Responsible outdoor recreation design: bridging health, leisure and sustainability for smarter trail management

Purpose This study investigates resident and visitor trail use near the regional township of Atherton, Australia, to advance understanding of how regional outdoor recreation systems can better balance community wellbeing, visitor use and environmental sustainability. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 153 respondents. The study investigated trail user characteristics, preferences and support for sustainable management strategies, comparing resident and visitor perspectives across different recreation user groups. Findings Visitors showed greater support for a voluntary code of conduct than resident users. Mountain bikers expressed stronger endorsement of sustainable park management than walkers. The study also found that women's participation in mountain biking increased compared to earlier research. Originality/value This paper contributes to the growing literature on outdoor recreation by applying health, leisure studies and sustainability perspectives to a regional trail context. It examines resident–visitor differences in management perceptions and highlights the interconnected roles of wellbeing, user diversity and environmental governance in nature-based recreation planning.