This report presents comprehensive findings from a survey across Nevada's state parks under the Nevada Division of State Parks, covering Visitor Demographics, Trip and Visit Characteristics, Park Performance, Planning Priorities and Recreation Activities. Below are some of the key findings from the Visitor Use Survey.

22 of the 26 parks (Ice Age Fossils was not open at this time) had at least 40 completed surveys during the first year of recruitment. Tables of responses may be found throughout this document which includes data from all parks, however this summary will only review those 22 parks.

Visitor Demographics

When looking at ethnicity, only Big Bend of the Colorado (25.6%) and Sand Harbor (18.0%) had at least 15% of respondents identify as Hispanic.
Respondents identifying themselves as white is the far majority, with only two parks, Spring Mountain (77.9%) and Van Sickle (76.2%) under 80% identifying as white.
- The next most common Races identified were often Two or More Races and Asian.
Ages of respondents varied widely throughout the system, with respondents from ages 18 to 83 years old.
- While well distributed across the spectrum, the range of 59 to 68 years old was consistently the largest of six separate age groups. This age range was the largest or second largest group in all but two parks.
About half the parks have a majority of respondents obtaining a bachelor’s or higher degree.
Only three Parks had a majority of households with under $85,000 in annual income.

Trip and Visit Characteristics

The highest percentages of visitors from Nevada were observed at Washoe Lake (91.5%), Lahontan (94.5%), and Fort Churchill (91.7%).
When looking at overnight vs single day trips, only 5 parks reported less than 50% of visitors staying overnight.
While trip lengths varied across the parks, the 2-3-day duration emerged as the most popular choice among visitors.
- Notably, Fort Churchill (68.1%), Echo Canyon (58.1%), and Berlin-Ichthyosaur (54.0%) recorded the highest percentages of visitors specifically opting for 2-3 day stays.
Group sizes predominantly feature 2-3-person groups, with Van Sickle (73.8%) and Spooner Lake (72.9%) registering the highest overall percentages for this group size.
Preference for cars, trucks or motorcycles show with every park having well over 50% of visitors travel in a personal vehicle.

Park Performance

Every single park had less than 10% of visitors stating they had a negative interaction with Park staff.
- Only two parks had over 4% of visitors having a potential negative interaction with Park staff.
Regarding parking availability, most parks report that over 80% of visitors would agree that parking was easily accessible.
- Only 2 parks, Cave Rock (14.0%) and Valley of Fire (12.3%) had over 10% of guests agreeing parking was difficult to find.
Similarly, feedback from park visitors indicates a consensus of agreement with the idea that garbage or litter is not a problem, reflecting positive perceptions of cleanliness and maintenance standards within the parks.
- Only 3 parks, Lahontan (19.7%), South Fork (13.0%) and Dayton (10.5%) had over 10% of guests suggesting garbage or litter were an issue.
Regarding park staff availability, Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort (77.1%) recorded the highest rate of strong agreement among visitors that staff were available when needed or requested.
In terms of signage clarity and abundance, only two parks didn’t have at least 80% of respondents agreeing that sign markers were clear and plentiful, indicating effective communication and navigation aids within these parks.
- No park had over 20% of visitors suggesting that there was not enough signage.
Looking at overall visitor experience, all parks saw at least 80% of visitors rating their experience as good or excellent, showcasing a widespread positive reception across parks.

Planning Priorities

Big Bend of the Colorado asked about the addition of more paved, ADA-accessible walkways to the beach, 57% of respondents agreed that they would utilize such enhancements if made available.
South Fork inquired about visitor interest in having power and water facilities available on the southwest side of the park. A significant 62% of visitors expressed that they are somewhat likely or extremely likely to use these amenities if provided, indicating a strong demand for enhanced utility services in that area.
At Valley of Fire, when asking about the likelihood of park goers utilizing a made-to-order grab-and-go restaurant, 51% of respondents indicated that they are extremely likely or somewhat likely to use such a service, reflecting a moderate interest in onsite dining options.
Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park posed a question regarding whether the addition of electrical hookups at campsites would increase the likelihood of visits. A notable 55% of visitors responded No, indicating that such amenities would not make them more likely to visit the park.
Walker River inquired whether having paved roads leading to the park would increase visitors' likelihood of attending. A significant 65% of respondents affirmed that paved access would indeed make them more likely to visit, highlighting the importance of road quality on park accessibility.

Recreation

Systemwide, general activities such as Walking, Hiking, Wildlife Viewing, and visiting historical and cultural sites were by far the most common activities for visitors to the parks.
At Berlin-Ichthyosaur, 86.2% of the park's responses selected viewing archaeological/paleontological sites as an activity they engaged in, indicating a high interest in the park's historical and scientific offerings.
Cathedral Gorge reported that hiking trails were utilized by 77.7% of its respondents.
A majority of parks have seen their most popular recreational activity to be hiking or walking trails.
Spring Valley State Park had the most diverse recreation taken part in, with activities such as snowshoeing, creek river fishing, camping, mountain biking, educational content, and more.
Wild Horse Recreational Area identified lake fishing as its most popular recreational activity, with 64.4% of parkgoers selecting this pursuit.

For the complete 170-page report, use the link below to download the PDF version.

Buddy Borden, Joseph Lednicky, Michael Taylor, Alec Bowman, Zen Frykberg, Noah Neuman 2024, Nevada State Parks Visitor Use Survey Data Profile Report, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno

Printable Version (PDF)

Extension Associated Contacts

Joseph Lednicky

Michael H. Taylor

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Nevada State Parks Visitor Use Survey Data Profile Report