Hiker Perceptions on Economic Development Around the Custer Gallatin National Forest

Citation: 

Bradley, M.J., Maples, J., Clemens, C., & Brown, A. (2023). Day hiker perceptions on economic development around the Custer Gallatin National Forest. Illinois Journal, 91, 22-34.

Abstract:

The economic impact of outdoor recreation users is limited by the development of the community nearby the natural phenomena of interest. Hikers travel to forest and mountain adjacent towns and cities to heighten their proximity to their goal natural destination. Montana’s Custer Gallatin National Forest (CGNF) has many surrounding towns and cities eager to bolster their economic development appropriately to fit hikers’ perceptions as their ideal consumer sites. Best known for its mountainous terrain, and as the gateway to Yellowstone National Park, CGNF receives continuous traffic from hikers. This study was conducted to assess hiker perceptions toward potential economic development within the surrounding towns and cities of the CGNF. Optional online surveys were administered to participants from an economic impact study of the forest and 120 hikers responded. Sex, age, income, and education level were the demographics considered in the t-tests performed as survey analysis. The results displayed that the members of the sample aged 50 or above saw significant correlation with support for outdoor festivals, athletic gear retail shops, and developing breweries. A trend of visitor preference for local business types over national business types was observed in mean responses, but further study is needed to observe significance. The result of differences in perceptions in age groups lead the research team to recommend further study about the hobbies and demographic makeup of the visitors of the CGNF surrounding communities to confirm the best method for economic development.

Highlights:

Hikers visit the CGNF over two million times per year. An estimated 30% of these visits are from persons living outside the CGNF and surrounding region.

Hiking visitors annually spend an estimated $125 million within the CGNF and surrounding area.

Hiking visitors’ expenditures support an estimated 1,186 jobs and $36 million in job income in the CGNF and surrounding area.

Hikers aged 50 or above show significant support for outdoor festivals, athletic gear retail shops, and developing breweries around CGNF.

Hiking visitors to the CGNF show significant preference for local business types over national business types.

Authors: 

Michael Bradley, Ph.D.

Department of Agriculture & Tourism, Arkansas Tech University

James N. Maples, Ph.D.

Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Work, Eastern Kentucky University

Curtis Clemens, Ph.D.

Department of Recreation and Parks Management, Frostburg State University

Annamarie Brown, M.S.

College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, Auburn University