Outdoor Participation Is Growing. But Frequency Is Falling
Outdoor recreation participation reached an all-time high to open 2026, but the headline number tells only half the story. A record 183.2 million Americans got outside in 2025, 59% of the population ages 6 and older, capping a years-long climb that has added nearly 30 million participants since 2019. Yet even as the participant base expands, Americans are heading outdoors less often than they did before the pandemic, a shift toward more casual, less consistent engagement. With the industry’s next phase of growth hinging less on recruiting first-timers and more on turning current participants into frequent ones, understanding where participation is rising and where frequency is slipping has never been more important.
OIA’s 2026 Outdoor Participation Trends Report is now available. Now in its 15th year, the 70-page report covers participation data by demographic, activity, region, income, and age group, standout gains among children, adults 65+, and Hispanic participants, and the growing frequency gap that will define the industry’s next decade. Check out the report for the key findings and what they mean for the industry.
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