Visitor Experience Stewardship Outreach

In October 2020, the Park initiated a visitor experience stewardship engagement process. Park staff held eight virtual workshops with the public, employees, volunteers, and partners to collect their input on congestion and crowding in the park. As a part of the workshop, park staff presented information about the current state of the park and a visitor use expert presented congestion management solutions that have been implemented on public lands across the country and globe. Over 200 people attended the workshops and provided input on their ideal park experiences as well as their opinions on how sites could be better managed. Additionally, park staff collected feedback via the Planning, Environment & Public Comment (PEPC) system.

 

Visitor Experience Stewardship Outreach Facts

• Eight virtual workshops were held

• People from 28 states provided feedback via PEPC

• There were 391 submissions via PEPC

• Participants had the opportunity to comment about any area in the park. The park received 220 submissions related to Laurel Falls trail. 

• Nearly 600 people participated in the Visitor Experience Stewardship civic engagement overall.

 

Vehicles parked illegally along Clingmans Dome Road with vehicles passing in the inbound lane.

NPS Photo

While participants were invited to comment on any park site, the following sites were highlighted:

• Alum Cave & Chimney Tops trails

• Big Creek day use areas

• Cades Cove Day Use areas

• Clingmans Dome day use areas

• Laurel Falls Trail

• Rainbow Falls & Trillium Gap trails.

 

Desired Conditions

Participants were asked to describe the desired conditions and experiences at sites across the park. 

• For most sites, participants noted a desire to be able to easily find a parking space at the trailhead or destination.

• Natural sounds, quiet and solitude are frequently mentioned for some but not all sites. These terms were prevalent for Alum Cave, Chimney Tops, Rainbow Falls and Trillium Gap trails as well as Big Cree and Deep Creek but were not prevalent for Clingmans Dome or Cades Cove.

• Differences between user groups can be noted in the data. For example, some hikers seek solitude on Alum Cave and Chimney Tops trails while others seek the safety they perceive when other hikers are present.

• On all trail-based sites except for Laurel Falls, participants are seeking low to moderate social interaction. At Big Creek and Clingmans Dome, participants also seek this level of social interaction but with the caveat that they only expect it during certain times of day, days of the week, or times of year.

Current Park Operations that Support Desired Conditions

Participants were asked which current park operations support the conditions they identified as desireable. 

• Trail or facility improvements and or maintenance were noted for all sites. Participants noted the well-maintained Loop Road in Cades Cove and the path and tower at Clingmans Dome.

• The presence and effectiveness of volunteers were noted for all sites in which volunteer programs exist: Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, Laurel Falls Trail, and the litter and trail maintenance volunteers at Rainbow Falls and Trillium Gap trails.

Current Park Operations that Do Not Support Desired Conditions

Participants were asked which park operations do not support the conditions they identified as desireable at sites across the park. 
 

• For all trail-based sites as well as for Clingmans Dome, participant expressed concern over the resource damage and safety implications resulting from illegal roadside parking.

• Participants noted a desire for an increase in ranger presence in the field.

• For Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome and Laurel Falls Trail participants noted that parking lots seemed inadequate to meet demand.

Congestion Management Solutions

Participants were asked to provide ideas for congestion management solutions that would help to achieve the desired conditions at sites across the park. 

• Banning roadside parking and or erecting physical protections preventing roadside parking was strongly represented in the data for all sites but Cades Cove.

• Participants recommended requiring parking reservations or permits for most trail-based sites.

• For most sites, participants requested that the park provide more information about congestion conditions, drive times, etc.

• For most sites, participants recommended shuttle services. 

• An increase in staff presence, particularly law enforcement rangers, was recommended for most sites.