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Mountain biking

  • Economic Analysis of Outdoor Recreation in Washington State 2020 Update

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of outdoor recreation in Washington State. The report includes estimates on spending, jobs, income, impact on GDP, consumer surplus, and environmental benefits of outdoor recreation. In 2019, outdoor recreation in Washington contributed $26.5 billion in spending and supported 264,000 jobs, compared to $21.5 billion and… Read more

  • Squeezing the most from volunteered geographic information to monitor mountain biking in peri-urban protected and recreational areas at a metropolitan scale

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    This study evaluates mountain bike use in five recreational areas using GPSies data at a regional scale in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA) in Portugal. Results indicate that 98% of users were from Portugal and 60.57% of the rides were going to at least one of the protected and recreational areas (P&RAs) studied. 80.77% of… Read more

  • Assessing Forest Recreational Potential from Social Media Data and Remote Sensing Technologies Data

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    This study uses Flickr data and remote sensing technologies to identify forest biometric and topographic data to map and estimate recreational potential of British Columbia’s provincial park system. Potential recreation and consumer surplus are mapped in Cypress Provincial Park using variables that influence visitors’ preferences for recreational activities. A machine learning approach called convolutional neural… Read more

  • Applying Novel Visitation Models using Diverse Social Media to Understand Recreation Change after Wildfire and Site Closure

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    This study analyzes how visitation in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington changed as a result of the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire. A visitation model is constructed by incorporating data from social media to measure visitation patterns and used to look for a substitution effect on nearby recreation sites after the fire. Read more

  • The Economic Value of Trails in Arizona: A Travel Cost Method Study

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    This study estimates the value Arizona residents derive from visiting motorized and non-motorized trails. The authors also estimated total annual trail use, Arizonans’ perceptions of trails, and favorite and most frequented trails. The value for Arizona residents from non-motorized trail use is around $8.3 billion per year; the value from motorized trail use is about… Read more

  • The Knoxville Urban Wilderness Trail System and Baker Creek Preserve Bike Park: A Profile of Users and Physical Activity

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    This study is listed as the first in a series of Knoxville Urban Wilderness (KUW) health and economic impact reports. This paper details the number of KUW users during 2021. Findings include that the users of the KUW trail system are predominately white, adult males, and that mountain biking, running, and walking are the most… Read more

  • Planning for Environmental Justice in an Urban National Park

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    The authors conducted a survey in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in Los Angeles to understand park accessibility and how socio-demographic characteristics affect individuals’ use of the park. They found that the average park user is white, male, middle-aged, has a college education, earns between $50,000-$75,000 per annum, and was born in the United… Read more

  • Using Social Media Camping Data for Evaluating, Quantifying, and Understanding Recreational Ecosystem Services in Post-COVID-19 Megacities: A Case Study from Beijing

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    The authors apply a GIS spatial analysis using social media data to quantify public perspectives of recreational ecosystem services (RESs) or green spaces in Beijing, China. This megacity-scale study was conducted using data from the Little Red Book (LRB) which has been referred to as “China’s Instagram.” Though the authors acknowledge there are some limitations… Read more

  • Financing Recreational Trails Through Donations: Testing Behavioural Theory in Mountain Biking Context

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    In Rörbäcksnäs, Sweden, researchers found that social information such as collective action and descriptive norms in signage posted on the main mountain biking trailhead encouraged higher donation amounts and participation rates from mountain bikers. Descriptive norms included listing the donation amount from mountain bikers in recent weeks on the signage. Through the survey, researchers found… Read more

  • The Economic Impact of Outdoor Recreation in Mesa County

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    To estimate the full economic impact of outdoor recreation across Mesa County, Colorado, researchers measured the impact of both outdoor recreation-related businesses (such as retail trade and manufacturing) and tourism. In 2019, the GDP impact of outdoor recreation was $484,474,065 or 7.2% of total GDP; the direct job impact was 9,897 jobs or 11% of… Read more

  • Mountain bike tourism economic impacts: A critical analysis of academic and practitioner studies

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    The authors reviewed 33 academic and practitioner studies on mountain bike tourism and found inconsistencies in the methodology for measuring economic impacts. They critique the existing literature and make recommendations to improve variable instruments and analysis. The authors claim more coherent and consistent variables analyses will better support community advocates in their push for the… Read more

  • Characteristics and Behavior of Tourists Who Visited the George S. Mickelson Trail During the 2005 Peak Season

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    The George S. Mickelson Trail (GSMT) is a multipurpose recreational trail that spans 114 miles across South Dakota beginning in the Black Hills. Researchers compiled survey data from 2,388 trail users who resided outside of the Black Hills Region. They analyzed the perceptions and use patterns of tourism activity on the GSMT and found that… Read more

  • The Economic Impact of Outdoor Recreation and the Whitefish Trail in Whitefish, Montana

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    In Whitefish, Montana, outdoor recreation is the most important reason why residents stay and visitors come to the community. On the Whitefish Trail, 22,000 annual uses by visitors (30% of total use) generates $3.6 million in spending and supports 68 jobs. Read more

  • Trail Usage and Value: A Helena, MT Case Study

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    In Helena, Montana, an 80-mile hiking and mountain biking trail system attracts more than 63,000 trail users during the summer. Seven in 10 users are residents, but visitors who use the trail system account for $4 million in spending, support 60 jobs, and generate $185,000 in state and local taxes. Read more

  • Economic and Health Benefits of Bicycling in Northwest Arkansas

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    In northwest Arkansas, a substantial investment in paved and unpaved trails has contributed substantially to the region’s well-being (measured in improved health) and economic performance (measured in visitor spending and employee retention). Evidenced by residents’ interest in living close to trails and willingness to pay more for homes near trails, cycling is an essential part… Read more

  • Enchanted Circle Trails: Final Survey Results

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    In Taos, New Mexico, Hispanic residents and low-income residents are less likely to have used trails during the previous year, but those who have used trails during the previous year use them just as often as other (non-Hispanic) residents. Among low-income residents, those with a park or trail within a 10-minute walk of their house… Read more

  • Outdoor Recreation Scarcity and Abundance in Western Oregon: A Spatial Analysis

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    Across western Oregon, there is substantial variation in how well the supply of hiking, mountain biking, and off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails meets demand for these trails by local users. Although some communities have many miles of trails, such as the 146 miles of mountain biking trails within 60 minutes of Portland, the supply of trails… Read more

  • Bonner County Trails Final Survey Results

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    In rural Bonner County in northern Idaho, trails are used by three-quarters of residents an average of every day in the summer and every other day in the winter. Trail use is high for all residents, even accounting for differences in the length of residence in the county, income, and age. Business owners are more… Read more

  • Adapting To the New Economy: The Impacts of Mountain Bike Tourism in Oakridge, Oregon

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    Mountain biking in Oakridge, Oregon contributes substantial economic activity to a small, isolated community deeply affected by the loss of timber jobs. Although the recent rapid growth in the area’s popularity has some residents concerned about cultural change, user conflicts, and environmental concerns, the author is confident these challenges can be overcome. Read more

  • Economic Benefits of Mountain Bike Tourism for Santa Cruz County

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    This report on the potential for mountain bike tourism in Santa Cruz County, California demonstrates how trail advocates can use existing research studies to help make a case for trail development in their community. The authors argue that the presence of significant bike industry companies, a large existing social trail network, and appealing climate and… Read more

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