filed under: economics of trails


The Economic Impact of Snowmobiling in Utah

An analysis on the value of snowmobiling to Utah’s economy, the sociodemographic composition of participants, and more.

by Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at Utah State University


2017 utah snowmobile impact study


It has been nearly two decades since the last study examining the economic impact of snowmobiling in Utah. The most recent work was published in An Economic and Social Assessment of Snowmobiling in Utah by McCoy and her colleagues in 2001. Our analysis sheds new light on the value of snowmobiling to both Utah as a whole, and individual counties throughout the state. In addition to exploring the economic impact of snowmobiling in Utah, this report documents the trip taking behaviors of Utah’s snowmobilers, their sociodemographic composition, and some other basic information about participation in the activity (e.g., whether or not they have taken a snowmobile education course).

Published June 2018

About the Author


The Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at Utah State University does research, outreach, and teaching focused on outdoor recreation and tourism management — inside Utah and beyond its borders. Our work focuses on the social and economic trade-offs associated with providing outdoor recreation opportunities on public lands. Since our founding in 1998, we’ve been awarded several millions of dollars in grants, maintained an active outreach program, and trained some of the nation’s leading outdoor recreation and resource managers.

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