Interpretation Studies: Great Basin National Park & Gulf Islands National Seashore

Great Basin National Park: Lehman Caves Survey
1. (TOPIC AREA 6) What was the main message you learned during your cave tour? (Please
explain)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. [2.TPLAN4] On this trip, how did Great Basin National Park fit into your travel plans?
(Please check only one)
___ Great Basin National Park was the primary destination
___ Great Basin National Park was one of several destinations
___ Great Basin National Park was not a planned destination
3. [2.TPLAN11] Prior to this visit, how did you and the people you traveled with obtain
information about Great Basin National Park? (Please check all that apply)
___ Obtained no information prior to visit
___ Newspaper/magazine articles
___ Previous visits
___ Videos/television/radio programs
___ Friends/relatives/word of mouth
___ Brochures/maps
___ Travel guides/tour books/publications
___ Local businesses
___ Telephone/written/email inquiry to park
___ Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Bureau
___ Great Basin National Park website
___Other websites (not National Park Service)
___ Other______________________________________________________( Please explain)

4. (TOPIC AREA 2) From the information sources you checked above, which one was the most
useful to you in obtaining information about Great Basin National Park?
____ (Please enter one letter)
5. [3.TRIPC11] On this visit, how long did you and your group stay at Great Basin National
Park? Please list partial hours as 1/4, 1/2, or 3/4.
_______ Number of hours, if less than 24 hours
OR
_______ Number of days, if 24 hours or more

6. [variation of 3.ACT23] So far on this trip, what has been your primary activity at Great Basin
National Park? (Please check only one)
___ Tour Lehman Caves
___ Climbing
___ Scenic driving
___ Fishing
___ Bicycling
___ Hiking or backpacking
___ Bird watching
___ Horseback riding
___ Camping
___ Picnicking

7. [1.GR5] On this visit, what kind of personal group (not guided tour/school group) were you
with? (Please check only one)
___ Alone
___ Family and friends
___ Family
___ Other (specify: ______________________)
___ Friends

8. [1.GR6] On this visit, were you and your personal group with the following type of groups?
(Please check all that apply)
Guided tour group

___

Yes

___

No

School/educational group

___

Yes

___

No

___

No

Other organized group
___
Yes
(such as business group, scout group, etc.)
9.

(TOPIC AREA 1) Including yourself, how many people in your personal group are in the
following age categories? (Enter number of people in each age group below)
__________
__________
__________
__________
5 or younger
6-12 yrs. old
13-19 yrs. old
20 or older

10. [2.TPLAN19] When did you and your group make the decision to visit Great Basin National
Park? (Please check only one)
___ On the day of the visit
___ 1-6 months before the visit
___ 2-7 days before the visit
___ More than 6 months before the visit
___ 8-30 days before the visit
___ A year or more before the visit
11. [1.VISHIS1] Have you visited Great Basin National Park before today?
___ Yes
___ No
12. [1.VISHIS2] Have you visited Lehman Caves before today?
___ Yes
___ No
13. (TOPIC AREA 3) On this visit, did you stop at the new Great Basin National Park visitor
center before coming up to Lehman Caves? (Check only one)
___ Yes
___ No
14. [variation of 1.KNOW5] Prior to your visit, did you know that Lehman Caves is within a
National Park? (Check only one)
___ Yes
___ No
The following questions ask for your evaluation of your cave tour and conditions you may
or may not have experienced during the tour.
15. [variation of 6.OPMGMT2] For each of the following items, please indicate if you noticed it
in Lehman Caves during your tour, and if so, how much of a problem it was for you.
(For each item, circle No or Yes, and if Yes, please circle how much of a problem it was.)
    Noticed?

Camera flashes that impaired your vision
Camera flashes that appeared to distract
the guide
People not following guide’s instructions
about camera use
Crying babies or noisy children
People wandering off the cave trail

If yes

Not a
Problem

Slight

Big
Moderate Problem

No / Yes
No / Yes

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

No / Yes

1

2

3

4

No / Yes
No / Yes

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

People intentionally touching cave
formations
Being too far away to hear the guide
Difficulty hearing the guide due to other
visitors talking
Difficulty seeing cave formations because
people were in the way
Having to wait for people at back of the
tour to catch up
Other people hanging back from the group
to take photos
Guide needing to remind people to comply
with the rules

No / Yes

1

2

3

4

No / Yes
No / Yes

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

No / Yes

1

2

3

4

No / Yes

1

2

3

4

No / Yes

1

2

3

4

No / Yes

1

2

3

4

16. (TOPIC AREA 6) Please indicate how satisfied you were with each of the following
during your tour of Lehman Caves. (Circle one answer for each item)
Very
Very
Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Satisfied

Opportunity to ask the guide questions
Amount charged for this tour
Availability of information in advance to
choose a tour
Number of opportunities to stop for
photos in the cave
Tour group size
Your overall satisfaction with the quality
of the facilities, services, and
recreational opportunities provided at
Lehman Caves during this visit

1
1
1

2
2
2

3
3
3

4
4
4

5
5
5

1

2

3

4

5

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

5
5

17. (TOPIC AREA 6) Compared with other guided tours you have attended this one was:
(Check one for each item)
Well below average
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Well above average
Not at all entertaining

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Very entertaining

Of no educational value ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Very educational
(I didn’t learn anything)
(I learned a great deal)
18. (TOPIC AREA 6) Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following
statements about the educational and interpretive material covered in your Lehman Caves
tour. (Circle one answer for each item)
Strongly
Disagree

The guide was knowledgeable about the
caves
The information provided was interesting
I would have liked to have had more in-depth
information about the caves

Disagree

Neutral

Agree

Strongly
Agree

1

2

3

4

5

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

5
5

The guide provided information about how
visitors can protect cave resources
I gained an understanding of cave formation
processes
I gained an understanding of the diversity of
the cave environment and its fragility
I gained an understanding of the types of
organisms living in caves
The tour increased my awareness of the
Great Basin ecosystem outside the caves

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

19. (TOPIC AREA 6) Lehman Caves typically charges adults $8.00 for 60-minute tours and
$10.00 for 90-minute tours and youth (5 to 15 years old) are charged $4.00 and $5.00,
respectively. Based upon your experience on your recent cave tour do you think these
prices are: (Circle one number.)
Too Low
About Right
Too High
1
2
3
4
5
20. [6.OPMGMT 1] Please indicate the extent to which you would support or oppose each of
the following potential management actions at Lehman Caves. (Circle one answer for
each item)
Strongly
Oppose Oppose

Having shorter tours in order to make tour
groups smaller
Having some tours that are for adults only
Having some tours prohibiting camera use
Strictly limiting camera use to designated
stops
Increasing the maximum tour size to
accommodate more visitors
Having more tour spaces available for firstcome/first-served purchase

Neutral

Strongly
Support Support

1

2

3

4

5

1
1
1

2
2
2

3
3
3

4
4
4

5
5
5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

21. (TOPIC AREA 5) Before or during your tour, did you see or hear any messages about proper
behavior in the caves from any of the following sources? (Please check all that apply)
___ The park website
___ Announcement by your tour guide
___ Sign at cave entrance
___ Messages given at the time of ticket sale
___ Advertisement of issues and rules in the Bristlecone (the park newsletter)
___ Regulations printed on ticket stub
___ I heard no messages about proper behavior
22. (TOPIC AREA 6) Do you think you will visit Lehman Caves again in the next 2 years?
(Please check one)
___ Yes
___ No
___ Don’t know/unsure

If Yes, what makes you want to come back to the caves?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Finally, we would like a little information about you. This information will be used to
describe the types of people who take Lehman Caves tours.
23. [1.AGE1] In what year were you born? ________________
24. [1.ED2] What is the highest level of formal education you have completed? (Mark one)
___ Less than high school
___ 4-year college degree
___ High school degree
___ Post college degree
___ Some college/Associate’s degree
(TOPIC AREA 5, 6, 7). Do you have any other comments you would like to make?

PRIVACY ACT and PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT statement:
16 U.S.C. 1a-7 authorizes collection of this information. This information will be used by park
managers to better serve the public. Response to this request is voluntary. No action may be
taken against you for refusing to supply the information requested. Permanent data will be
anonymous. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to,
a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
OMB Control #: 1024-0224 NPS #(XX-XXX)
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX
Burden estimate statement: Public reporting for this form is estimated to average 15 minutes per
response. Direct comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this form to:
Betsy Duncan-Clark, Chief of Interpretation & Resource Education
Great Basin National Park
Email: [email protected]
Baker, NV 89311
Phone: 775-234-7331 Extension 234

Introductory Script:
Hello, my name is Ashley Lange. I am a graduate student from the University of Idaho and I am
conducting a survey for the National Park Service of people who took the Lehman Cave tour.
This survey will help the Park Service adopt management practices that provide the very best
possible cave experience for you while protecting and preserving the natural resources for future
generations to enjoy. You have been randomly selected and your responses will be completely
anonymous. Would you please take approximately 15 minutes to answer the questions on this
voluntary survey?
If no: Thank you very much. Have a nice day.
If yes: Thank you for your assistance in this important survey. Your opinions do count. I would
be happy to answer any questions you might have after you complete the questionnaire.

Survey Log: Great Basin NP Lehman Caves
Date /
Time

Tour
#

Person
#

Tour type
(60/90)

Tour size
(T/A/C)*

Sex

* T = Total; A = Adults; C = Children (under age 16)
** Indicate number of adults and children in target’s personal group

Personal
group**(A/C)

Agreed
(yes/no)