Environmental Consequences

<< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >>

IMPACTS OF IMPLEMENTING ALTERNATIVE 3

VISITOR USE

Diversity of Recreational Opportunity

Under alternative 3 visitors would experience the entire range of visitor experiences through recreational opportunities and educational programs. Scenic driving, front and back country hiking, camping, and picnicking, nature viewing, and boat tours would be available to a greater diversity of user groups. Visitor use would be dispersed in an expanded front country and park visitors would find increased opportunities for high- quality recreation activities and experiences. Additional hiking and picnicking opportunities would be developed in frontcountry areas along the park’s road system and new hiking and biking opportunities would be available along East Rim Drive between Cleetwood Cove and Kerr Notch. More park facilities would be open to use enabling visitors to experience the park’s cultural resources in their rustic setting. Additional backcountry trails and camping opportunities would be explored. Winter access to Rim Village and winter activities including snow camping, cross- country skiing, and snowshoeing would continue as would snowmobile access along the North Entrance Road to North Junction. Use of snowcoach access would be encouraged on the North Entrance Road. Motorized recreational opportunities would be available along Grayback Drive. Because the change in the diversity of visitor experience would be highly noticeable, exceptionally beneficial, and would affect relatively large numbers of visitors, alternative 3 would have a major, beneficial impact on the diversity of visitor opportunity.

Visitor Access and Circulation

Under alternative 3 motorized accessibility would change with the closure of one lane of Rim Drive between Cleetwood Cove and Kerr Notch to vehicular traffic. Rim Drive would accommodate one- way traffic between these points. Road access to Rim Village during the winter would be maintained. Traffic congestion during the summer season, particularly along Rim Drive, would be managed by improving existing pullouts, parking areas, overlooks and by the addition of a transportation shuttles. A feasibility analysis would determine whether the shuttle would be a concession, Park Service operated, or a service contract. These rider- optional shuttles would operate between Rim Village and Cleetwood Cove and between Mazama Village and Rim Village. At peak visitor periods, interpretive and educational information and orientation to the park would be provided for shuttle riders. Other roads in the park, including Grayback Drive, would remain accessible for motorized travel. Loss of two- way motorized access to East Rim Drive would be readily apparent, but would inconvenience a relatively small number of visitors desiring to travel in both directions along East Rim Drive between Cleetwood Cove and Kerr Notch, resulting in negligible to minor, long- term, adverse impacts to the motorized visitor experience of the park.

Relative to the no- action alternative there would be no change in winter access to the park. Visitors would continue to have private vehicle access to Rim Village in the winter, and snowmobile access would continue on the North Entrance Road. Snowcoach use would also be encouraged on the North Entrance Road. No change in winter access would result in no to negligible impacts to winter vehicular access to the park.

Access to trailheads and opportunities for day hikes on front country trails along the park’s road system would be expanded. New trails would be developed in localized front country areas along the park’s road system. These trails would be located to introduce visitors to a diverse range of ecosystems and terrain and to accommodate ability and experience levels. In addition, one- lane of Rim Drive between Cleetwood Cove and Kerr Notch would be closed to private vehicles to offer new opportunities for nonmotorized activities. Closure of sections of East Rim Drive would improve front country caldera rim hiking opportunities. There would be an associated and detectable change in visitor safety resulting from multiple use of East Rim Drive between Cleetwood Cove and Kerr Notch where the roadway would be shared by vehicles, hikers, and bicyclists. Overall, improvements to existing frontcountry hiking trails and development of new frontcountry trails would result in greater trail accessibility, and visitor surveys indicate that short trails are important to most visitors.

Because frontcountry trail access would be expanded, there would be detectable changes in visitor hiking and biking experiences. These changes would affect a relatively large number of visitors but would be localized in areas, resulting in minor, beneficial impacts to visitor experience of trails accessibility. Overall changes in visitor access and circulation would be readily apparent and would affect a relatively large number of visitors, resulting in a moderate, beneficial impact on visitor access and circulation.

Education and Orientation

Relative to the no- action alternative, alternative 3 would result in changes in the availability and focus of interpretive and educational information and education programs. Education and interpretation would focus on minimizing impacts, leaving no trace, and acquisition of skills for outdoor recreation. Educational programs would be in suites to provide appropriate levels of education and interpretation for a variety of groups. Some orientation and education efforts could occur offsite in local hotels and/or on tours to prepare visitors for and foster stewardship to groups on their way to and within the park. Interpretive programs would stress the natural and cultural resources of the park in a regional recreational setting. Many interpretive opportunities at the park would be selfdirected or self- serve and contact with park interpretive staff would necessitate visitors stopping at Visitor Information Building or at Rim Village. Changes in interpretive programs would be detectable and would affect a relatively large number of visitors resulting in moderate, longterm, adverse impacts on visitor opportunities to participate in interpretive programs.

Visitor Facilities and Services

Opportunities for visitors to access and use park facilities and services would increase. New and expanded uses of park facilities would open some park buildings and structures for visitor use and enjoyment. Visitors would gain opportunities to enjoy a hiking or biking experience on East Rim Drive. Grayback Drive would continue to provide motorized opportunities year- round. These changes in visitor experience of park facilities would be highly noticeable and would affect a relatively large numbers of visitors, resulting in a major beneficial impact on visitor experience of park facilities and structures.

Soundscapes and Scenic Quality

Development of frontcountry trails would occur along the park’s transportation, corridor resulting in detectable changes to the natural sound environment in these areas which would result in minor, longterm, adverse impacts to soundscapes at park trailheads.

Relative to the no- action alternative, there would be no change in views of the lake. Scenic views from the caldera rim would continue to be shared with vehicular traffic. There would be small but detectable changes in visitor ability to enjoy scenic views of the park’s natural and cultural resources. Increases in frontcountry areas along the park’s transportation corridors would open more frontcountry opportunities for visitors to enjoy scenic views. This change would affect a relatively small number of visitors and be localized in nature, resulting in minor, long- term beneficial impacts to opportunities to enjoy scenic views in the park.

Cumulative Impacts. Past and ongoing projects, including development of frontcountry trails, reconfiguration of Rim Village, and adaptive use of historic structures in Munson Valley and Rim Village have long- term, major, beneficial impacts on the visitor experience. Past actions, such as the completion of the Cleetwood Trail and the development of the Castle Crest and Godfrey Glen Trails, have increased visitor access to front country trails. Reconfiguration of Rim Village would change the way visitors access views of the lake at Rim Village. A walk along the promenade would be possible without having to compete with vehicular traffic. Opportunities to participate in interpretive programs would expand with the use of historic structures at Munson Valley, and a year- round visitor contact station at the rim that would enable winter views of the lake for people of all abilities. Overall these projects have the potential to increase the diversity of visitor experience, enhance the range of interpretative programs, expand access to park facilities, and improve the quality of visitor experience values such as sounds of nature and scenic views. The impacts of the above other actions, when combined with the impacts of the noaction alternative would result in an overall major, long- term beneficial impact. Alternative 3 would contribute a moderate to major beneficial increment to cumulative impacts to visitor experience, because alternative 3 would increase and expand existing visitor opportunities. Alternative 3 would also contribute minor to moderate, long- term adverse increment to cumulative impacts due to a reduction in the range of interpretive programs and impacts on soundscapes at some park trailheads.

Conclusion. Alternative 3 would have a major beneficial impact on the diversity of the visitor experience. Under alternative 3 visitors would experience minor, longterm, adverse impacts on vehicular access with the closure of East Rim Drive to twoway traffic, but would gain minor, longterm, beneficial impacts with frontcountry trails accessibility. Because interpretative programs would primarily focus on “leave no trace” ethics and there would be less emphasis on educational programs, there would be a reduction in the range of interpretive programs, resulting in moderate, long- term, adverse impacts to visitor enjoyment of interpretive programs. Access to park facilities and services would increase, resulting in a major beneficial impact to visitor’s enjoyment of park facilities. There would be minor long term adverse impacts to visitors’ perceptions of soundscapes. Opportunities for visitors to enjoy scenic views would be expanded resulting in minor beneficial impacts to scenic viewing opportunities.

Cumulative actions in conjunction with alternative 3 would have an overall major long- term beneficial impact. Alternative 3 would contribute a moderate beneficial increment to cumulative impacts to visitor experience, because alternative 3 would increase and expanding existing visitor opportunities. Alternative 3 would also contribute minor to a moderate, longterm, adverse increment to cumulative impacts due to a reduction in the range of interpretive programs and impacts on soundscapes at some park trailheads.