Recreation and Trail Usage Amongst Northern Michigan University Students

Within the Local Trail Systems In Marquette, Michigan

Brian Polston
Natalie Kretlow
Joseph Krupp
Christopher Peterson
Northern Michigan University
RE467: Research Methods and Evaluation
Fall 2015

Recreation and Trail Usage Amongst Northern Michigan University Students Within the
Local Trail Systems In Marquette, Michigan

Chapter I
Introduction
Preface:
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan has many opportunities for leisure and outdoor
recreation. A popular activity is hiking and mountain biking in Marquette, Michigan. According
to NTN, Marquette is the Fat Tire/Snow Bike Capital of the World and hosted the World
Champion Snow Bike Race in January, 2014. The Marquette area provides a variety of trail
systems which are the, Noquemanon Trail Network (NTN), Fit Strip, City Multi-Use Path (Bike
Path), Presque Isle Park Trails, Iron Ore Heritage Trail, and North Country Trail, which are used
year round to provide a variety of activities such as hiking, running, mountain biking,
snowshoeing, snow biking, cross country skiing, and off road trails for off road vehicles. The
NTN singletrack system has received national acclaim as a premier mountain bike destination,
and Marquette County became a Bronze Level Ride Center, which is only one of twenty Ride
Centers in the country (IMBA, 2014). Northern Michigan University (NMU), located in
Marquette, Michigan, emphasizes students to be actively involved in the community, and enjoy
the opportunities of the surrounding natural environment. In the mid-1970s, the University began
integrating academics with the natural beauties of the area, by developing and offering courses in
Outdoor Recreation. Then in 1980, the Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management major was
established, and has since grown in retention, popularity, and variety of courses offered (Kinnear,
Ph.D & Teeters). Known outdoor enthusiasts and professionals, Outdoor Recreation Leadership
Management students and faculty, were assessed and studied, to gain a better understanding of
mountain biking and hiking trail usage in the Marquette area.
Theoretical Foundation:

Utilizing mountain biking and hiking trails is a common practice for Upper Peninsula
residents. Mountain biking has grown in popularity in the last few decades, so there is a
potentially growing need for trail maintenance and for more biking and hiking trails. Within the
past ten years, mountain biking in Marquette, Michigan has been a growing industry. In 2014,
the International Mountain Biking Association awarded as Marquette County a Bronze Level
Ride Center, (IMBA, 2014), and the Noquemanon Trail Network Singletrack trails received
EPIC Trail Status (NTN, 2014). Marquette trail systems received two prestigious awards through
IMBA, became the snowbike capital, and hosted IMBA and other mountain bike events, which
further attracts people, not only from the Upper Peninsula, but tourists and bikers from other
areas of the country and world.
To gain a better sense of public usage and overall awareness of the trail systems in
Marquette, Michigan, the public should be assessed. According to NMU, about 9,000 students
attend the college, which is almost half of the population in Marquette (NMU, 2015). The study
assesses two Marquette population demographics to acquire information about the trail systems.
The students and faculty within the Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management (ORLM)
department are the control study group, because ORLM participants are perceived to be more
likely to have knowledge of, and utilize trail systems frequently. To gain a better understanding
of the Marquette population as a whole, other students at Northern Michigan University were
assessed as the experimental group. In order to determine common trail uses, frequency of trail
use, potential improvements for trail systems, and gain a sense of community awareness of the
trail systems in the Marquette area, a survey conducted amongst the control and experimental
groups will help evaluate and determine common trends in perceptions and needs of the general
population of Marquette.

Statement of Problem
Marquette, Michigan has a growing mountain biking community, and provides
opportunities to foster the growth and interests of the community. Over the summer, new trails
were added in Marquette at the Board of Light and Power, but many are unaware of the changes.
One of the problems is the locations of the trailheads being hidden, and lack of signage across
Marquette, so different trails are not very well known to the public. The unique trail systems in
Marquette, Michigan are the Noquemanon trails, city multi-use path (the bike path), Presque Isle
Park trails, the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, and the North Country Trail, with many individual trials
within each trail network. However, only certain trails seem to be utilized, which is a problem,
when Marquette has miles of trails and multiple trail networks. Northern Michigan University is
a large population in the overall community, so trail usage amongst students and faculty is
important for improving the trail systems, and keeping the trail systems for the future. If the
majority of the Marquette population is unaware of the available trail opportunities, trail events,
and different trail networks there will not be a need for building new trails and maintaining
current trails, because the demand will no longer exist.
The trails most frequently used should be determined in order to study why a specific
trail network is being utilized over another, and if the popular aspects of favored trails can be
applied to other trails in Marquette. Popular trails require frequent maintenance because of soil
degradation and human impact, due to constant foot traffic. Studying popular trail systems in
Marquette can also determine if there is a need for employment of volunteers to maintain the
trails. If a trail is unpopular, the survey can help determine if the unpopularity is due to lack of
awareness of trail systems available, maintenance issues, or just simply personal preference.

With the increasing prestige and popularity of the trail systems in Marquette, a spike in
tourism is possible. Tourism in Marquette, Michigan can have both positive and negative
outcomes. Tourism affects the economy. In 2007, it is estimated that tourism generated $18.7
billion in total economic activity in Michigan (Michigan Tourism Task Force, 2008), which was
beneficial to the overall economy of Michigan. Tourism directly contributed to an increase in
revenue and sales at clothing and grocery stores, increased consumption of gas, increase of
restaurant customers, an increased need for outlets that serve the needs of outdoor enthusiasts,
increased gasoline tax and sales across the state (Michigan Tourism Task Force, 2008).
Mountain biking can be a costly outdoor recreational activity, but the bikers seem to have
the extra money to spend. In a survey of bicyclists on North Carolinas Outer Banks, 81%
reported having a college degree and 78% gave household incomes of $75,000 or more (Erie
Canalway National Heritage Corridor, 2010). Mountain bike owners can invest thousands of
dollars on a single bike, and tend to travel to different areas to explore new trails spending $100$300 per day on food, lodging, and other items (Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor,
2010). The National Bike Dealers Association, determined 2014 as the comeback year for the
U.S. bicycle industry, generating $6.1 billion in direct sales of bicycles, related parts, and
accessories (NBDA, 2014). An increase in tourism can negatively affect the environmental
impact of trail systems, and can put a strain on local residents of Marquette having to
accommodate for extra people temporarily residing in the area.
Purpose of Study:
The purpose of the study is to gain knowledge of the trail network through the assessment
of trail usage by known outdoor enthusiasts (ORLM Department), compared to other students at
Northern Michigan University to gain a variety of demographics of Marquette citizens/temporary

residents affiliated with the University. By collecting this information, the trail systems can be
assessed to find if any improvements to the trails could be made, and if trail awareness should be
improved. and improvements that could be made to the trail systems. The types of recreational
activities trail users partake will be determined as well as what trail routes the participants use
most frequently. With research and evaluation, popular trails can be determined which can help
better manage high foot traffic trails and less favored trails can be determined which can help to
improve and promote the less popular trails.
Significance of our Study:
By assessing the use and knowledge of the local trail networks among a sample of known
outdoor recreationists, reasonable conclusions about the use of less frequent trail users. This will
allow us to determine if there is a need for additional maintenance volunteers and better trail
advertisement throughout the network.
Trails are an essential part of parks and forests, and provide access to remote areas as to
protect resources by concentrating visitor foot traffic. Managing Mountain Biking: IMBAs
Guide to Providing Great Riding stated most vegetation impact occurs within initial use or low
use, and where non native species are present, (Marion and Wimpey, 2007), so knowing what
trails are being used more frequently and less frequently can be helpful in maintaining the trail
systems. The vegetation and the way the trails were built are different in each trail network area,
so there might be a connection between trail terrain and popularity.
Assumptions:

Hiking is more popular than biking because no equipment is required, just the self.

Mountain biking can affect the economy in positive and negative way.

Improvements to Marquette trail systems must occur

Lack of awareness of recreational opportunities amongst a large population in Marquette

Limitations:

Evaluating only NMU students and not other community members

Time given to conduct research

Time of Season research conducted (Fall 2015)

ORLM students taking the survey online, instead of in class

Amount of participants willing to partake in survey and research

Definition of Terms:
Deciduous: falling off or out at a certain season
Deciduous Forest: a forest in which broadleaf leaves fall off the trees when the winter comes
Degradation: the process of damaging or ruining something
Noquemanon Trail Network (NTN): is a group that develop and maintain an interconnected, year
round, non-motorized land and water trail network in the central Upper Peninsula of MIchigan
International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA): Since 1988, IMBA has been bringing out
the best in mountain biking by encouraging low-impact riding, volunteer trail work participation,
cooperation among different trail user groups, grassroots advocacy and innovative trail
management solutions. IMBA's staff, chapters, clubs and members work to benefit the entire
mountain bike community.

Chapter II
Review of Literature

Characteristics
When characterizing mountain bikers according to the British Cycling Federation (2015),
mountain bikers come in all shapes, sizes and ages. Mountain bikers have also been considered
to have a higher exercise intensity compared to road cycling (Padilla, Mujika, and Orananos et
al. 2000, Padilla, Mujika, and Orananos et al. 2001, Lucia, Hoyos, and Carvajal et al. 2003,
Fernndez-Gracia, Perez-Landaluce, and Rodriguez-Alonso 2000). During road competitions,
cyclists can reduce overall energy used by drifting behind other cyclists (McCole, Clancy and
Conte et al. 1990). Based off of Berry et al. (2000), the repeated climbs and descents on gravel
roads and other trails are more intense compared with the road cycling. This is based off the cost
of energy that it takes to ride on a flat surface compared to the inclines and declines of mountain
biking. Road cycling still takes training, and hard work, but mountain biking is more labor
intensive due to the difficult changing terrain of the trails.
According to the Cessford Experiments (1995), Cessford characterized Mountain Bikers
by their age (Table 2.1 and 2.2), occupation (Table 2.1), percentage of men and women
participants (Table 2.1 and 2.2), experience levels (Table 2.2 and 2.3), and different levels of
commitment in mountain bikers (Table 2.4).
Table 2.1: Socio-demographic Characteristics (%)

Table 2.2: Descriptive Characteristics by Experience Levels (self-rated) (%)

Table 2.3: Experience Characteristics of riders (%)

Table 2.4: Commitment Characteristics of Riders

Table 2.5: Hiker and Bicyclist Evaluation of Other Group as Problem

*Cessford,G (1995)

The Cessford experiments showed more men than women participated in mountain
biking, and most participants were under the age of forty years young. The majority of
participants were between the ages of twenty and twenty-nine years, with high numbers in the
less than 20 and 30-39 categories. Mountain bikers studied were primarily in a professional/
technical occupation, and the other occupations were students, administration/management, and
other (non-specific). Most female participants were beginners under the age of forty years old.
The majority of the male participants had significant experience- in fact, some were expertbetween the ages of twenty to twenty-nine. Beginners and the moderately experienced riders
typically were not involved with club memberships probably due to not knowing much about the
technical mechanisms of the sport and not knowing if the individual is going to enjoy mountain
biking. Which could also be a reason most mountain biking beginners and intermediate riders
purchased bikes under two-thousand dollars, and many participant occupations were those of the
middle class, so socioeconomic status most likely influenced the amount participants were
willing to spend on mountain biking. More experienced riders tended to have club memberships,

more expensive mountain bikes, and were more likely to participate in overnight mountain
biking trips (Cessford 1995). With mountain biking being a costly investment, and with a
potential risk involved, workshops and lessons to experience mountain biking should be
provided to spread awareness and appreciation for mountain biking.
Trails
In 1983, the sport of Mountain Biking had about 200,000 riders, and has been growing
rapidly since. In the 1990s, there were about 15 million riders (Keller, 1990). In the 1980s, only
about 30% of mountain bikers took bikes off road, but mountain bikers had a greater potential to
use the trails (Brown, 1988). As of 2005, mountain biking had a population of approximately
forty million, and road biking had approximately seventy-five million participants. (IMBA
2005). The percentage of road biking participants is still significantly higher than those which
mountain bike. Van Lenthe et al. states, populations with higher socioeconomic status are more
likely to bicycle in leisure time, and lower income populations are more likely to bicycle for
transportation (IMBA 2005). There are many mountain biking trails throughout the United
States, however roads, sidewalks, and paved paths are more accessible in urban areas, suburbs,
and densely populated areas, than mountain biking trails.
Trails are not just for mountain biking, but many trails are multiple use. People also
participate in different activities on the trails. Hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, bird
watching, and horse riding are among the popular trail activities, with user populations in the
millions, (Table 2.6). The International Mountain Bicycling Association states there are several
important issues needed to take into consideration when building trails (IMBA 2005). Trails are
built in many different types of terrain, should be sustainable, and require little maintenance.

Research on trail construction must be done prior to building a new trials because depending on
the terrain and intended use, trail construction is changed.

Table 2.6: Trail Use Populations

(Roberts, MD, and Ouellet, MD, 2011)

From 1995-2009, a study was conducted that compared injuries amongst street cycling
and mountain biking (Table 2.7). Street cycling was associated with a significantly higher
overall rate of admission for severe injury than mountain bicycling (Roberts, MD, and Ouellet,
MD, 2011), because the highest causes of injury in street cyclists were due to falling off bicycle,
lost balance/speed related cause, and collision to motor vehicle. Mountain bike injures often
occurred from falling off the bicycle due to failed jump and trick attempts, and injury due to loss
of balance/speed related causes, so the intensity of number of injuries was much lower.

Surprisingly, zero mountain bike participants were injured due to avoiding another person or
hitting a parked car. Overall, mountain biking is safer than street cycling because there are fewer
obstacles to avoid, so fewer injuries occur amongst mountain bikers. However, injury patterns in
patients such as, trauma to the head (67.4%), chest injuries (34.1%), and extremities (38.4%)
were comparable.
Table 2.7: Trauma Patients Between Street Cyclists and Mountain Bikers
(Roberts, MD, and Ouellet, MD, 2011)

Conflicts
After building a trail, managing the trails use is important and there is three basic
categories to manage the trails: Protecting the natural resources, maintaining user safety, and
providing high-quality user experience (Roskowski, 1998). Most conflicts fall into the category
of providing high-quality user experience. When hikers and bikers are sharing the same trail
conflicts tend to originate more from the unacceptable behaviors from them members of one of
the groups (Daigle, Watson, Williams, 1991).

Chapter III
Methods

Method
The purpose of the study is to gain knowledge of the trail network through the assessment
of trail usage by known outdoor enthusiasts (ORLM Department), compared to other students at
Northern Michigan University to gain a variety of demographics of Marquette citizens/temporary
residents affiliated with the University. By collecting this information, the trail systems can be
assessed to find if any improvements to the trails could be made, and if trail awareness should be
improved. The types of recreational activities trail users partake will be determined as well as
what trail routes the participants use most frequently.
The results will be obtained through a written questionnaire survey. Our group designed
multiple choice questions to determine levels of mountain biking experience, frequency of usage,
locations of trail usage among survey participants, and whether or not Outdoor Recreation
students and faculty prefer hiking instead of mountain biking. Short answer questions were also
included in the survey to gain qualitative data of the reasoning behind certain trail preferences
and level of awareness of different trails available in Marquette.
The trail systems in Marquette, Michigan are unique which provides a research variable.
The trails are all constructed differently. Some of the Noquemanon trails are hand built instead of
machine built and follow IMBA guidelines. The City Multi-Use Path, and parts of the North
Country Trail is paved concrete. Trail use is another variable because some participants might
prefer hiking the trails over riding on a mountain bike. The study helps gain insight and make
connections as to which types of trails are prefered by different trail users which can better help

with trail maintenance, construction, improvements, and awareness. The same survey will also
be given to other Northern Michigan University students to compare results amongst outdoor
professionals who are more likely to use the trail systems. Surveying a variety of students can
help determine if more awareness should be shared about the different trails Marquette has to
offer, and gain a variety of trail preferences amongst different demographics of people.
The research procedures include creating a survey that will help gain a variety of helpful
qualitative data to discover more about trail usage in Marquette, Michigan. Both surveys will be
conducted double blinded. A paper survey will be handed out to the different Outdoor Recreation
classes. The same survey will be conducted electronically and privately through social media
websites to reach a variety of students at Northern Michigan University. The questionnaire will
be passed out to the ORLM classes the same week the survey will be available online. After the
one week period, the survey will close and the results will be ready for analysis.
Participants Selection
Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management students and faculty are the control group.
The survey will be given to (ORLM) students in class as a convenient sample, and the other
students can choose to participate online. Our research group selected participants who we knew
were likely to use the trail systems in the Marquette area for hiking and mountain biking.. ORLM
students and faculty tend to be outdoor enthusiasts so it is very likely the Outdoor Recreation
participants use most of the trails in Marquette frequently. To gain more information about trail
usage, preference, and awareness, the survey will also be available online for other students at
Northern Michigan University, which is the experimental group. Having two groups to evaluate
can help better determine the trail usage in the area.
Procedures

The data for this study is gathered by two different forms of the same survey. The first
form of the survey was passed out to Northern Michigan University Outdoor Recreation
Leadership Management students and faculty and the second form of the survey was shared
through social media and on Northern Michigan University social media pages.
When the survey will be administered to the Outdoor Recreation Leadership
Management (ORLM) students and faculty, a double blind technique will be used. The faculty
members will administer the survey without knowing any prior information about the survey or
why the survey is being conducted. Surveys were given over a two day period, (November 10th
and 11th, 2015), then collected the following day (November 12th). The online survey will be
available for one week for other Northern Michigan University students, and can choose to take
the survey when they have time.
The intention of the online survey posted to Northern Michigan University web pages
was to obtain more data because of the small population of Outdoor Recreation Leadership
Management students. Additionally, this will enable our research team to assess how well known
the different trail systems are at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan.
Instrument
For the purpose of brevity, the survey initially consisting of fifteen questions. Nine
questions were ultimately chosen, the idea being that we did not want to build a questionnaire
which would cause our participants to become complacent. This undesirable result could lead to
participants choosing answers at random without genuine consideration, thereby reducing the
validity of the research.
In building an effective survey, researchers confirmed the specific needs of our survey by
utilizing outside resources. The most important consideration when designing a survey is to

select those questions that will best help you achieve the goals established for your project
(Barr, 2005). This was important to keep in mind as we developed our survey questions,
maintaining a sense of continuity in line with the information sought on NTN trail usage. upon
further investigation of the literature, the research team confirmed that the developed survey was,
in fact, on the right track to effectively serve the needs of the research question.
Data Collection
Participants completed a single survey for this study. The data was gathered from two
different forms depending if they were part of the ORLM program who took a paper survey
compared to the non-ORLM students at Northern Michigan University who took the survey
online. The survey included to help determine which trails were used the most. To complete the
survey, participant were asked to answer a series of questions about their trail use and what
activity they do. Also what their experience level is for that activity. The participant were asked
to circle a range group or which one is most like me. Also the participants were asked to
answer the questions in a brief sentence or two. The object of the survey was to find which trails
are in higher use and how the other trails can be improved to increase the knowledge of those
trails that arent being used as much.
Handling of Data
Personal information of the participants remain anonymous to ensure the safety and
confidentiality of the participants in this study. The data was collected from the online surveys is
stored on a secure, password protected computer. The paper surveys submitted by the ORLM
program were shredded after data was collected
Analysis of Data

A breakdown of the information collected through the ORLM and online surveys have
been set against each other in order to assess similarities and differences in trail usage between
known outdoor recreation enthusiasts and the general population of the area in Marquette, MI.
This study utilized statistical analysis of the survey answers provided and were carefully
analyzed for outliers and validity within the range of answers.

Chapter IV
Results
A survey was conducted amongst Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management (ORLM)
students and faculty at Northern Michigan University (NMU). The same survey was also given
to other majors at NMU. The survey data will provide research that compares the trail usage in
Marquette, Michigan amongst Outdoor Recreation Majors and Faculty Members, with other
students at NMU. The types of recreational trail usage will be determined as well as what trail
routes the participants use most frequently. With research and evaluation, popular trails can be
determined which can help better manage high foot traffic trails and less favored trails can be
determined which can help to improve and promote the less popular trails, as well as find if
additional maintenance volunteers and better trail advertisement is needed throughout the
network.
Qualitative Data:
Four of the survey questions required Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management
students to participants to respond in short answer format. Forty people from the Outdoor
Recreation Leadership Management department participated in the study, and twenty-seven
students from other majors at Northern Michigan University participated in the study.
The 1st short answer question asks how participants heard about the trails available in the
Marquette area. 70% of ORLM students, and 81% of other students surveyed, heard of the
different trails through word of mouth and/or through friends. Many of the Outdoor Recreation
students also found trails through exploring, researching, and studying maps of the area. ORLM
participants listed Outdoor Recreation faculty as an outlet to discover trails in Marquette. Only

five Non Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management majors found trails through exploring. A
large portion of the Non ORLM students surveyed, found trails through social media and
brochures, in addition to word of mouth.
The 2nd short answer question asks if any trails in Marquette, MI are unfamiliar. The data
shown in the table below, represents the percentage of participants that specifically wrote which
trails were unfamiliar. (See Table 4.0) 22% of participants from non ORLM majors did not know
where any of the trails were located, and many participants were only aware of the Multi-Use
Path and Presque Isle Park. A total of nine participants chose not to answer the question. Very
few participants in both categories knew about all the trails available in Marquette, Michigan.
There were two non majors and seven majors aware of all the trails available in the area.
Short answer question 3 asks if participants would like to see more activities, or special
events on the trails. 59% of non ORLM majors chose to respond to the question. Out of those
who responded, 12% of participants suggested the trails need better publicity, a year round dog
park with a few trails, and beginner mountain biking classes. 12% of participants also did not
want to see any additional activities on the trails. However, one comment stated there should be
designated trails for activities. Other suggestions were to have biking and hiking activities that
connected students with other community members, to have holiday walks such as a haunted
walk, snowshoe races, and workshops where participants can try cross country skiing, or
snowshoeing.
52.5% of ORLM students and faculty stated more activities and special events should be
present on the trails. 8% would enjoy more cross country, or trail running races, and 8% would
like to see more mountain biking events, especially for women. Other ideas were trail awareness
day, open community hiking and road biking groups, guided waterfall hikes, obstacle courses,

live music, and bird and wildlife education. Out of all the participants, three answers were
inappropriate.
The final short answer question asked participants if any improvements should be made
to the trail systems in Marquette, Michigan. 75% of Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management
students and faculty answered the question. Out of that, fifty-three percent of participants stated
no improvements could be made. Out of the total participants 13% stated, the trails need better
signage, trailheads, and maps. Another 13% suggested the trails should be better maintained
throughout the seasons, and environmental impact to the trails should be reassessed. 6% agreed
upon a trash problem amongst the trails. 6% of participants noted more advertising of the
different trail systems should be present. One person stated there should be more camping
accessible off certain trails.
Fifty-five percent of other students at Northern Michigan University participated in the
final question. Twenty-six percent of students stated trails should be better advertised on campus,
and maps and brochures should be available for students. Another 26% of participants stated no
improvements could be made to the trail systems in Marquette, Michigan. Twenty percent
thought trash was an issue on the trails. Other ideas for trail improvements were benches and rest
areas, having a grill or fire area on different trails, and collaborating trail building or trail cleanup
workshops with Northern Michigan University students. Another student stated more
information or programs should be available about day hikes and overnights, specifically on the
North Country Trail.

Tables and Figures:

Table 4.0 Unfamiliar Trails in Marquette, MI
Noquemanon

The Fit

City Multi-Use

Presque Isle

Iron Ore

Trails

Strip

Path (Bike

Park Trails

Heritage

Path)
ORLM

35%

42%

12.5%

Other

Trail

0%

40%

Harlow Lake

Students and

Hogback Echo

faculty

Lake
Morgan Falls

Non ORLM

3%

10%

0%

0%

Majors

28%

Top of the World

(1)
Little Garlic (2)

ORLM Majors, Minors, and Faculty Results

Figure 4.1 Participants Responses to the Survey Questions

The figure 4.1 above, shows the quantitative results for ORLM students at NMU. A copy
of the survey questions can be found in Appendix A. Question 1 shows the relationship between
the students who bike, hike and do other activities on the trials. The bikers are in light blue, the
hikers are in orange and the other category is colored gray. Question 2 shows the amount of
times that our participants use the different trail systems. The light blue is 0-3 times, orange is 47 times, gray is 8-15 times, and yellow is for 16+ times per month. Question 3 discusses which
trails the participants used. The Noquemanon North Trail is light blue, the Noquemanon South
trail is orange, the Fit Strip is gray, the City of Multi-Use Path is yellow, the Presque Isle Park
Trails are blue, the Iron Ore Heritage Trail is green, the North Country trail is dark blue, and the
other trials that are used are dark orange. Question 4 asks the participants level of experience for
mountain biking. If the participant does not montain bike, they are in light blue. Orange
represents beginner skill level, gray is intermediate, expert is shown in yellow, and semiprofessional is blue. Since there are no professional mountain bikers, there is no data shown for
the professional category. Question 5 asks how often Northern Michigan University Outdoor
Recreation Leadership Management students think fellow Outdoor Recreation Leadership

Management students use the trails. The light blue is for 0 to 3 times, orange is for 4 to 7 times,
gray is for 8 to 15 times, and the blue is for 16 or more times a month they think their fellow
Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management classmates use the trails.
Figure 4.2 Which activities do you partake on the trails in the Marquette area?

Figure 4.2 shows the relationship between Mountain Bikers, Hikers and the other uses for the
trails in the Marquette, Michigan area that the students in the ORLM students at NMU partake.

Figure 4.3

Figure 4.3 show the comparison of how many times each ORLM student at NMU uses the trail
systems per month.

Figure 4.4 Which trails system do you use most frequently? If you use multiple trails,
number them with 1 being the most used.

Figure 4.5 How would you rate your level of mountain biking experience?

Figure 4.5 shows the level of mountain biking experience for each participant that completed
this survey question.

Figure 4.6 How often do you think other Outdoor Recreation students use the trails each
month.

Figure 4.6 shows how often ORLM students at NMU think other Outdoor Recreation students at
NMU use trail systems around the Marquette area.

Non ORLM Majors Results

Figure 4.7 Which activities do you partake on the trails in the Marquette area?

Figure 4.7 shows the relationship between Mountain Bikers, hikers and the other uses for the
trails in the Marquette, Michigan area that the students in the non-Outdoor Recreation
Leadership Management students at NMU partake in.

Figure 4.8 How frequent do you use the trails per month?

Figure 4.8 shows the comparison of how many times each non-Outdoor Recreation Leadership
Management student at NMU uses the trail systems per month.

Table 4.9 Rank which trail system in Marquette you use most frequently

Table 4.9

Figure 5.0 How would you rate your level of mountain biking experience?

Figure 5.0 above, shows the level of mountain biking experience for each non- Outdoor
Recreation Leadership Management participant that completed this survey question

Table 5.1 How Often do you think your peers use the trail systems each month?

Table 5.1

Figure 5.1 and Table 5.1 show how often non-Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management
students at Northern Michigan University think other non-Outdoor Recreation Leadership
Management students at NMU University use trail systems around the Marquette area.

Chapter V
Discussion
Summary of Study
The study provided research comparing the trail usage in Marquette, Michigan amongst
Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management Majors and Faculty Members compared to NonOutdoor Recreation Leadership Management Majors. The purpose of the study is to gain
knowledge of the trail network through the assessment of trail usage by known outdoor
enthusiasts (ORLM Department), compared to other students at Northern Michigan University to
gain a variety of demographics of Marquette citizens/temporary residents affiliated with the
University. By collecting this information, the trail systems can be assessed to find if any
improvements to the trails could be made, and if trail awareness should be improved. The types
of recreational activities trail users partake will be determined as well as what trail routes the
participants use most frequently. With research and evaluation, popular trails can be determined
which can help better manage high foot traffic trails and less favored trails can be determined
which can help to improve and promote the less popular trails.
Discussion of Findings
Based on survey data, more Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management (ORLM)
students partake in hiking more than mountain biking and other activities on the trails systems in
Marquette, Michigan. The most frequent number of times the ORLM students used the trails
were 7-15 times a month, while the results showed that the remaining seventeen ORLM students
thought that their fellow students used the trails 4-7 times a month. Thirteen ORLM students
thought that their fellow OLRM students used the trails 8-15 times a month. The data also shows
the variation in trails used by ORLM survey participants during the month, as observed by the

results to Question 3 of the survey, found in Appendix A. The significance to the research is in
the information gained- the variety of trails used by each participant along with which trails are
the most, and least, popular in the area. Of those listed in our survey, the most popular trails are
the City Multi-Use Path, the Presque Isle Park Trails and the North Country Trail. The least
popular trails are the Fit Strip and the Iron Ore Heritage Trail.
From the data, more non-Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management students partake
in hiking than mountain biking and doing other activities on the trail systems in Marquette,
Michigan. The most frequent number of times the non-Outdoor Recreation Leadership
Management students used the trails were 0 to 3 times a month. 15 students thought that their
peers would use the trails 4 to 7 times a month and six students thought that their fellow students
would use the trails 8 to 15 times a month. The non-Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management
students used different trails throughout the month because participants used multiple trails on
question three on the survey which is located in Appendix A. This is significant because this
shows that the participants are using multiple trails throughout the month and which trails are the
more popular and the least popular trails in the area. The most popular trails are what the
participants number one the City Multi-Use Path, the Presque Isle Park Trails and the North
Country Trail. The least popular trails are what the participant numbered as seven is the Iron Ore
Heritage Trail.
Control Group Comparison
The control group in this study were the participants from the Outdoor Recreation
Leadership Management major and other ORLM personnel, in comparison with the general
population, the experimental group. It was interesting to see the difference and similarities
between the groups. It shows that the majority of Outdoor Recreation students like to stay active

by being outdoors. The statistics showed that Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management
students liked to hike most on the trails around the Marquette area. The students use the trails in
the Marquette area around 8-15 times per month. The most commonly used trail in the Marquette
area is the Presque Isle Park Trails. When asked to rate their mountain biking experience level,
the majority of students considered themselves at a Beginner level. The Outdoor Recreation
Leadership Management students think that other Outdoor Recreation majors use the trails 8-15
times per month.
The Non-Outdoor Recreation students also enjoyed hiking the most on Marquette area
trails. These students use the trails around the Marquette area 0-3 time per month. When asked
what trail system was used most in the Marquette area, Presque Isle Park Trails was reported as
the the most frequented. When asked to rate their personal level of mountain biking experience,
the majority of the students gave an answer of intermediate. The students think that their peers
use the trails in the Marquette area around 4-7 times per month.
Implications:
This study is legitimate because it gives an insight into how the trials are being used, as
well as which trails are used most. Also, data from this study shows which trail are used for
different types of activities. By using the ORLM students as the control the research group was
able to compare it to the non ORLM students which was the independent variable. The research
group was able to determine the similarities and differences between them and this is important
because the researchers can determine which trails the majority of the participants used. Also
what the majority of the participants liked to do on the trails.
There were a couple of issues that the research group came across, the first being a
restricted amount of time to collect data. Another was ensuring that participant gave honest

answers to the survey question- and that all survey questions were answered. Researchers also
felt that some of the survey questions could be refined. One of these questions asked which trails
are most frequently used and for each participant to rate their usage numerically.
Recommendations for Further Research:
Researching the trail systems in the Marquette area posed many ideas to improve the trail
systems. When analyzing survey results, many Non-ORLM students were interested in
participating in outdoor recreation activities and integrating opportunities amongst all students,
and community members, not just through the Outdoor Recreation department. Many Northern
Michigan University students seemed to have an interest in hiking or utilizing the different trail
systems in Marquette, but were unaware of the opportunities around due to poor locations of
signage, and lack of promotion. Northern Michigan University should work with the Outdoor
Recreation department, and community organizations to better promote the trails, provide events,
and activities. Research on improving signage and implementing activities for Northern
Michigan Students should be assessed.
The research process posed a few implications. When analyzing survey questionnaire
results, each question participants were asked seemed to evoke further questioning or research.
More questions should have been added to the survey, and the wording of the questions should
have been narrowed in order to gain appropriate and useful information.
With an increase in mountain biker participants, and a growing rate of tourism in
Michigan, the trail systems must be maintained in order to reduce impact and preserve the trails
for future generations. Further research on trail maintenance is recommended. IMBA provides a
standard, for building and maintaining trail systems, which can be acquired through, IMBA Trail

Solutions. Another outlet for trail building is through the National Park Service. NPS compiled a
trail building manual available online for public use.
Concluding Comments
The time frame of the study made studying mountain biking and hiking trails difficult.
The timing of the fall season posed problems because trail usage decreased once the weather
started getting colder. If the survey and research of this study was issued in the summer or during
warm fall months, physically getting out to the different trailheads to ask trail users questions, or
hand out a website link to the survey, would have generated more results. It was surprising that
people were unaware of the Iron Ore Heritage Trail.
-Brian Polston
It was an interesting discovery to find many participants were unaware of the
Noquemanon Trail Network, which is the most recognizable trail system in the Marquette area.
Many people know the trails, but do not know the exact name of the trail. When Analyzing
results, more information needed to be required to gain better assumptions and connections
between students and trail usage. When participants were asked to rank the trails used most
frequently, the reasoning behind the frequent usage was left unanswered. The survey should have
also addressed why certain trails are prefered by the participant, such as trail features, attractions,
terrain, seclusion of trail, etc. Conducting research on mountain bike trails in Marquette was
intriguing because I spent the summer building mountain biking and hiking trails throughout the
Upper Peninsula through the Great Lakes Conservation Corps. I would like to propose the
research and data collected in the future to help improve the Marquette area trail systems, and
work with Northern Michigan University to integrate and enhance outdoor recreation
opportunities for students.

- Natalie Kretlow
I have really enjoy constructing our research article. It turned out pretty well, there is
some room for improvements though. Some of our question could have been worded differently,
or more clearly stated to help us get better results. I enjoyed our research topic though it fit right
into our Outdoor Recreation Leadership Management major. Mountain biking has been growing
in popularity as a recreation activity and sport, especially here in Marquette.
-Joey Krupp
Moving into the colder months, our initial research question (based on trail erosion)
would have been difficult to study. The question of trail usage, I think, was also impacted by the
time of year. If this survey had been given to students toward the end of September or early
October, it is my opinion that there would have been a higher number of responses, with higher
levels of trail usage for varying activities, especially by non-ORLM students. If that were the
case, it nullifies the idea that when participants took the survey, they were considering personal
year-round trail use when answering survey questions.
-Chris Peterson

Appendix
A. Survey Questions
1. Which activities do you partake on the trails in the Marquette Area?
a. bike
b. hike
c. other _____________________
2. How frequent do you use the trails per month?
a. 0-3 times
b. 4-7 times
c. 8-15 times
d. 16 or more
3. Which trail systems do you use most frequently? If you use multiple trails,
number them with 1 being the most used.
a. Noquemanon North Trails
b. Noquemanon South Trails
c. The Fit Strip
d. City Multi-Use Path (Bike Path)
e. Presque Isle Park Trails
f. Iron Ore Heritage Trail
g. North Country Trail
h. Other____________________
4. How would you rate your level of mountain biking experience?
a. Do not mountain bike
b. Beginner
c. Intermediate
d. Expert
e. Semi Pro
f. Pro
5. How often do you think other outdoor rec students use the trail each month?
a. 0-3
b. 4-7
c. 8-15
d. 16+
6. How did you find out about the different hiking and biking trails available in
Marquette?
7. Are there any trails in Marquette that you are aware of, but unfamiliar with,
and their trailhead loc?
8. Are there any activities or special events you would like to see at the trails?
9. Are there any improvements that could be made to the trail systems in
Marquette?

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