Accessibility and Visitation in United States National Parks

The purpose of this study is to investigate potential factors influencing U.S. National Park visitation. The study also examines the perception of accessibility within the U.S. National Park Service (NPS). Statistical tests are performed to present findings and a multivariate regression model is used to analyze autoethnographic data related to national park attributes. Mapping is used to visualize select regional and park level features. Study results indicate that the quality of facilities is of high importance to overall national park visitation. While perceptions of accessibility within the park service do not show a positive trend, they are not seen to have a significant effect on overall visitation. Findings from this report provide input on which unit features the U.S. NPS might focus on to improve visitation and what type of data the department can begin to collect in order to make improvements on accessibility for visitors living with disabilities.