Help Shape the Future of Wyoming’s Outdoor Recreation Landscape

The Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources (SPCR), the Division of State Parks, Historic Sites & Trails (SPHST), and the WY Outdoor Recreation Office are seeking input on recreation needs and priorities through the 2023 Outdoor Recreation User Survey.

People that complete this 15-minute survey by October 1, will be entered into a raffle for a FREE YETI Roadie cooler. 

The user survey aims to gather input on the wants, needs, and priorities regarding outdoor recreation in Wyoming. The results of the survey will inform the 2023 Wyoming Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). The 2023 SCORP aims to identify and address the outdoor recreation needs of Wyoming’s residents and visitors and will help secure substantial funding for local recreation projects.

This survey is meant to be taken by anyone who gets outside in Wyoming including residents, frequent visitors, and travelers. You could be a dog walker, a mountain biker, a hunter, a softball player, a fitness class participant, a rock climber, a paraglider, or anything in between. It does not matter what type of recreation you do or even if you don’t enjoy outdoor recreation: your perception and experience with outdoor recreation in Wyoming matters.

Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plans (SCORPs) are updated every five years by most states around the country. The State of Wyoming has hired a team of consultants from SE Group to support the 2023 Wyoming SCORP update process. The last Wyoming SCORP was completed in 2019. Since then, recreation activity has grown across the state; Wyoming National Parks saw 8.7 million visitors in 2021 and visitation to state parks and historic sites saw 5.7 million visits in 2021, a 25% increase over the five-year average.

SCORPs are imperative to gain important funding for outdoor recreation projects across the state. “The State of Wyoming receives approximately $2.3 million annually in Land and Water Conservation Funds (LWCF) to create outdoor recreation opportunities in our great State,” said Louisa Lopez, the Recreation Grants Manager with the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Office and Division of State Parks & Trails.  “In order to create user-based goals for this funding, we develop the SCORP, which identifies current resources and needed resources while providing an opportunity for private citizens, user groups, and local governments to set priorities for acquiring, developing, and protecting these recreation opportunities.”

Any and all interested parties are encouraged to visit www.2023wyscorp.com to take the survey, and learn more about the 2023 Wyoming SCORP process. Survey results are strengthened by a robust response rate; we encourage everyone to help share this survey far and wide. We have created a survey promotion toolkit that includes files for digital sharing and a physical poster that can be printed and posted around the community. This flyer can go up in coffee shops, at trail heads, on community boards, or anywhere else it is allowed. Access the toolkit at www.2023wyscorp.com.

“The 2023 SCORP is a vital roadmap for local, state, and federal agencies to create and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities. The five-year SCORP aims to identify and address the outdoor recreation needs of Wyoming’s residents and visitors. The user survey is the best possible way to get involved, so please share it with your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors because the more survey results we get, the better we can represent the citizens of Wyoming,” stated Patrick Harrington, Manager of the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Office.

Questions about the project? Please contact Patrick Harrington with Wyoming State Parks at patrick.harrington@wyo.gov.