Adirondack High Peaks Visitor Use Management Study Adirondack Park, New York

In developing an important baseline description of visitor use levels, a range of data was collected for a subarea of the High Peaks Wilderness in the Adirondack Park, NY. A study was designed to measure various aspects of visitor use conditions in order to inform future planning that addresses the impacts of increasing visitor use pressure.

A Study of Baseline Conditions for Future Visitor Use Planning

From roadside parking areas and trail corridors to key summits, the study was designed to capture descriptive data for a comprehensive look at baseline conditions in a subarea of the High Peaks Wilderness. Indicators for the study include number of intergroup (visitor-to-visitor) encounter rates, number of people at one time on mountain summits, and daily versus weekend trail use. A total of 497 person-hours and 21,228 hours of trail use data were collected across 7 locations. The team processed all study data to produce statistical summaries and estimated relationships among visitor use levels and conditions. Findings from this study provide an important understanding of visitor use in the High Peaks region for planning designed to meet desired conditions and have the potential to help inform formal visitor use management strategies for the High Peaks.