Appalachian National Scenic Trail Pilot Survey
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Resource ID
1097
Access
Open
Contributed by
Appalachian Trail Museum Library
Date
September 2011
Tags - Places
Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
Document Types
Federal, Report
Document Extract
Visitation statistics on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT) are important for management and Federal Government reporting purposes. However, no survey methodology has been developed to obtain accurate trailwide estimates over linear trails that traverse many hundreds of back-country miles. This research develops a stratified random survey design which utilizes two survey instruments, exit-site tallies and a survey questionnaire, to obtain visitation estimates on a portion of the AT. The design identifies three components (standard site days, augmented site days, and special events) which can be used to subdivide the sampling frame into estimator types that lead to more efficient sampling and estimation processes. In addition, design-based and model-based approaches are used to obtain estimates for comparison purposes.
The survey was performed from June 1 through August 14, 2007, on a 109-mile stretch of the AT from Harpers Ferry, WV, to 10 trail miles north of Boiling Springs, PA, at the Scott Farm.