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Abstract
Urbanization and recreation demand pressures on rivers have created unique challenges for natural resource managers (NRMs) who attempt to balance conservation, access, and management capacity. Encouragingly, water trails (WTs) (i.e., rivers with paddling routes), are being established, mapped, and designated within urban areas as an effort to promote water resource stewardship and provide high quality recreation experiences. However, water trail research and exploration into their impacts are in their infancy. Thus, this study used a case study and survey approach to 1) analyze paddler use patterns and sociodemographic characteristics along the Chattahoochee River National Water Trail (CRNWT), 2) compare paddler perceptions of importance and performance of WT attributes between two different CRNWT management entities, and 3) explore the link between paddlers and stewardship behavior. Results indicate that paddlers place high importance on water quality, wildlife, and watercraft launches. Additionally, paddlers reported a high likelihood of performing specific stewardship actions.