VISITOR USE SUMMARY DATA - 2015

RED ROCK RANGER DISTRICT, COCONINO NATIONAL FOREST

Prepared by Laura Koller, USFS Forestry Technician, January 2016

Key Findings:

2015 Statistics:

 Total visitors: 2,840,610

 Visitor center: 258,627

 Heritage sites: 63,872

 Oak Creek Vista: 95,720

 Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River: 86,333

 Concessionaire campgrounds and day use sites: 300,525 (Day Use: 253594, Camping: 46931)

 Outfitter and Guide Special uses: 307,819

 Trail use: 1,727,714

Key Comparisons:

 Visitor use on the district has tripled in the last 10 years.

 Visitor Center use peaked in 2010, but the steady increase in visitors since 2013 is continuing through 2015.

 Visitation at the heritage sites is steadily increasing. However, Palatki visitation peaked in 2010 and has been 

steadily decreasing in the past 5 years.

 Trail use represents the majority of use and is steadily increasing. 

Observations and recommendations:

 A road counter placed at Oak Creek Vista could provide more complete visitor usage data for that location.

 Recreation use of the dispersed areas of the District is not included in this analysis. There are no methods 

currently in place for collection of this data. 

 Concessionaire (Recreation Resource Management) visitor use was affected by: Pine Flats closing for renovation 

in 2010, Banjo Bill, Encinoso, Halfway and Bootlegger sites removed from permit in 2010, and the Slide Fire in 

2014. A portion of Pine Flats east remains closed due to rock fall hazard.

 Top 5 Most Used Trails: Bell Rock Pathway, Cathedral Rock, West Fork, Devil’s Bridge, and Broken Arrow.

 An electronic trail counter placed on the Fossil Springs Trail would improve data collection for that important 

area. 

 Outfitter and Guide visitor data collection is dependent on permittee self-reporting and is likely an undercount. 

Methodology:

Visitor Center: An automatic counter is positioned at the entrance door of the visitor center and records a daily count. A 

formula is applied to deduct the cleaning crew and people exiting through the entrance door. 2006 data is not available.

Heritage Sites: Palatki, V bar V, and Honanki. Data for Palatki and V bar V is generated from Fee Site Monthly Reports. 

Honanki data is generated from the “self-guided individuals” monthly report tabulated by Pink Jeep Tours. Visitors are 

counted upon passing the trailhead booth. The Pink Jeep Tours are not included in the count, but are factored in under 

the Outfitter Guide counts.
Oak Creek Vista: A hand counter is used to tally the number of visitors entering the ANHA/Visitor Information building. 

The building is staffed 7 days/week high season (generally April – Sept); 2 days/week low season (Oct – March). Visitors 

who are counted at the building are estimated by local employees to be no more than 1⁄4 of total use at the Vista site. No 

data is available for 2006-2007. Monthly counts were multiplied by 4 to arrive at a number that better reflects the real 

use of the site. 

Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic Rivers: Visitor use data, including numbers of visitors and numbers of vehicles, was 

collected along FR502 and FR708 by recreation technicians on patrol. Data was taken from a separate report compiled 

by the District, Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River – 2015 Visitor Use Data Summary.

Concessionaire (Recreation Resource Management) Sites: Recreation Resource Management provides USFS with 

monthly visitation reports based on fees collected. Since data from December 2015 is incomplete, December 2014 data 

was used as a proxy for the 2015 total. Sites include: Banjo Bill, Encinoso, Halfway and Bootlegger picnic sites (until 

2010), Beaver Creek, Call of the Canyon, Cave Springs, Chavez Group, Clear Creek, Crescent moon, Grasshopper, 

Manzanita, Pine Flats, and Indian Gardens Visitor Center.

Outfitter and Guide Special Uses: Permitees submit quarterly visitor reports. Because these reports are not a 

requirement, timely submission has been an issue. 2014 data has been used for this report. In 2006-2010, some uses 

did not require permits. 

Trails: Between 2006 and 2013, trail registers have been in place at 28 trailheads in order for visitors to voluntarily log in. 

This data was collected and analyzed into an annual report. In 2013, several trail registers were removed, and more 

were removed in 2014. In 2015, electronic counters were installed on 6 trails to gather direct data: Bell Rock Pathway, 

Broken Arrow, Cathedral Rock, Devil’s Bridge, Fay Canyon, and West Fork. In order to complete a full analysis of all 

trails, both direct and proxy data was used. Each trail was designated as low, moderate or high use. Using trail register 

data collected from 2013 and 2014, an average was calculated for each usage level. Several representative trails were 

selected for each use level. Trails used for the low proxy: Dogie, Loy, Secret Canyon, Woods Canyon. Trails used for the 

moderate proxy: Aerie, Bear Mountain, Cockscomb, Bull Pen, Long Canyon, Sycamore Canyon, Vultee Arch, and Wilson 

Mountain. Trails used for the high proxy: Adobe Jack, Broken Arrow, Chuckwagon, Devil’s Bridge, Doe Mountain, Fay 

Canyon, Fossil Creek, Little Horse, Mescal, and Soldiers Pass. The use for each of these trails was averaged to create a 

use figure for each use level. That average number was assigned to each trail for which there was no data. The Bell Rock 

Pathway, Boynton, Cathedral Rock, and West Fork trails were not used in the high usage proxy calculation since these 

trails have very unusually high usage.

Data Summary:

This report focuses on National Forest visitor use associated with: visitor centers, heritage sites, sites managed by 

Recreation Resource Management, Outfitter Guide Special Uses, and trails. Dispersed recreation use has not been 

included in this study.

Overall, the district has seen the total number of visitors triple in the last ten years with a total of over 2.8 million visitors

in 2015. The majority of usage is on the trail system which accommodates 61% of the visitation on the district.
Red Rock Ranger District - Annual Visitation Data 2006-2015

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Visitor 

center 57572 103148 277582 300310 237100 246454 223865 249162 258627

Heritage 

sites 43376 49397 51364 55255 60161 58933 59489 56662 62273 63872

Oak Creek 

Vista 152576 146616 136756 117312 129848 137072 77732 95720

Fossil Creek 

Wild & 

Scenic 

Rivers 86333

RRM sites 305503 273956 320940 283957 302547 328050 358987 308710 260817 300525

Special 

Uses 224067 287524 291637 307819 307819

Trails 401621 486592 514645 424506 467199 522839 629945 714481 522059 1727714

Total 750500 867517 1142673 1187916 1266973 1488301 1712247 1732427 1479862 2840610

2015 RRM: Day Use - 253594 Camping - 46931

* Data does not include dispersed recreation.

750500

867517

1142673 1187916 1266973

1488301

1712247 1732427

1479862

2840610

0

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

3000000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Visitors

Year

Red Rock Ranger District Visitation Total 2006-2015
The five most used trails are: Bell Rock Pathway, Cathedral Rock, West Fork, Devil’s Bridge, and Broken Arrow. These 

trails represent 36% of the total trail usage.

Visitor center

9%

Heritage sites

2%

Oak Creek Vista

3%

Fossil Creek Wild & 

Scenic Rivers

3%

RRM sites

11%

Special Uses

11%

Trails

61%

2015 Red Rock Ranger District Visitor Usage

Bell Rock Pathway, 

188866

Broken Arrow, 

74536

Cathedral Rock, 138028

Devil's Bridge, 78487

West Fork, 137726

2015 Red Rock Ranger District Top 5 Trails
Non-wilderness trails were accessed by 1,118,728 users, while Wilderness trails saw 608,986 visitors.

Top 5

36%

All others

64%

2015 Red Rock Ranger District Trail Usage

Wilderness Trails

35%

Non-wilderness Trails

65%

Red Rock Ranger District 

Wilderness vs. Non-wilderness Trail Usage 2015
In 2006, 28 trail registers were in place across the district. In 2013 and continuing into 2014, many trail registers were 

removed. In 2015, 6 electronic trail counters were installed. The large increase seen in 2015 is due to a more complete 

analysis of all Sedona area trails using both direct counts and proxy data based on trailhead registration box data. A 

decrease in trail usage is seen in 2014 due to trail closures associated with the Slide Fire in Oak Creek Canyon and the 

removal of trail register boxes and no use of proxy data.

The Red Rock Outfitter Guide program issues special use permits for commercial and large groups. At the time of this 

study, the 2015 data was incomplete. Special Uses peaked in 2014 at 307,819 visitors, and it is speculated that the 2015 

data will report approximately the same, if not more, usage.

401621

486592 514645

424506 467199 522839

629945

714481

522059

1727714

0

200000

400000

600000

800000

1000000

1200000

1400000

1600000

1800000

2000000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Visitors

Year

Red Rock Ranger District Trail Usage 2006-2015

224067

287524 291637

307819 307819

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Visitors

Year

Red Rock Ranger District Special Uses 2011-2015
Recreation Resource Management (RRM) operates several sites on the district. RRM site usage peaked in 2012. In 2010 

four fee sites were removed from the RRM permit area (Encinoso, Bootlegger, Banjo Bill and Halfway picnic sites) and 

added to the Red Rock Pass Fee Program. In 2010, Pine Flats was closed for construction. In 2014, many RRM sites in 

Oak Creek Canyon were closed due to the Slide Fire. In 2015, of the 300,525 users, 253,594 people were day use 

visitors, and 46,931 visitors were camping.

The Red Rock Ranger District visitor center provides vital visitor information and interpretative services for the public. 

Usage peaked in 2010 at 300,310 visitors.

305503

273956

320940

283957

302547

328050

358987

308710

260817

300525

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

400000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Visitors

Year

Red Rock Ranger District RRM Site Usage 2006-2015

57572

103148

277582

300310

237100 246454

223865

249162 258627

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Visitors

Year

Red Rock Ranger District Visitor Center Usage 2007-2015
Red Rock Country is rich in Native American culture and history. Numerous ruins and archaeology sites are protected on 

the district, including Palatki, V bar V, and Honanki. In 2015, visitation to these heritage sites peaked at 63,872 people. 

Although the overall usage at the heritage sites is increasing, Palatki has been showing a leveling of visitation since 2012.

This may be partly due to the setting of a visitor capacity and reservation system. 

43376

49397 51364

55255

60161 58933 59489

56662

62273 63872

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Visitors

Year

Red Rock Ranger District Heritage Site Usage 2006-2015

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Visitors

Year

Red Rock Ranger District Heritage Site Usage 2006-2015

V-V

Palatki

Honanki

Total
The Oak Creek Vista provides visitors a place for information, a scenic view, and a Native American Marketplace. In 

2008, usage peaked at 152,576. In 2014, the Slide Fire forced closure of 89A and deterred visitors to the area. Because 

only people entering the information center are currently counted, a road counter is recommended for this popular site.

152576 146616

136756

117312

129848

137072

77732

95720

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

180000

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Visitors

Year

Red Rock Ranger District 

Oak Creek Vista Usage 2008-2015