GMP page 33
SUMMARY OF THE MANAGEMENT ZONES
Pristine Zone
The pristine zone will offer the feeling of being entirely alone in Zion's remote and isolated wildlands. Visitors will have a chance to experience a natural landscape.
• Natural conditions and processes will be largely undisturbed by people. Bolts on climbing routes may be present. Culturally significant resources also may be maintained.
• Routes and paths may be defined and maintained if necessary to prevent resource damage; no other visitor facilities will be provided.
• Visitors can camp throughout the zone, although in some cases, camping sites will be designated to protect resources.
• Opportunities for a high degree of solitude will be provided throughout the zone.
• Use of these areas will be limited. Saddle stock use will be prohibited. Hiker groups will continue to be limited to no more than 12 people. Visitors will usually not expect to encounter other groups in the zone. (Note: The group sizes and encounter rates are interim limits, which may change in the future.)
GMP page 36 / Sidebar
Group Sizes and Encounter Rates
The current backcountry group size limit of 12, which has been in place since about 1982, will continue as an interim limit for the primitive and pristine zones until the wilderness management plan and carrying capacity studies are completed. While a substantial body of scientific literature exists regarding the effects of group size on resources and visitor experiences (see Manning (1999) and Hammitt and Cole (1998)), information specific to Zion is limited. Information collected through the carrying capacity studies during the development of the wilderness management plan should assist park managers in setting appropriate group size limits for the primitive and pristine zones. It may be necessary to impose stricter group size limits than the current limit to meet the desired future conditions for the two zones as described in this plan.
With regard to visitor encounters, the continued growth in the backcountry use requires some proactive action now to ensure that resource integrity and the quality of visitor experiences are maintained. Limiting group encounters is one way to ensure that desired conditions for the primitive and pristine zones are met. The encounter limits proposed in the plan are consistent with encounter rates in other wilderness areas across the country. Like the group size limits, they are labeled as interim limits because additional research, specific to Zion, is needed to determine if these limits are sufficient for protecting resources and ensuring quality visitor experiences in the primitive and pristine zones. The future wilderness management plan will reexamine the encounter rates and modify them if appropriate.
Prior to completion of the wilderness management plan, park managers may institute other interim groups sizes or encounter rates in specific areas to address resource damage or visitor safety concerns.
GMP pages 36 and 37
Preliminary Carrying Capacity
Until the wilderness management plan and carrying capacity studies are completed, many of the existing visitor use management policies will not change from current policies. Several carrying capacities already have been set for areas exhibiting resource damage and crowding, such as in the Narrows from the northern park boundary down through Orderville Canyon (a maximum of 80 day hikers per day and 70 overnight hikers at any one time) and the Left Fork of North Creek (a maximum of 50 people per day). ...
This plan sets interim carrying capacities, pending further research, for hikers and saddle stock groups in primitive and pristine zones. Group sizes and encounter rates with other groups will largely determine the carrying capacities for these zones. ...
Primitive Zone - Hikers. The interim hiker group sizes for day and overnight use will be limited to 12 or fewer individuals. The interim encounter rate will be generally no more than 12 groups encountered per day on any one trail in the zone. These are consistent with the zone prescription that calls for a moderate sense of solitude. Twelve encounters per day is a somewhat higher limit than many wilderness areas in the West, but it is not inconsistent with encounter standards that have been set elsewhere (see Manning 1999).
Tom's Comments: Yes and No. It is interesting that the plan argues for these specific limits, by saying they are a little higher than found elsewhere in the West. While generally true, there are many Wilderness areas in the west where encounter rates are much, much higher, yet visitor satisfaction is still high. See Cole, Watson, Hall and Spildie: High-Use Destinations in Wilderness: Social and Biophysical Impacts, Visitor Responses, and Management Options, USFS Intermountain Research Station Paper INT-RP-496, October 1997.
In addition, Zion's rugged backcountry confines most use to existing trails and routes. The great majority of people in the recommended wilderness area use these trails, which will be zoned as primitive. Thus, higher encounter rates will be expected than may be the case in other wilderness areas where use is not as confined due to the topography.
...
Pristine Zone - Hikers. The interim hiker group size limit for day and overnight use will be 12 people. The interim encounter limit will be set at zero: visitors will usually not expect to encounter other groups in the zone. These numbers are consistent with the zone prescription, which calls for a high sense of solitude. Zero encounters is a low limit compared to other wilderness areas, bit it reflects the rugged, largely inaccessible terrain comprising this zone: one would not expect to find another group throughout most of Zion's rugged and remote areas.
...
Carrying Capacity Data Needs
Based on an indepth study of the park's information (Vande Kamp 1997), the following are the highest carrying capacity social data needs for the park:
• accurate counts of the number of visitors (and groups of visitors) who are currently using specific areas in Zion's recommended wilderness
• the number of encounters experienced by current visitors
• visitor evaluations of social conditions (such as numbers of encounters with other visitors)
...
• information about specific sites and activities where the presence of other visitors most clearly detracts from experience quality (e.g., "bottlenecks")
• the characteristics of visitors found at various sites in Zion's recommended wilderness
And finally, from Appendix C: Definitions of the Management Zones, page 73 - 74
Pristine Zone
The pristine zone will offer the feeling of being entirely alone in Zion's remote and isolated wildlands. This zone will provide visitors a chance to experience a natural landscape. Use of these areas will be low, and group encounters infrequent.
...
Visitor Experience. Visitors will have the sense of being immersed in a totally natural landscape. With virtually no evidence of others passing through this zone, some visitors may feel like they were the first humans to explore this area. Only natural sights and sounds will be seen and heard. There will be a strong sense of isolation and remoteness. The probability of encountering other people or NPS staff will be very low throughout the year. For example, visitors will not usually expect to encounter any other groups either during the day or at night. The interim groups size limit will be a maximum of 12 people per group. Because visitors will not find conveniences and other people in this zone, they will need to be entirely self-reliant and possess a high level of outdoor skills - routefinding and canyoneering abilities will be essential.
