Visitor experience and ticketing system surveys at Timpanogos Cave National Monument (TICA)

	U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Social Science Program Visitor Services Project

OMB Control Number: 1024-0224

Current Expiration Date: 8-31-2014

Timpanogos Cave

National Monument

Visitor Study

[Visitor Experience survey]

[Space holder for cover photo]

	United States Department of the Interior NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Timpanogos Cave National Monument R.R. 3 Box 200 American Fork, Utah 84003
June 2013 Dear Visitor, Thank you for participating in this important study. We want to learn about the expectations, opinions, and interests of visitors regarding Timpanogos Cave National Monument. This information will help us improve our management of this site and better our visitors. This questionnaire will be given to a select number of people, so your participation is highly appreciated. It should only take about 10 minutes to complete. Please complete this questionnaire and return it to the survey technician or place it in the drop box at the Visitor Center. If you have any questions, please contact Lena Le, NPS VSP Director, Park Studies Unit, College of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 441139, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho 83844-1139, 208-885-2585 (phone), [email protected] (email). We appreciate your help and are looking forward to hearing your opinions. Sincerely, [insert signature] Jim Ireland Superintendent

DIRECTIONS

1. Please have the selected individual (at least 18 years old) complete this questionnaire.

2. For questions that use circles (O), please mark your answer by filling in the circle with black or blue ink. Please do not use pencil.

3. Return your completed questionnaire to the survey technician or place in the drop box located at the Visitor Center.

Topic Area 1 – AGE1

1. How often do you visit Timpanogos Cave National Monument? Please mark (•) only one.

O This is my first visit

O Several times a week

O Several times a month

O Several times a year

O About once a year or less often

Topic Area 3 – TRIPC1

2. What is your primary reason for visiting Timpanogos Cave National Monument today?

Topic Area 5 – CROWD3 (VARIATION)

3. On this visit to Timpanogos National Monument, compared to what you expected, how crowded did you feel? Please mark one (•) for each location.

	How crowded did you feel?
Location	Did not know what to expect	More crowded than expected	About as crowded as expected	Less crowded than expected	Did not visit/use this location
Parking lot	O	O	O	O	O
Visitor center	O	O	O	O	O
On the trail	O	O	O	O	O
During the cave tour	O	O	O	O	O

Topic Area 5 – CROWD18 (VARIATION)

4. There are different ways of visiting recreational sites. For each way of visiting, please indicate (a) if you have ever used the approach in any recreational site, and (b) if so, how often.

Way to visit recreational sites	a) Ever visited this way?		b) If YES, how often?
	YES	NO	Rarely	Occasionally	Often	Usually	Always
Visit earlier or later in the season to avoid seeing other people	O	O	O	O	O	O	O
Visit on weekdays to avoid weekend crowds	O	O	O	O	O	O	O
Avoid places that have limits on the amount of use	O	O	O	O	O	O	O
Go to areas where you are less likely to see other people	O	O	O	O	O	O	O
Avoid attractions that are crowded	O	O	O	O	O	O	O

Topic Area 3 – ACT7

5. What time did your cave tour begin? ________

Topic Area 1 – GR3

6. What was the total number of people on the cave tour you took today?

__________ Number of people

Topic Area 6 – EVALSERV22

7. The park is interested in the quality of your experience during the cave tour. Please indicate your level of agreement with each the following statements. Please mark one (•) for each location

Statement	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
The size of the group made it difficult to hear the ranger.	O	O	O	O	O
The size of the group made it difficult to see some of the cave features.	O	O	O	O	O
Other people on the tour blocked my view.	O	O	O	O	O
The size of the tour group was about right.	O	O	O	O	O
The use of flashlights disturbed my tour.	O	O	O	O	O
The tour was too long.	O	O	O	O	O
Noise from other visitors disturbed my tour.	O	O	O	O	O
The maximum allowed tour size could not accommodate my personal group size.	O	O	O	O	O
The ranger’s cave tour presentation was very informative.	O	O	O	O	O
Flash photography from other visitors disturbed my tour.	O	O	O	O	O
I would recommend this tour to other people.	O	O	O	O	O
The tour was too short.	O	O	O	O	O
The size of the group had no effect on my experience.	O	O	O	O	O
The ranger who led the tour was courteous/ professional.	O	O	O	O	O

Topic Area 3 – LEARN1

8. a) Prior to taking today’s tour, were you aware of the impacts of visitor use on the cave ecosystem at Timpanogos Cave National Monument? Please mark (•) one.

O Not aware  Go to part (c) of this question

O Somewhat aware  Go to part (b) of this question

O Very aware  Go to part (b) of this question

b) If you marked “Somewhat aware” or “Very aware,” how did you learn, prior to today’s cave tour, about the impacts of visitor use on the cave? Please mark (•) all that apply.

O Previous cave tour at Timpanogos Cave National Monument

O Visitor center exhibits

O Talk with ranger before taking tour

O Website(s). Please list the ones you used? ____________________________________

____________________________________ ____________________________________

O Other (Please specify ___________________________________________________

c) Did you learn anything about visitor use impacts on the cave during today’s tour?

O Yes O No

Topic Area 3 – FVIS13

9. Currently, cave tours at Timpanogos Cave National Monument are provided daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm from mid-May through mid-October. If a tour were offered between 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm, would you be interested in taking it? Please mark (•) only one.

O Yes, likely O No, unlikely O Not sure

Topic Area 6 – OPMGMT11

10. a) The cave tour group size was recently reduced to 16 people. We would like to know your level of agreement with each of the following reasons for reducing cave tour group size. Please mark (•) all that apply.

“I support reducing the cave tour group size…”	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
…because high numbers of people visiting the cave negatively affects the cave ecosystem.	O	O	O	O	O
…if it would help protect the cave ecosystem.	O	O	O	O	O
…if it enhanced the quality of the cave tour (I can hear/see better).	O	O	O	O	O
…if it enhanced safety during the tour (less crowded, less congestion).	O	O	O	O	O

b) In your opinion, what should be the maximum tour group size? ________________

Topic Area 6 – OPMGMT11

11. Currently, five cave tours per hour are offered. Park managers are considering reducing the frequency of cave tours. We would like to know your level of agreement with each of the following reasons for reducing cave tour frequency. Please one (•) for each response.

“I would support reducing the cave tour frequency …”	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
…because high numbers of people visiting the cave negatively affects the cave ecosystem.	O	O	O	O	O
…if it would help protect the cave ecosystem.	O	O	O	O	O
…if it enhanced the quality of the cave tour (I can hear/see better).	O	O	O	O	O
…if it enhanced safety during the tour (less crowded, less congestion).	O	O	O	O	O

Topic Area 3 – FVIS4

12. a) If special topic cave tours were offered, which topic(s) would interest you? Please mark all (•) that apply.

O None

O Cave ecology

O Caving techniques (spelunking)

O History

O Photography

O Other (Please specify) __________________________

b) If special topic cave tours were offered, would you support reducing the number of general tours to accommodate these special topic tours?

O Yes

O No

O Not sure

Topic Area 3 – EVALSERV8

13. Please indicate your level of concern with each potential safety issue below, during this visit to Timpanogos Cave National Monument. Please mark (•) one answer for each safety issue.

	How concerned?
Safety issue	Not at all concerned	Somewhat concerned	Very concerned
Security of my vehicle and/or personal property in the parking lot	O	O	O
Concerns while hiking on the trail to/from cave:
Falling rocks	O	O	O
Falling off the trail	O	O	O
Sharing trail space with other hikers	O	O	O
Trail conditions	O	O	O
Other (Specify)____________________	n/a	O	O

Topic Area 3 – EVALSERV8

14. a) Timpanogos Cave National Monument is considering safety options for certain sections of the trail to the cave entrance. Please view the display of photographs showing three different trail safety features. For each photograph, please rate how safe you would feel with that safety feature. Please mark (•) one answer for each feature.

Answer for yourself	a) How safe would you feel?
Safety feature	Very unsafe	Unsafe	Neither safe nor unsafe	Safe	Very safe
Photo 1: Handrail	O	O	O	O	O
Photo 2: Rock wall	O	O	O	O	O
Photo 3: Fencing – plastic mesh	O	O	O	O	O
Photo 4: Fencing – post and cable	O	O	O	O	O
Photo 5: No additional safety features	O	O	O	O	O

Visiting with Children  Yes No	a) How safe would you feel with the children in your group?
Safety feature	Very unsafe	Unsafe	Neither safe nor unsafe	Safe	Very safe
Photo 1: Handrail
Photo 2: Rock wall
Photo 3: Fencing – plastic mesh
Photo 4: Fencing – post and cable
Photo 5: No additional safety features

Answer for other members of your group  Someone with a physical disability  Someone 65 years or older  Other ___________________________	a) How safe would you feel with other members in your group?
Safety feature	Very unsafe	Unsafe	Neither safe nor unsafe	Safe	Very safe
Photo 1: Handrail
Photo 2: Rock wall
Photo 3: Fencing – plastic mesh
Photo 4: Fencing – post and cable
Photo 5: No additional safety features

b) Which one safety feature would you most prefer to be placed along certain sections of the trail to the cave? Please mark (•) only one.

O Handrail

O Rock wall

O Fencing – plastic mesh

O Fencing – post and cable

O No additional safety feature

c) Why would you prefer that option? _____________________________________

Topic Area 3 – EVALSERV11

15. Have you ever used the concession service (food/drinks/gifts) at Timpanogos Cave National Monument?

O Yes O No  Go to Question 18

16. If you used the concession service on this visit, please indicate how satisfied you were with the following aspects of concession service items. Please mark (•) one for each item.

Aspect of service	Very dissatisfied	Slightly dissatisfied	Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied	Slightly satisfied	Very satisfied
Quality of food	O	O	O	O	O
Price of food	O	O	O	O	O
Selection of food	O	O	O	O	O
Quality of non-food items	O	O	O	O	O
Price of non-food items	O	O	O	O	O
Selection of non-food items	O	O	O	O	O

Topic Area 3 – EVALSERV11

17. a) Was there anything from the concession service that you needed, but was not available?

O Yes O No  Go to Question 18

b) If YES, please specify the items that you needed, but were not available from the concession:

Topic Area 3 – EVALSERV11 (variation)

18. If the concession service were moved to a new location, within ¼ mile from its current location, would you be likely to use it? Please mark (•) one.

O Yes, likely O No, unlikely O Not sure

Topic Area 1 – GR1

19. On this visit, what kind of group were you with? Please mark (•) only one.

I am traveling with:

O Alone

O Family

O Friends

O Family and friends

O With a guided tour/church/school/scouts group

O Other (Please specify) ____________________________

Topic Area 1 – GR3

20. Including yourself, how many people were in your group? ____ Number of people in personal group

Topic Area 1 – RES1

21. a) What is your zip code? _________________

b) If you are not from the U.S., what is the name of your country?____________________

Topic Area 1 – AGE3

22. What is your age (in years)? _______________

Topic Area 1 – ECON1

23. Which category best represents your annual household income? Please mark (•) only one.

O	Less than $24,999	O	$100,000 to $149,999
O	$25,000 to $34,999	O	$150,000 to $199,999
O	$35,000 to $49,999	O	$200,000 or more
O	$50,000 to $74,999	O	Do not wish to answer
O	$75,000 to $99,999

Topic Area 6 – OPMGMT3 VARIATION

24. Please provide any comments you may have about cave tour size and frequency.

25. For the trail safety feature option that you preferred, is there anything else you would like to tell us about those safety features?

26. Is there anything that you would like to say about the concession service?

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 to evaluate visitor experiences at Timpanogos Cave National Monument. Your response to this request is voluntary. Please do not put your name or contact information on the questionnaire. 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: We estimate that it will take 10 minutes to complete this questionnaire. You may direct any comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this questionnaire to the Lena Le, NPS Visitor Services Project, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive MS 1139, Moscow, ID, 83844-1139; [email protected] (email).