Typologies of wilderness backpackers based on perspectives of wilderness character tradeoffs: Implications for campsite selection

Abstract

The Wilderness Act of 1964 created federally designated wilderness areas in the United States for both the use and enjoyment of the American people, as well as the preservation of their wilderness character. Although the Wilderness Act mandates the protection of wilderness character, there is significant management discretion and existing trade-offs of values inherent to wilderness character preservation. Previous social science research explores wilderness visitors’ values regarding the stewardship of wilderness character qualities, as well as how social factors influence visitor behavior and recreation choice within wilderness areas. Limited studies, however, have attempted to connect wilderness character values and visitor behavior to better inform wilderness stewardship decisions. This study seeks to address this gap by examining both backpackers’ evaluations of trade-offs between prioritizing different wilderness character qualities and whether these wilderness values influence their decision/selection among camping opportunities in the Stephen Mather Wilderness of the North Cascades National Park Complex.

Citation

Johnson, Hayley A.; Rice, William L.; Armatas, Christopher A.; Thomsen, Jennifer M. 2026. Typologies of wilderness backpackers based on perspectives of wilderness character tradeoffs: Implications for campsite selection. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration. https://doi.org/10.18666/JPRA-2026-13159.