers to shelters in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) were surveyed on-site and by a mail questionnaire. Only one person per party was sampled, resulting in a final response rate of 73%. Results indicated the "typical" shelter user averaged 33 years of age, was college educated (X̄ = 15·6 years of education) and came from urban areas of nearby states. Eighty-four per cent had previous backpacking experience, averaging 6·8 total years of experience. Most backpackers (59%) took three or fewer trips per year (X̄) = 3·9 trips/year). Backpacking experience restricted to only GSMNP showed 65% repeat users, averaging 5·4 years of previous use and 3·1 trips per year in the study area. Trips in the study area consisted of 3-day hikes (X̄ = 3·2 days), with 94% of users backpacking less than 5 days. Distance hiked ranged from 3 to 80 miles (X̄ = 24 miles), and 73% of the parties contained 2-4 individuals. Encounter levels were highest on trails (X̄ = 10·2 parties/trip), with shelter encounters (X̄ = 2·7 parties/trip) being less. A third of users reported that they felt the number of encounters detracted from their solitude experience. Results are discussed and compared with similar data reported for backcountry areas in the south-east and western U.S.