$696.7B
U.S. outdoor recreation value added
Outdoor recreation accounted for 2.4% of U.S. current-dollar GDP in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, released March 5, 2026Research library
Outdoor recreation statistics: U.S. and Colorado.
A source-led reference for writers, planners, and outdoor-minded businesses. Updated September 29, 2026.
At a glance
The numbers behind a life lived outdoors.
Outdoor recreation reaches far beyond the trailhead. It shapes travel, retail, local economies, and the everyday spaces where people gather outside. This page gathers current, citable figures from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Outdoor Industry Association, with each statistic linked to its original source.
2.7%
Real GDP growth
Inflation-adjusted outdoor recreation GDP grew 2.7% nationally in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, released March 5, 2026$169.1B
Retail trade contribution
Retail trade represented 24.3% of U.S. outdoor recreation value added in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, released March 5, 2026$1.6B
Colorado snow activities
Snow activities generated $1.6 billion in current-dollar value added in Colorado in 2024, the largest state total in the nation.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, released March 5, 2026$7.6B
U.S. snow activities
Snow activities generated $7.6 billion in current-dollar value added nationwide in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, released March 5, 202663.4M
Americans who hiked
A record 63.4 million Americans age 6 and older hiked in 2024, or 20.5% of that population.
Outdoor Industry Association, 2026 Hiking Report Executive Summary175.8M
Outdoor participants
175.8 million Americans participated in outdoor recreation in 2023, equal to 57.3% of the U.S. population.
Outdoor Foundation and Outdoor Industry Association, report released June 18, 202462.5
Average annual outings
Outdoor participants averaged 62.5 outings in 2023, down from 70.5 in 2022.
Outdoor Foundation and Outdoor Industry Association, report released June 18, 2024What the latest federal data includes
Outdoor recreation is larger than one kind of weekend.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis groups activity into conventional recreation, other outdoor recreation, and supporting activity. In 2024, conventional recreation represented 29.5% of outdoor recreation value added, other outdoor recreation represented 19.0%, and supporting activity represented 51.5%.
That includes activities such as hiking, camping, fishing, gardening, travel, lodging, local trips, shopping, and the goods and services that help people spend time outside. The figures show economic activity, not a count of individual businesses or purchases.
Explore the federal outdoor recreation dataMethod and sources
How to use these statistics.
This page uses the latest available public release for each source as of September 29, 2026. Dollar figures are current-dollar value added unless noted otherwise. “Value added” is the Bureau of Economic Analysis measure of an activity’s contribution to gross domestic product. Participation figures use the reporting year stated with each statistic.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Outdoor Recreation Economic Statistics, U.S. and States, 2024, released March 5, 2026.
- Outdoor Industry Association, 2026 Hiking Report Executive Summary, covering 2024 participation.
- Outdoor Foundation and Outdoor Industry Association, 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report announcement, released June 18, 2024 and covering 2023 participation.
Cite this page
Wild Outdoor Creations. “Outdoor Recreation Statistics: U.S. and Colorado, 2026.” Updated September 29, 2026. https://wildoutdoorcreations.com/outdoor-recreation-statistics.
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