Outdoor Participation Hits Record Levels for Ninth Consecutive Year

June 18, 2024

2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report reveals outdoor recreation grew to over 175 million participants with increasing numbers of women, people of color, and seniors

BOULDER, COLO [June 18^th, 2024]/OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – Today, Outdoor Foundation (OF) and Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), the longtime authority on outdoor participation research and data, released findings from their 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report. The report provides members of the outdoor industry exclusive participation data and activity insights that will inform business strategies for the year ahead.

The 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report shows that the outdoor recreation participation base grew 4.1% in 2023, to a record of 175.8 million participants, a number that represents 57.3% of the United States population. The number of outdoor recreation participants increased across demographics and activities as new, more casual participants began hiking, biking, camping, running, and fishing.

Other key findings of the 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report include:

• In 2023, 22.2 million more Americans aged six and older participated in outdoor recreation than were participating in 2019.

• For the first time ever, more than half of American women participated in outdoor recreation.

• Members of the LGBTQ+ community continued to be the most active adult cohort.

• The participant base became more ethnically and racially diverse in 2023, but not by much. 69.7% of participants are White, 10.3% are Black, 13.4% are Hispanic, 5.3% are Asian or Pacific Islander, and 1.4% identify as people with other ethnic/racial origins.

• The average number of outings per participant in 2023 fell 11.4% – from 70.5 outings per participant in 2022 to 62.5 outings per participant in 2023.

• In 2023, 7.7 million Americans tried one or more outdoor recreation activities for the first time.

“For any business that wants to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace, understanding the evolving consumer base and how they choose to spend their time outdoors is essential knowledge,” said Kent Ebersole, President of OIA. “The data in this report reveals invaluable insights so that our members can strategically grow their business and so that our industry can serve a broader audience of participants and make outdoor recreation even more accessible.”

For over 15 years, the Outdoor Participation Trends Report has served as the most trusted and comprehensive source of insights and narratives around who is doing what in the outdoors — as well as when and how. The Outdoor Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Outdoor Industry Association, funds the research that produces the annual Outdoor Participation Trends Report and publishes the findings in partnership with OIA every year.

“Our report highlights interesting shifts in who’s recreating in the outdoors. While we’re excited to see some increases in participation diversity, there is still more work to be done in order to keep pace with changes in the demographics of the U.S. population,” said Lesford Duncan, Executive Director of Outdoor Foundation. “The findings of this report is a clear call for our outdoor ecosystem, including outdoor industry and public sector efforts, to work together to increase participation by prioritizing representation and inclusion in design, marketing, programming, outreach, and advocacy.”

The 2024 report reflects data gathered during the 2023 calendar year. While the executive summary of the report is available to the public, the full report is available exclusively to OIA members and Outdoor Foundation partners.

About Outdoor Foundation 

The Outdoor Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Outdoor Industry Association, is a national 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to getting people outside for their health, the health of communities, and the health of the outdoor industry. Through community investment and groundbreaking research, the Outdoor Foundation works with partners across the country to address equity barriers and help make the outdoors accessible for all. Visit outdoorfoundation.org for more information.

About Outdoor Industry Association

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is a catalyst for meaningful change. A member-based collective, OIA is a passionate group of business leaders, climate experts, policy makers and outdoor enthusiasts committed to sustainable economic growth and climate positivity while protecting – and growing access to – the benefits of the outdoors for everyone. For more than 30 years, OIA has catalyzed a thriving outdoor industry by supporting the success of every member company across four critically aligned areas: market research, sustainability, government affairs, and inclusive participation. OIA delivers success for its members through education, events, and business services in the form of solutions and strategies, consultation, collaboration, and opportunities for collective action. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org

Media Contact

Chris Denny / Denny, ink / chris@dennyink.com / 435.655.1609