Tetons are calling and we must go: Visitor use and experience at String and Leigh Lakes, The

The mission of the National Park Service is to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. To meet this dual mandate, park managers seek to better understand the intricacies of both the natural and social systems of our public lands. Grand Teton National Park supports science-based decision-making by promoting research of visitor experience and use, as well as recreation-related resource impacts. The focus of this presentation is to discuss the role of ecological and social science research in our national parks. In particular, we will discuss an ongoing collaborative study at String and Leigh Lakes, which provides an example of how park managers continue to strive toward understanding how visitors are interfacing with the natural world.