Grand Teton National Park:Qualitative Interviews for String and Leigh Lakes 2017

OMB Control Number: 1024-0224

Expiration Date:

Grand Teton National Park Qualitative Semi-Structured Interview Guide for String and Leigh Lakes 2017

Paperwork Reduction 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. This information will be used by the Grand Teton National Park as authorized by 54 USC 100702. We will use this information to evaluate visitor experiences and expectations in the Grand Teton National Park. Your response is voluntary and anonymous. 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.

Burden Estimate: We estimate that it will take about 15 minutes to complete this interview. You may send comments concerning the burden estimates or any aspect of this information collection to: Dr. Derrick Taff, Assistant Professor, Recreation, Park and Tourism Management, 701H Ford Building, University Park, PA 16802, Penn State University, 814-867-1756 (phone) or bdt3@psu.edu (email).

Date: ____/___/____ ID Number: ____________ Time: _____:____

Location: ____________________ Start: _______ End: ________

Interviewer: __________________ Number of Interviewees: ______

Potential Language Barrier: ___Yes ___No

The script for approaching visitors:

“Excuse me, my name is __________. I am conducting a short interview with Grand Teton National Park to better understand the types of experiences visitors seek while recreating here. Participation is voluntary, and your responses will be anonymous. It will take about ~15 minutes to complete. Are you 18 years of age or older and willing to participate?”

If NO: “Do you mind if I ask, what is the primary activity you will be taking part in during your time at the String and Leigh Lakes area? “

Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope you enjoy your visit.”

If YES: “I’d like to record our conversation so I can share this information with the park later. Is this OK with you?”

If NO: “Do you mind if I ask, what is the primary activity you will be taking part in during your time at the String and Leigh Lakes area?

Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope you enjoy your visit.”

If YES: “Are you ending or starting your visit to the String/Leigh Lakes today?”

If ENDING: “Excellent, we will begin the interview now.”

If STARTING: “Okay, thank you for your time, but we are seeking visitors that have already experienced the area. Have a wonderful time in Grand Teton National Park.”

General Grant Teton National Park Visit Information

First, we would like to know a little bit about your trip to Grand Teton National Park, followed by questions about your experience at String/Leigh Lakes today.

TOPIC AREA 2: ITIN12

1. Can you describe how this visit to Grand Teton National Park fits into your broader travel plans

PROBE: For example, is this one of many national parks in the area that you plan to visit)?

TOPIC AREA 4: VISHIS7

2. Including this visit, how many times have you been to Grand Teton National Park?

PROBE: If visited previously, how long ago was your last visit?)

TOPIC AREA 2: ACCOM5

3. Where did you start your travel, today?

PROBE: For example, did you travel from Jackson, Wilson, or Yellowstone National Park today, to arrive in Grand Teton National Park?)

TOPIC AREA 2: ACCOM3

4. Regarding your overall trip (e.g., not just today), did you and your personal group stay overnight away from your permanent residence, either inside Grand Teton National Park or within the nearby area within 3-hour drive of the Park?

PROBE: If YES, where did you stay, and why was that location selected (e.g., was that location selected because it would influence the time you hoped to arrive at the Park?)

TOPIC AREA 2: ACCOM4

5. Can you describe how many nights you and your personal group plan to stay in or within a 3-hour drive of Grand Teton National Park, and will you be staying at the location you previously described each night?

TOPIC AREA 2: INFOSOURCE9

6. Can you describe your primary source of information about visitor activities in Grand Teton National Park?

PROBE: Describe how helpful this source was, and how long before this trip you used this source?)

TOPIC AREA 2: ITIN21

7. What is your primary destination during your visit to Grand Teton National Park today?

TOPIC AREA 4: DEST5

8. Can you describe the other areas of the park you visited, or plan to visit today?

PROBE: Why did you chose to visit those areas?)

TOPIC AREA 4: DEST4

9. Were you unable to visit a particular site or sites in Grand Teton National Park today?

If YES: What site or area were you unable to visit?

PROBE: What reasons prevented you from visiting those sites?

TOPIC AREA 3: PARKING7

10. While planning for this visit today, can you describe how parking availability affected your behaviors, activities were chosen, or locations visited?

PROBE: Please describe where and what activities it impacted?

What were your resulting behaviors?

Visitor Activities Specific to String and Leigh Lakes

Next, we’re specifically interested in your experience at the String and Leigh Lakes area today.

TOPIC AREA 2: ITIN6

11. Please describe the reasons why you chose to visit String/Leigh Lakes today?

TOPIC AREA 4: VISHIS7

12. Including this visit, how many times have you been to String/Leigh Lakes?

PROBE: If visited previously, how long ago was your last visit and did you visit the String/Leigh Lakes area during your last visit?

TOPIC AREA 2: ITIN21

13. What was your primary destination during your visit to String/Leigh Lakes today, and please describe why you sought that area?

PROBE: What are the qualities of that area that drew you to that destination?)

TOPIC AREA 5: RecACT15

14. Please describe the primary activities you participated in at String/Leigh Lakes during your visit today (e.g. kayaking, hiking, backpacking, day hiking, etc.)?

PROBE: Have you done this activity previously at String/Leigh Lakes?

If YES: When and how frequently?

TOPIC AREA5: RecACT15

15. Please describe if these activities were affected positively or negatively by the behaviors of other visitors in the String/Leigh Lakes?

PROBE: Did visitors participating in other activities here influence your experience, and if so, how?

TOPIC AREA 2: INFOSOURCE9

16. What was your primary source of information about visitor activities, specifically regarding String/Leigh Lakes?

PROBE: Describe how helpful this source was, and how long before this trip you used this source?

TOPIC AREA 2: INFOSOURCE9/ TOPIC AREA 3: EVALSERV

17. Once inside Grand Teton National Park, please describe your experience with the Park’s information, such as signage or kiosks for example, for accessing the String/Leigh Lakes area?

TOPIC AREA 2: INFOSOURCE9/ TOPIC AREA 3: EVALSERV

18. Once here at the String/Leigh Lakes area, please describe your experience with the Park’s information, such as signage or kiosks for example, for seeking your desired experiences in the area?

PROBE: Were there enough signs, and enough information?)

TOPIC AREA 4: DEST9

19. How much time did you plan to spend at String/Leigh Lakes today? Did you stay that entire length of time?

PROBE: If NO, please describe what influenced you to shorten or lengthen your visit here.)

TOPIC AREA 3: EVALSERV3

20. Please describe your expectations for your visit and experience to String/Leigh Lakes today?

TOPIC AREA 3: EVALSERV3

21. When you think of the experiences you had while at String/Leigh Lakes, did they meet your expectations?

PROBE: Please describe why or why not, and what positively or negatively influenced your experiences and expectations here?)

TOPIC AREA 3: TRANSERV13

22. Please describe what you enjoyed most about your experiences at String/Leigh Lakes?

TOPIC AREA 3: TRANSERV14

23. Please describe what you enjoyed least about your experience at String/Leigh Lakes?

TOPIC AREA 3: EVALSERV3/TOPIC AREA 9: NATURAL/CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: WILD3

24. Please describe how experiencing a sense of wilderness fit into your reasons for visiting String and Leigh Lakes?

TOPIC AREA 3: EVALSERV4

25. Overall, how would you describe the quality and availability of the facilities at String/Leigh Lakes?

PROBE: What facilities specifically, did you find to be good, or insufficient for you or your personal group’s needs?)

TOPIC AREA 1: GROUP7

26. Were you and everyone in your group able to access all of the activities, services, or programs you were seeking today at String/Leigh Lakes?

PROBE: If not, what could have made the access easier for you and your personal group, and specifically, what locations and activities, services, or programs need improvement?

TOPIC AREA 3: EVALSERV4

27. Overall, how would you describe the condition of the natural resources at the trails, lakeshore, and parking lot of String/Leigh Lakes?

PROBE: Did you think that the natural resources were in good condition, or did you experience impacts?)

TOPIC AREA 3: PARKING7

28. Please describe your experience with parking at String/Leigh Lakes today? PROBE, where did you park?

PROBE: Were you able to park in a marked space, or did you have to find road-side parking, or parking on the grass?

PROBE: If not in a legitimate parking space – Did you feel like your parking space was safe for you and your personal group? Why or why not?)

TOPIC AREA 6: CROWD25

29. Please describe how the number of people in the String/Leigh Lakes area affected your experience today.

PROBE: Were there too many people, just the right amount, or not enough?)

TOPIC AREA 5: RecEXP5

30. Please describe if you noticed any visitors behaving in a manner that disturbed park resources while at String/Leigh Lakes today. If YES, what activity did you notice, and where did this occur?

TOPIC AREA 5: RecEXP5

31. Please describe if you noticed any visitors behaving in a manner that disturbed your experience while at String/Leigh Lakes today?

PROBE: If YES, what behavior did you notice, and where did this occur?

Demographics

Finally, we’d like to know a little bit more about you and your group.

TOPIC AREA 1: RES2/RES10

32. Are you a permanent resident of the United States?

1. If YES, what is your primary zip code?

2. If NO, what country are you from?

TOPIC AREA 1: AGE1

33. In what year were you born?

TOPIC AREA 1: GROUP5

34. How many adults and children were in your personal group today during your visit to String/Leigh Lakes, including you?

1. Number Adults?

2. Number Children?

TOPIC AREA 1: GROUP4

35. How would you best describe the group you are with today? (For example, are you with your friends, kids, grandparents, commercial tour group, etc.?)

TOPIC AREA 1: LANG1

36. Finally, what language do you and your personal group primarily use to communicate with each other?

Before we end, is there anything else that you or your group would like to share with us? Or any other comments you would like to add regarding what we chatted about today?

Thank you very much for your time!