The effect of recreational use impacts on hiking experiences in natural areas

This research project investigated the relationship between recreational use impacts and hiking experiences in natural areas. The effects of trail erosion, extension and widening, muddiness, tree and plant damage, fire rings and litter were related to four dimensions of recreational experiences--solitude, remoteness, naturalness, and artifactualism. It was concluded that recreational use impacts had a negative effect on hiking experiences in natural areas. Litter, tree and plant damage, and fire rings had the most significant effect on the hiking experience indicators, followed by trail extension and widening and trail erosion. Muddiness had a minimal effect on the experience. Of the hiking experience indicators, artifactualism was the most greatly affected, followed by remoteness, naturalness, and solitude. Management techniques to reduce the occurrence of litter, tree and plant damage, fire rings, trail extension and widening and trail erosion should be implemented to protect the quality of hiking experiences in natural areas.