Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River Visitor Experience Monitoring Survey 2024

Designated Wild and Scenic Rivers (USA) are, in part, defined by their outstandingly remarkable values (ORVs) such as historical, ecological, geological, cultural, and recreational values. To ensure good stewardship of these values, federal agency administrators are required to monitoring them over time. Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River, AZ was designated in 2009, and signed the Comprehensive River Management Plan (CRMP) in 2021. Recreation is one of Fossil Creek's ORVs because it , provides relief from desert heat, unique scenery, and varied recreational opportunities, and therefore attracts large numbers of visitors. The monitoring plan within the CRMP identifies visitor experience quality as a principal component of the ORV and requires that visitor experience be monitored through a survey every five years. This report captures a repeatable survey instrument and data collection methodology piloted in 2024 by Coconino National Forest and scientists from the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute. The report contains key finding from the survey including visitor experience, use, trip planning and knowledge of Fossil Creek, willingness to pay recreation fees, perceptions of management actions, constraints to visiting Fossil Creek, and demographics. The report also reflects on the piloted sampling approach and provides lessons learned for future monitoring efforts.