Yosemite Trail Safety Study

OMB Control Number 1024-0224

Current Expiration Date: 8-31-2014

Yosemite Trail Study

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. This is a research study that is being conducted by the National Park Service and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences to understand more about visitor use and safety in Yosemite National Park. Your participation is entirely voluntary and your responses will be completely anonymous.

This survey will take about four minutes to complete. We will not ask for your name or any contact information. Most of the questions have to do with your hike today. If you are willing to help us out, please start answering the questions that follow. Thank you.

Topic Area 1: VISITHIS2

1. Have you hiked the Mist Trail before today?

• Yes

• No

• Unsure

Topic Area 2: LEARN8

2. Did you get information about this hike from any of the following sources? (Please check all that apply)

• A staff member at the Yosemite Visitor Center

• Employee of a Park hotel, restaurant, store, bike/raft rental or shuttle bus

• Another visitor

• Friend or family member

• The Yosemite Guide (the free newspaper that is distributed to park visitors)

• A guidebook

• The news media (television/radio/newspaper)

• Internet-Yosemite National Park website

• Internet-website other than the National Park Service

• Yosemite National Park signs

• Other (please describe) ____________________________

• No new information, I was already familiar with the trail

Topic Area 2: TPLAN19

3. Did you receive any safety advice before starting out on this hike?

What was it? (check as many as apply)

• To bring water

• To wear hiking shoes

• To stay out of the river

• Not to feed the animals

• Other ____________________

 Yes

 No [Go to Question 4]

Topic Area 3: ACT31 (variation)

4. What type of hike are you on today?

• A day hike

• An overnight/backpacking trip

Topic Area 2: TPLAN12 (variation)

5. When did you decide to go [down to the rocks by the river/ behind the fence]?

• Before starting out on our hike

• While we were hiking

• Once we arrived at the [footbridge/top of Vernal Fall]

Topic Area 3: ACT2 (variation)

6. What was your main reason for going [down to the rocks by the river/ behind the fence]?

• To rest

• To have my drink/food

• To look at the scenery

• To have my picture taken

• To take a picture

• To use river water to fill a water bottle or wash something

• To climb on rocks, or jump from rock to rock

• Because there was no place else left to sit

• To get away from other hikers

• To get something (what?)_________________________

• To be with one of my hiking companions

• To cool off (from the spray of the water)

• To cool off (by putting my hands or feet in the water)

• Other reason (please explain) ____________________________

Topic Area 3: TPLAN13

7. Why did that particular location appeal to you? ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Topic Area 6: EVALSERV8

8. Please indicate how safe you felt [on the rocks by the river/behind the fence]?

8a. What were your concerns?

• Very safe

• Somewhat safe

• Neither safe nor unsafe

  

• Somewhat unsafe

• Very unsafe

Topic Area 1: KNOW8

9. To your knowledge, does the Park have any rules about visitors going into that area?

• Yes, visitors are not supposed to go there

• No, visitors are allowed to go there

• I'm not sure if there is a rule about going into that area

Topic Area 6: OPMGMT5

10. Do you think that visitors should be allowed in that area?

• Yes  No

Topic Area 6: OPMGMT12

11. Why do you feel that way?

___________________________________________________________________________

Topic Area 6: OPMGMT6

12. There are many ways that the Park could try to keep people from going [on the rocks by the river/behind the fence]. Which of the following methods do you think would work best for a visitor like you?

• Put up signs explaining why it is discouraged

• Put up a fence or railing to discourage visitors from going there

• Install more places to get clean water

• Create a special area for picture-taking

• Install some type of cooling/mist sprayers away from the river’s edge

• Station a park employee on the trail at this spot

• Provide more places for visitors to sit

• Issue a $100 ticket to visitors who go there

• None of these ideas would have stopped me from entering that area

Topic Area 6: OPMGMT6

13. Do you have any other suggestions for how to stop visitors from getting that close to the river?

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Topic Area 1: GEND1

14. What is your gender?

• Male

• Female

Topic Area 1: AGE2

15. In what year were you born? 1 9 _____ _____

Topic Area 1: RES3

16. Do you live in the United States?

What is your five digit zip code? _________________

• Yes

What country did you live in? _________________

• No

Topic Area 1: LANG1

17. For reading, what language do you prefer? _______________________

Topic Area 1: ED1

18. What is the highest level of education that you completed?

• Some high school

• High school diploma/ GED

• Some college

• Bachelor’s degree

• Graduate degree

If you have any additional comments that you would like to share please use the space below.

Thank you! Now you can return your survey to our study team member.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT The National Park Service is authorized by 16 U.S.C. 1a-7 to collect this information. This information will be used by the park to understand visitor use and risk behaviors in this area. Your response to this request is voluntary and no action may be taken against you for refusing to respond to this request. Permanent data will be anonymous and your name will not be associated in any way with your responses. 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.

Burden Estimate Statement: Public reporting for this collection is estimated to be 4 minutes per respondent. Please direct comments that you may have regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this form to: Dr. Deborah Girasek, (email).

Survey #_______________

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