Estimating Recreation Use on the San Gorgonio Wilderness

A pilot test was successfully employed during the summer of 1969 to estimate recreation use of the San Gorgonio Wilderness in California's San Bernardino National Forest. A stratified random-sampling model was used. Self-registration stations were placed on all trails into the area. Wilderness users were personally interviewed on randomly selected days and trails to determine rate of registration. The Wilderness received an estimated 59,816 visitor-days of use, and 77 percent of all user groups registered upon entering.