Are wilderness recreation experiences more regulated? Measuring and mapping recreation confinement in wilderness and other protected areas in Colorado

Abstract

Federally designated wilderness in the US is to be stewarded to provide, among other qualities, outstanding opportunities for unconfined recreation - or recreation generally free from rules and regulations. However, compared to other wilderness character qualities, measurement and monitoring of unconfined recreation is often considered less formally. This research seeks to understand the spatial distribution of unconfined recreation across wilderness areas and other federal and nonfederal protected areas in Colorado, and to answer questions related to comparative levels of confinement within and across wilderness-administering agencies. We find that, across all three wilderness-administering agencies in Colorado, wilderness areas are more confined, on average, than the other lands managed by these respective agencies.

Citation

Rice, William L.; Foster, Miranda J.; Park, Soyoung; Armatas, Christopher A. 2026. Are wilderness recreation experiences more regulated? Measuring and mapping recreation confinement in wilderness and other protected areas in Colorado. International Journal of Wilderness. 32(1): 34-48.