The Huckleberry Trail
Heritage Park & Trail System
2000 Users Survey: Attributes
Unlike other categories in this survey which allow for one or two controlled
responses, the information concerning what users most enjoy about the trail
are taken directly from their written comments. In most cases, respondents cited
more than one contributing factor to their enjoyment. The written comments were
sorted into ten categories:
- Nature (includes terms such as scenic, woods, wildflowers,
scenery, fresh air, undisturbed, undeveloped, and natural)
- Meeting People (includes community meeting place, meeting
place, place to meet)
- Family (Family-oriented, family activities, family recreation,
family-fun, good for families)
- Recreation
- Safety (includes lack of motorized vehicles, lack of
traffic)
- Alternative Transportation (commuting to work or school)
- Clean
- Quiet (includes terms such as serene, peaceful, quiet)
- Accessible
- Amenities (benches, paved trail, mile markers)
Overwhelmingly, Huckleberry Trail users (93, representing 65% of users) sited
nature either through direct reference or inference (scenery or outdoors) as
an important contributing factor to their enjoyment of the trail facilities
(Figure 7.1). Interestingly enough, 30 of those interviewed also cited quiet
or peacefulness as an additional contributing feature, although not all who
mentioned nature also mentioned the quiet. In what could be considered an ironic
statement given the presence of a former industrial site along the trail, one
respondent noted that “it is nice to have a place you can go that hasn’t
been too damaged by society.” Another noted that the Huckleberry Trail
provides a “safe, beautiful area for recreation; an exercise path into
regional terrain.” A third respondent wrote that the trail “gives
us somewhere that is relatively natural near town.” Finally, a fourth respondent
wrote that she felt that “its important to have areas where people can
exercise and get into nature conveniently...so often, people are stuck in cars
or at work and don’t have time to go 1/2 hour away to hike or something.”
The next single largest response dealt with safety, although not in terms
of police patrols. 49 of the 142 responses (representing 34.5% of the trail
users surveyed) indicated that the lack of motorized vehicles greatly contributed
both to their peace of mind and their enjoyment of the trail. One respondent
wrote that he appreciated “being able to exercise and relax without having
to worry about traffic.” Another noted that the trail was a “great
way to travel without traffic and enjoy a fun family activity.” A third
user wrote that “we can ride bike or walk in a pleasant environment with
no cars...every urban area should have a trail like the Huckleberry.”
The third largest response was geared towards recreation, most notably biking,
walking, and jogging, as well as general and community health and welfare. Thirty-nine
people (representing 27.5%) cited the health and recreational benefits of the
trail as a plus. As one respondent wrote, “people need a place to walk,
run, bike, walk dogs, and basically enjoy outdoors.” A second user noted
that while she “would run on roads if [she] had to, but wouldn’t dream
of it since there is the path. However if the path didn’t exist or wasn’t
convenient...a lot of people would use it as an excuse not to exercise, particularly
families and older folks.” Finally, one woman noted that “getting
exercise is almost like a daily vitamin for me...I feel much more positive after
exercising...When I ‘use’ the trail, my experience is even better
because of the many positive aspects (quiet, safety, beauty, scenic variety).”
The fourth largest response dealt with trail amenities, although
this category, in fact, functions as a catchall for physical trail features.
Amenities included pavement, benches, the railroad trestle (for counting railroad
cars), mile-markers, and the gentle slopes. Of the 142 respondents, 33 (23.2%)
cited some specific aspect of the trail facilities as being important to their
enjoyment of trail.
The remaining categories accounted for fewer than 20 responses
each, but each also underscores the Huckleberry Trail to Montgomery County,
Blacksburg, and Christiansburg, especially in light of those responses which
highlighted the value of the trail to individuals, families, and the community
at large. Of those responding, 11.3% described the trail as a good place to
meet people, and 6.3% characterized the trail as “family-oriented”
activity.
Interestingly enough, when the same results were examined by including
the question concerning the trail’s impact on quality of life, there were
some significant differences and significant similarities between those who
thought the trail was very important and those who thought the trail was somewhat
important to the quality of life in Montgomery County, Blacksburg, and Christiansburg.
For example, while both groups thought that nature was the most important feature
of the Huckleberry Trail, there was a 20 point difference in their response
rate (80% of those who defined the trail as very important, as compared to 60%
of those who defined the trail as somewhat important). A similar point spread
was found in both the “Quiet” and the “Safety” categories.
In almost every category, there was a significant point difference between the
two groups, with the exception of access, meeting people, and trail amenities.
Given that the majority of those who defined the trail as “somewhat important
to the quality of life” are charac-terized, primarily, as students between
the ages of 18 and 29 or are from outside of the three jurisdictions, the lack
of emphasis on either family-oriented activities or alternative transportation
routes is not particularly surprising. Nor is it surprising that the same group
put a much greater emphasis on trail access given the close proximity of the
Huckleberry Trail to Virginia Tech student housing.
There were some significant differences and significant similarities
between those who thought the trail was very important and those who thought
the trail was somewhat important to the quality of life in Montgomery County,
Blacksburg, and Christiansburg. For example, while both groups thought that
nature was the most important feature of the Huckleberry Trail, there was a
20 point difference in their response rate (80% of those who defined the trail
as very important, as compared to 60% of those who defined the trail as somewhat
important). A similar point spread was found in both the “Quiet” and
the “Safety” categories. In almost every category, there was a significant
point difference between the two groups, with the exception of access, meeting
people, and trail amenities. Given that the majority of those who defined the
trail as “somewhat important to the quality of life” are charac-terized,
primarily, as students between the ages of 18 and 29 or are from outside of
the three jurisdictions, the lack of emphasis on either family-oriented activities
or alternative transportation routes is not particularly surprising. Nor is
it surprising that the same group put a much greater emphasis on trail access
given the close proximity of the Huckleberry Trail to Virginia Tech student
housing.
On the whole, gender differences were not particularly stark. Interestingly
enough, the differences between the two groups are only noticeable (a minimum
of an 7 point difference) in three categories: the trail as “family-oriented,”
recreation, and access. Men were more interested in accessibility and close
proximity (14.1% versus 5.8%), while women were more interested in the trail
as a family-oriented facility (10.1% versus 2.8%) and as a recreational facility
(31.9% versus 17.1%).
Where respondents live in relationship to the trail informs, at least in part,
their perceptions about the Huckleberry Trail, including what they find to be
most important and what they most like about the trail. While more respondents
from Blacksburg indicated that the trail’s closeness to the nature was
one of the attributes they most liked, the percentage of Blacksburg respondents
who listed nature as an attribute was actually lower than the percentage response
from Christiansburg residents (66.2% for Blacksburg respondents; 82.4% of Christiansburg
respondents).
Finally, the relationship between geographical proximity and trail usage extends
to trails other than the Huckleberry Trail. Trail users, in jurisdictions with
other trails or trails systems, are more likely to make use the full range of
trails available than those living in jurisdictions without an existing trail
network. Of those interviewed, 45.6% of Blacksburg respondents and 52% of Montgomery
County respondents used other trail facilities (Cascades, New River Valley,
Appalachian, Pandapas Pond, and Bisset Park) in addition to the Huckleberry
Trail. On the other hand, 35.3% of Christiansburg respondents used other trail
facilities. The lower percentage of trail users in Christiansburg may well reflect
two factors: 1) lack of close proximity to existing trail systems, and 2) lack
of immediate access (i.e. required driving time) to existing trail systems.
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