Visitor Survey to Inform Park Planning at Bryce Canyon National Park

OMB CONTROL NUMBER: 1024-0224

Expiration Date: XX/XX/2021

BRYCE CANYON Visitor INTERCEPT Survey

Intercept opening script

“Hello, I am working with Bryce Canyon National Park conducting a 10-minute survey to understand visitor experiences in the park. May I ask you questions about your Bryce Canyon experience?

 If the visitor says YES: [continue by showing the following statement regarding the Paperwork Reduction and Privacy Act.]

 If NO - interviewer will thank the visitor and ask the following non-response bias questions. [The surveyor will record them in the survey]

1. “Are you a permanent resident of the United States?”

2. “Are you a permanent or seasonal resident of the local area around Bryce Canyon National Park?”

3. “On this trip, did you [and your personal group] stay overnight away from your permanent residence either inside Bryce Canyon National Park or within the local area?”

PAPERWORK REDUCTION and PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT: The Paperwork Reduction Act requires us to tell you why we are collecting this information, how we will use it, and whether or not you have to respond. We are authorized by the National Park Service Protection Interpretation and research in System (54 USC §100702) to collect this information. The routine uses of this information will be for the benefit of NPS Managers and Planning staff in Bryce Canyon National Park (BRCA) in future initiatives related to the visitor use and resource management within the site. The data collected will be summarized to evaluate visitor uses and expectations during their visit at BRCA. Your responses to this collection are completely voluntary and will remain anonymous. You can end the process at any time and will not be penalized in any way for choosing to do so. All contact information collected for the purpose of the follow-up survey will be destroyed at the end of the collection period and no personal identifiable records will be maintained or stored for any purposes. Data collected will only be reported in aggregates and no individually identifiable responses will be reported. A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and you are not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number (1024-0224).

BURDEN ESTIMATE STATEMENT: We estimate that it will take about 10 minutes to complete this on-site questionnaire. You may send comments concerning the burden estimates or any aspect of this information collection to: Dr. Zach Miller, Assistant Professor, 5215 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322; 435-797-0523 (phone) [email protected](email); or Phadrea Ponds NPS Information Collection Clearance Officer at [email protected] (email).

Local Area Map

(to be provided for viewing while answering tablet questions)

Intercept Based Questions

First, we’d like to ask some questions about your trip away from home during this visit to Bryce Canyon National Park and the time you might have spent/will spend in the local area. (Interviewer provide maps of local area and park -- 2–sided and laminated)

The local area around Bryce Canyon National Park includes Garfield and Kane Counties. Within these counties, the communities of Bryce Canyon City, Tropic, Panguitch, Escalante, Kanab, and Boulder are shown, along with major roadways and other features within about a one-hour drive of the park. The local area is shown on the map below.

1. [VSE Question] Are you a permanent or seasonal resident of the local area around Bryce Canyon? (Show map) Please mark (●) one

   • Yes, I am a permanent resident

   • Yes, I am a seasonal resident

   • No

2. (If seasonal or permanent resident) What is your zip code in the local area?

________zip code

3. (If not local) Are you a permanent resident of the United States? Please mark (●) one

   • No

     • What is your country of origin?__________ (Drop Down)

   • Yes

     • What is your zip code? _________zip code

4. (If not local) Was your visit to Bryce Canyon the primary purpose for your overall trip away from home? Please mark (●) one

   • Yes

   • No

5. (If not primary) Was your visit to Bryce Canyon…? Please mark (●) one

   • The primary reason you came to the local area

   • One of two or more equally important reasons you came to the local area

   • An incidental or spontaneous stop to the local area

6. (If not local) On this trip away from home, have you stayed, or will you stay overnight in Bryce Canyon National Park and/or within the local area? (Show Map) Please mark (●) one

   • Yes

   • No (SKIP to Q13)

7. (If Yes to Q6) On this trip, what type of accommodations do you expect to use while in Bryce Canyon and/or the local area? Please mark (●) all that apply

• Back Country Camping in Bryce Canyon

• Camping in Bryce Canyon

• Camping outside Bryce Canyon in the local area

• The Lodge at Bryce Canyon

• Lodging outside Bryce Canyon in local area (e.g., hotels, cabins, vacation rentals)

• Unpaid accommodations (e.g., family and friends)

8. (If Camping in Bryce Canyon selected) What is the name of the campground where you stayed?

• North campground

• Sunset Point Campground

9. (For each accommodation selected above) How many nights have you or do you plan to spend [accommodation selection from above (e.g., camping in Bryce Canyon)]

_____# of nights

10. (If a Bryce Canyon accommodation site selected) What time of day did you arrive in Bryce Canyon? Please mark (●) one

• Early morning (before 9 am)

• Mid-morning (9am-12pm)

• Mid-day (12pm-3pm)

• Afternoon (3pm-6pm)

• Evening (after 6pm)

11. (If a Bryce Canyon accommodation site selected) What time of day do you plan to leave Bryce Canyon on the last day of your stay?

Please mark (●) one

• Early morning (before 9 am)

• Mid-morning (9am-12pm)

• Mid-day (12pm-3pm)

• Afternoon (3pm-6pm)

• Evening (after 6pm)

1. (If non-NPS sites selected for nights stayed) What communities are closest to where you stayed or are staying at your [accommodation selection from above]

• Bryce Canyon City

• Tropic

• Panguitch

• Escalante

• Kanab

• Boulder

• Hatch

13. Including yourself, how many people are in your personal group as you visit Bryce Canyon National Park?

Note: Your personal group is you and companions with whom you visited [NPS site] on this trip, such as a spouse, family, friends, etc. This does not include the larger group that you might have traveled with, such as a school, church, scout, or tour group.

______ Adults (18 years or older)
______ Children (under 18 years)

14. Including yourself, how many people in your personal group split the trip expenses?

_________number of people

15. On this trip, do you plan to visit Bryce Canyon National Park for more than one day? Please mark (●) one

    • Yes

    • No

16. (If = 1 day) How many hours do you plan to spend within Bryce Canyon on this trip?

___hours

17. (If > 1 day) How many days do you plan to spend within Bryce Canyon on this trip?

___days

18. (If >1 day) On how many different days do you expect to enter the park?

___ Different Days Entered Bryce Canyon

19. Did you, or do you, plan to leave and re-enter the park today? Please mark (●) one

    • Yes

      • How many times?

    • No

20. Which entrances did you use to enter the park today? (Show Map). Please mark (●) all that apply

    • The Main entrance, nearest the visitor center

    • The Mossy Cave entrance, nearest the Mossy Cave trail

    • I did not use an entrance into the park today

21. (If 20= Main entrance AND Mossy Cave Entrance) Which entrance did you use first to enter the park today?

    • I used the Mossy Cave entrance first

    • I used the Main Entrance first

22. Visitors have different reasons for visiting Bryce Canyon. How important to you are each of the following reasons for your visit?

	Not at all important	Somewhat important	Moderately important	Very Important	Extremely Important
To experience quiet and contemplation	1	2	3	4	5
To experience the sounds of nature	1	2	3	4	5
To appreciate the scenic beauty	1	2	3	4	5
To spend time outdoors	1	2	3	4	5
To experience a sense of challenge	1	2	3	4	5
To spend time with family/friends	1	2	3	4	5
To view stars or experience dark skies	1	2	3	4	5

The next several questions pertain specifically to the Bryce Canyon Shuttle within the park.

23. Have you [and your personal group] used the Bryce Canyon shuttle during this visit?

    • Yes

    • No [Skip to Q25]

24. (If shuttle use = yes) How long did you wait for the Bryce Canyon shuttle the last time you rode it?

Less than 5 minutes 5-10 minutes 11-20 minutes 21-30 minutes

31-44 minutes 45-60 minutes More than 1 hour

25. (If shuttle use = no) Do you [and your personal group] plan to use the Bryce Canyon shuttle during this visit?

    • Yes

    • No

26. In your opinion, at what point is the wait time for a shuttle no longer acceptable?

    • _____ Number of minutes

    • The wait time does not matter to me

27. Which of the following forms of transportation did you personally use to enter Bryce Canyon National Park today? Please mark (●) one

    Commercial [go to Q 28] tour bus tour van POV – [Skip to Q 33] Car, truck, or SUV Recreational vehicle or motorhome Motorcycle Bicycle

    Other (skip to Q 34) Walk/hike Private tour van Shuttle Church, school, or similar group bus/van

28. Was your commercial tour bus or tour van booked as a package vacation? (NOTE: Refer to provided definition of “package vacation”) Please mark (●) one

• Yes (If selected, answer Q 29 to 32)

• No [Skip to Q 34]

29. What is the total cost of the package vacation for your personal group? $______

30. What is the total length of your package vacation? _________days

31. Where did your package vacation start? _________

32. Where will your package vacation end? _________

33. How many people are travelling in your vehicle, including yourself? _____ people

34. Are you a first-time visitor to Bryce Canyon National Park? Please mark (●) one

• Yes

• No [Skip to 36]

35. (If not first time) Including the current trip, how many visits have you made to Bryce Canyon National Park over the past 12 months?

_____visits

36. (If not first time) Including the current trip, how many visits have you made to Bryce Canyon National Park over the past three years?

_____visits

Interviewer script following survey completion:

Thank you for your time. To help us understand your full Bryce Canyon visit, including experiences you have after you leave this area today, we ask you to please take this mail-back survey and complete it after your trip. You can participate either by completing the paper form and mailing it in the postage-paid envelope, or online through a password-protected website. The website information is provided on a slip of paper inside the survey packet. The provided survey ID will be used to connect the responses you have already provided, to those on the follow up survey.

Because your opinion is important to us, we send replacement surveys if you lost your survey and reminders if you forgot to complete it when you returned home. Would you be willing to share your home address to send a reminder or replacement survey in the following weeks? Your information is confidential, and your results will be only reported in the aggregate.

First name: __________________________________________

Address:_____________________________________________

***If refusal of mailing address:

If you would not like to share your mailing address would you share your email addrees? A link and reminders will be sent electronically in the following weeks

Email: ______________________________________________

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