RECREATION
In April and May 2015, 52,845 Utahns shared their voice through the Your Utah, Your Future survey. Participants chose their favorite scenarios for outdoor recreation and other topics. After choosing their favorite scenarios, survey participants had the option to answer a series of questions to prioritize recreation among other issues, determine the most important outcomes related to recreation, and identify how willing they would be to take specific actions that would ensure those outcomes. The survey results were cross-checked against a random-sample survey to ensure they represented the desires and opinions of Utahns.
What Utahns Want
Utahns want to increase the number of recreational facilities in the state. Almost 80% chose a scenario with a significant investment in increasing the number of recreational facilities to meet future demand. Of those who want to significantly improve recreational facilities, a little over half chose a scenario in which tourism is promoted and a little less than half chose one in which it is not.
Why Utahns Want It
Utahns want good access to outdoor recreation, including both nearby facilities like parks and trails and weekend/destination facilities like campgrounds, hiking and OHV trails, and state and national monuments. Utahns also place importance on maximizing the economic benefits of tourism, but they want to minimize how much crowding there is at recreational facilities.
What Utahns are Willing to Do
Utahns are generally willing to have somewhat higher home prices, which would result from charging home builders higher fees for the development of parks and trails. Utahns are very hesitant about expanding recreational facilities in a way that negatively affects the wilderness feel. They are strongly unwilling to pull investment from education or transportation to pay for recreational facilities.
