The view from the summit of Big Slide Mountain in the Adirondack Park last month. Sunny Hernandez | ahernandez@nyup.com Elise Armitage | Wealth of Geeks Outdoor Foundation’s Participation Trends Report finds a record 175.
8 million participants in various outdoor activities. More than 57% of all Americans aged 6 and older are getting outdoors. The number one nature-based leisure activity is hiking — 20% of the population hit the trails, approximately double the number in 2010.
In 2022, the Outdoor Foundation and Outdoor Industry Association noted similar findings. The United States hiker community grew by 1.5% in 2022, bringing the total number to a record high of 59.
6 million. Statista reports an 89% increase in American hikers from 2010 to 2023. There was a significant jump from 2019, when fewer than 50 million people hiked, to 2020 when more than 57.
8 million Americans hit the trails. The American Trails organization credits the spike to the Covid-19 pandemic. As businesses and stores closed, Americans sought alternative pastimes such as hiking.
While numbers dipped In the years following the pandemic, the country continues to show a strong interest in getting outside and enjoying nature. A May 2024 KURU Footwear analysis identified the country’s 10 best hiking states . Researchers considered the number of trails, difficulty levels, reviews, and annual precipitation rates when determining America’s top trail destinations.
Colorado The Centennial State reigns as one .