Closing the gates: A study of backcountry use‐limitation at Mount McKinley National Park

Abstract

Findings are reported from a study of recreational carrying capacity at Mount McKinley National Park, Alaska. Hikers in the park were questioned about: (1) their expectations and preferences for sightings of other parties in the backcountry, (2) the number of parties seen daily, (3) sightings of human‐use impacts upon the environment, and (4) trip satisfaction. Whether or not hikers felt crowded was found to be a function of their expectations and preferences for contact, the frequency of their contacts with other parties, and their sightings of human‐use impacts. Consistent with previous research, crowding was not shown to be important to the hikers’ overall satisfaction with their backcountry trips. The data suggest that the extant backcountry capacity levels in Mount McKinley National Park could be increased somewhat without compromising the quality of most visitors’ experiences.

Key words:

• outdoor recreation
• wilderness
• sociology
• carrying capacity
• crowding
• national parks