Hikers' Perspectives on Solitude and Wilderness

The role of user encounters in shaping a wilderness experience and sense of solitude was investi- gated in Shenandoah National Park using open-ended interviews with 117 groups of hikers. Among those feeling that they had had a wilderness experience, 44% said the lack of encounters contributed to this sense, while 52% of those who did not have a wilderness experience cited crowding or encounters. The majority reportedly experienced solitude, although many said solitude only occurred at times or places during the hike.