
Jose Sanchez
Research expert covering society, economy, & politics for Latin America
With its vast wilderness and epic landscapes, the United States provides countless opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. In fact, many outdoor pastimes, like camping, hunting, and fishing, have become a quintessential part of modern American culture. In 2024, day hiking was the outdoor activity in the U.S. with the highest share of participants, at 63 percent; meanwhile, fishing came in second.

Detailed statistics
Outdoor recreation market's contribution to GDP in the U.S. 2021-2023

Detailed statistics
Employment in the outdoor recreation industry in the U.S. 2012-2023

Detailed statistics
Outdoor activities with the most participants in the U.S. 2024

Outdoor recreation market's contribution to GDP in the U.S. 2021-2023
Outdoor recreation market's contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) in the United States from 2021 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Outdoor recreation market's contribution to GDP in the U.S. 2023, by segment
Outdoor recreation market's contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) in the United States in 2023, by segment (in billion U.S. dollars)

Employment in the outdoor recreation industry in the U.S. 2012-2023
Number of outdoor recreation jobs in the United States from 2012 to 2023 (in millions)

Cities with the highest spending per capita on parks and recreation in the U.S. 2024
Cities with the highest spending per resident on parks and recreation in the United States in 2024 (in U.S. dollars)

Outdoor activities with the most participants in the U.S. 2024
Outdoor activities with the highest number of participants in the United States in 2024 (in millions)

Camping industry revenue in the U.S. 2017-2030
Revenue of the camping industry in the United States from 2017 to 2024, with a forecast to 2030 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Wholesale sales of camping sports equipment in the U.S. 2007-2024
Camping equipment wholesale sales in the United States from 2007 to 2024 (in million U.S. dollars)

Wholesale shipments of recreational vehicles in the U.S. 2007-2023
Number of wholesale shipments of recreational vehicles in the United States from 2007 to 2023 (in thousands)

Camping participation in the U.S. 2010-2025
Number of camping participants in the United States from 2010 to 2025 (in millions)

Number of hunting licenses, tags, permits and stamps in the U.S. 2000-2024
Number of hunting licenses, tags, permits and stamps in the U.S. from 2000 to 2024, by resident status (in millions)

Hunting license holders in the U.S. 2004-2024
Number of paid hunting license holders in the United States from 2004 to 2024 (in millions)

Gross cost of hunting licenses in the U.S. 2004-2024
Gross cost of hunting licenses in the United States from 2004 to 2024 (in million U.S. dollars)

Share of U.S. adults who participated in hunting and fishing 2022-2024
Share of adults who participated in hunting and fishing at least occasionally in the United States from 2022 to 2024

Popularity of hunting in the U.S. Q2 2026
Popularity of hunting in the United States as of the second quarter of 2026

Number of paid fishing license holders in the United States 2000-2024
Number of paid fishing license holders in the United States from 2000 to 2024 (in millions)

Gross cost of fishing licenses in the U.S. 2000-2024
Gross cost of fishing licenses in the United States from 2000 to 2024 (in million U.S. dollars)

Fishing participation in the U.S. 2010-2024
Number of participants in recreational fishing in the United States from 2010 to 2024 (in millions)

Age distribution of U.S. fishing participants 2024
Distribution of recreational fishing participants in the United States in 2024, by age group

Most common fishing location types in the U.S. 2024
Most common fishing locations in the United States in 2024

Recreational vessels in the U.S. 1980-2024
Number of registered recreational boats in the United States from 1980 to 2024 (in millions)

Recreational vessels in U.S. 2024, by state
Number of registered recreational boats in the United States in 2024, by state

Sailing participation in the U.S. 2010-2025
Number of sailing participants in the United States from 2010 to 2025 (in millions)

Economic contribution of national park visitor spending in the U.S. 2012-2024
Value added of national park visitor spending to the economy in the United States from 2012 to 2024, by economic activity (in billion U.S. dollars)

Visitor spending at national parks in the U.S. 2024, by category
Visitor spending at national parks in the United States in 2024, by category (in billion U.S. dollars)

Visitation to National Park Service sites in the U.S. 2010-2024
Number of recreational visits to National Park Service sites in the United States from 2010 to 2024 (in millions)

Most visited National Park Service sites in the U.S. 2024
Most visited National Park Service sites in the United States in 2024 (in millions)
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