The comparison to other regions of the Sierra Nevada highlights the unique nature of the East Side economy. While it agriculture and mining have a much smaller role now than they did in previous decades, they still represent a significant component of employment. Its travel or recreation economy represents a larger share of employment for all regions except the Tahoe Basin. Two different approaches to assessing the interaction between recreation and the biological diversity are to analyze where people recreate and what types of businesses are supported by people travelling to and from their recreational opportunities. It is clear from the use statistics that people come to the Eastern Sierra Nevada for a wide variety of recreational experiences.
Most people probably drive or walk a short distance for their recreational experiences.
Wilderness and all terrain vehicle use account for a small fraction of total recreation. Timothy P. Duane. While most land is federally owned, most of the employment related to recreation and tourism is generated through private businesses on private land or through concessionaires. The small size of the economies in the Mono and Inyo counties limit the level of detail available for recreation businesses and employment relative to larger metropolitan areas. Statewide analyses suggest that approximately two thirds of the overall business activity of these firms are related to visitors and one third is related to local residents.