Hiker Economic Impact

[Tuckahoe]

I started reading On the Beaten Path, by Robert Rubin and came upon this passage --


Multiply $2,500 by the estimated three thousand would-be thruhikers who hit the trail in 1997, though, and you get 7.5 million worth of stinking, muddy-booted spending power setting out to walk the ridge crests.


Now of course this nearly a 15 year old figure, but telling nonetheless. Its not uncommon to read posts someone has started about what they thought was poor service and how said place should be boycotted, etc. Same theme in the thread on the sandwich shop and its grumpy owner.

Even if we doubled that 7.5 million, 15million really isnt that much of an economic impact when its spread along 2100 miles of the trail.

Id be interested to see some real research about the impact of thruhikers, sectioners and short trippers, cyclists, and other outdoor enthusiasts.

[Stir Fry]

I can't speek of the intire trail, but for those that cater to hikers, there are a fair number of people in the first 500 miles that get a fair portion on there anual income from hikers. Some have Hostals, some do shuttle service, many stores stock extra in the spring hiking season.
I have not thru hiked yet, 2014. Section hikers put more into the local areas then thru hikers do. I know I average $250 a week when I do long section hikes, and that does not include shuttle service which is usualy $100 to $150, per trip. I usualy take 2 trips a year of between 1 to 3 weeks each. So its not just the thru hike that inpact the trail. I have seen that some 3 million people use the trail each year.

[Alligator]

Here's a paper (http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/1324/files/bowker_vct_jrnl.pdf) on the Creeper Trail that I keep meaning to read.

[Alligator]

...and a paper (http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/gtr/gtr_nrs-p-23papers/36pollock-p23.pdf) about the methodology of measuring economic impact that I most likely will never read.

[Rasty]

Here's a paper (http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/1324/files/bowker_vct_jrnl.pdf) on the Creeper Trail that I keep meaning to read.

I wonder what the % of users on the Creeper Trail are hiking versus biking.

[Alligator]

I wonder what the % of users on the Creeper Trail are hiking versus biking.LW maintains that bikers represent a much larger piece of the economic impact in Damascus. I am not sure that translates to a greater percentage of bikers or that they just spend more. Might be user statistics out there somewhere though.

[Tuckahoe]

Gator, thanks for posting the papers. Ill spend the morning reading them.

[Lone Wolf]

LW maintains that bikers represent a much larger piece of the economic impact in Damascus. I am not sure that translates to a greater percentage of bikers or that they just spend more. Might be user statistics out there somewhere though.

hands down, creeper trail bikers flock here by the thousands weekly right on through til november. thru-hikers are here for 2 months. they spend very little except on beer

[Alleghanian Orogeny]

Once past Damascus or so, the fall-off in numbers of thru hikers would seem to minimize the economic impact further north.

I am reminded of what marina owners say about sailboaters vs. powerboaters: "The definition of a sailor is a guy who occupies your fuel dock for 45 minutes taking on $13.27 in diesel, $7.00 of ice, and 200 gallons of water".

Not exactly the big spenders, generally speaking.

AO

[Bucketfoot]

Shuttles,motels, restaurants,hiking supplies, gasoline for their own vehicles, even vehicle repairs; section and day hikers spend much more money in the towns than thrus. To hike the whole trail in day hikes or sections is a way more exspensive way to do it and its done over a much greater period of time.