Hiking shared-use single-track trails: a look at hikers and hunters along the Falls Lake Trail

Abstract

The Falls Lake Trail, a 26.8-mile, single-track pedestrian trail located near the Research Triangle Region of North Carolina, traverses lands managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers; North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation; North Carolina Division of Wildlife Resources; and Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space. The non-profit trail advocacy group, Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail, is responsible for the trail's upkeep and maintenance. For this study, use and user characteristics were examined along with trail appeal factors, users' motivations for utilizing the trail, and their satisfaction while there. Another important objective was to examine potential problems relative to hiker interactions with hunters. Hunting is permitted along approximately 20 miles of the trail. Although few trail users reported encountering hunters during their visit, approximately one third reported being "not at all comfortable" sharing the trail with hunters. There was a modest degree of discomfort overall.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the 2006 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium

Citation

Snow, Christopher M.; Moore, Roger L. 2007. Hiking shared-use single-track trails: a look at hikers and hunters along the Falls Lake Trail. In: Burns, R.; Robinson, K., comps. Proceedings of the 2006 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium; 2006 April 9-11; Bolton Landing, NY. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-14. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 152-156.