A Case Study of Ethnic Minority Use and Non-Use at Rocky Mountain National Park

Nina Roberts, Ph.D. Research in Progress, Colorado State University  

The future of the National Park Service may well be tied to the changing demographics of the country in general and the American West in particular.  Rocky Mountain National Park receives over 3.4 million visitors annually.  Although various diversity initiatives have achieved some notable successes, people of color and individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds continue to be under-represented in outdoor recreation participation in Rocky Mountain National Park.  If these marginalized groups continue to be under-represented in the ranks of visitors, they will often be under-represented in the ranks of those contributing to policies developed and decisions made on natural and cultural resources management issues crucial to all Americans.  Outreach programs may be tailored so they have a greater impact for a broader target group of visitors, and may include alternatives for how to cultivate certain ethic groups depending on changing demographics of the Southern Rocky Mountain Region.  As the makeup of the United States changes, the National Park Service and Rocky Mountain National Park need to know how that change will affect the agency and the park.

Rocky Mountain National Park is in a unique situation, being only an hour and a half from Denver, a major urban area and the largest city in Colorado.  We are already seeing an increase in both English-speaking and non-English speaking Latino visitors to the park and to Estes Park (the gateway community).  This study is still in progress and has sought to determine what patterns exist and what patterns are likely to exist over the next decade so the park can plan accordingly.  Further, an essential component being explored is whether there are institutional, physical, or other constraints (e.g., culturally-based) that create barriers to the diversification of park visitors.