The effects of a restrictive management approach on the Chilkoot Trail visitor population: A twelve-year trend study

In 1997, Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site of Canada (CTNHSC) experienced several management changes, including implementation of a quota system and introduction of an overnight user fee. These restrictive management policies achieved the intended management goals: to reduce user volumes and redistribute use, which in turn would limit some impacts of recreational use; and to generate income for park management and operations. However, this study reveals that there is more to the story than this simple measure of success. Implementation of these regulations brought indirect consequences, affecting CTNHSC visitor experiences. It was observed that some visitors were displaced by this use of restrictive management, while others appear to have changed their expectations and reevaluated their experience at CTNHSC to match the current situation through a product shift. Use of a trend study design allowed observing these changes over time.