Outdoor recreation participation in the US reached a record 183.2m Americans in 2025, according to the new Outdoor Participation Trends Report released by the Outdoor Industry Association and the Outdoor Foundation at Switchback Spring 2026 in New Orleans.
The report found 59% of Americans ages 6 and older participated in outdoor recreation activities in 2025, continuing an expansion of the outdoor participant base. Since 2019, participation has grown by nearly 30m people.
While the report reflects continued growth in overall participation, it also highlights a major challenge facing the outdoor industry: Americans are going outside less often than they did before the pandemic. Researchers found that although the participant base continues to expand, annual outing frequency has declined, signalling a shift toward more casual and less consistent engagement. Industry leaders say the next phase of growth will depend less on attracting first-time participants and more on helping existing participants build lasting outdoor habits through lower-cost access, community programming, equipment rentals, and experiences designed to encourage repeat participation.
Now in its 15th year, the Outdoor Participation Trends Report features more than 75 pages of data, insights, and deep dives into consumer behaviour. It provides businesses with trend analysis to understand where participation is heading and why. The annual report is based on research commissioned by the Outdoor Industry Association and shared with the Outdoor Foundation. Data is provided by the Physical Activity Council.
“This year’s findings reinforce that outdoor recreation remains a powerful and growing force in American life,” said Kelly Davis, director of research for OIA.
“Even as participation growth stabilises following the pandemic surge, we continue to see strong engagement across generations, income levels, and communities.”
The report found that the outdoor participant base grew by 2.1m people between 2024 and 2025, representing a 1.1% year-over-year increase.
Several demographic groups drove gains in participation, including children ages 6 to 12, whose participation increased 5%; adults ages 65 and older up 3.6%; Hispanic participants up 6.5%; and households earning more than $100,000 annually, up 3.2%.
Women also reached a record participation rate of 53.4%, while men reached a record 64.8%.
The report highlights continued momentum among older Americans participating in outdoor recreation. In 2025, 23.9m Americans age 65 and older participated in outdoor activities – 12.1m more than a decade ago. The participation rate for that age group rose from 25.7% in 2016 to 41.6% in 2025.
Researchers identified hiking, wildlife viewing, birding, and fishing among the activities benefiting most from senior participation growth.
Children ages 6 to 12 also emerged as a key growth category, reaching 22.6m participants in 2025. Families with young children increased outdoor participation rates between 2024 and 2025, reinforcing the importance of family-based outdoor engagement.
According to the report, approximately two-thirds of households with children participate in outdoor recreation activities, compared with just over half of households without children.
More than half of today’s outdoor participants have less than 10 years of outdoor experience, reflecting continued expansion among emerging consumers entering the outdoor market.
“If you go outside once a year, you’re probably not going to become a conservation advocate,” said Kent Ebersole, president of the Outdoor Industry Association.
“But when people get outside five, 10, or 20 times a year, they begin building a deeper connection to public lands, conservation, and the outdoor community. Frequency and repetition matter. The more consistently people engage outdoors, the more likely they are to become lifelong participants and advocates for the places they use.”
