There is a renewed connection of Americans with the great outdoors. 

Last year marked a watershed: the highest recorded number of new and returning participants in outdoor recreation. More than half of Americans 6 and older participated in at least one outdoor activity in 2021, a total of 164.2 million participants. 

The outdoor participant base has increased by 6.9 percent since 2020, with 60 million additional people visiting national parks in 2021 over the previous year. This resurgence in outdoor participation is also fueling an economic boon in all states, with the outdoor economy contributing $862 billion to the economy in 2021 — $173 billion more than the year prior — and supporting the health and livelihoods of 4.5 million Americans and their families.

These opportunities, however, are not without their challenges. The dramatic increase in the number of visitors to national parks, national monuments and public lands, and waterways has led to overcrowding, traffic jams, and a tremendous strain on aging or inadequate infrastructure. For example, Shenandoah National Park — known for its scenic trails and vast hiking valleys — set records for attendance but struggled to find support for the fluxes of visitors and day-to-day operations.

Yellowstone National Park — the crown jewel of America’s national parks — saw a dramatic 28 percent increase in visitors over 2020, stretching budgets and resources to their limits. Simply put, this newfound demand is overextending current park systems and limiting access to these spaces for many local residents.

Additionally, the number of those who participated 51 times or more in outdoor recreation activities in the last 12 months has declined from 71.9 percent in 2007 to 58.7 percent of the participant base in 2021. The role of overcrowding and underinvestment cannot be underestimated as factors squeezing out these “core” outdoor enthusiasts.

A similar dilemma exists for millions of people who do not live within walking or biking distance of a green space, many of whom are in historically disenfranchised and underrepresented communities. Although the number of Americans discovering outdoor recreation is increasingly diverse, there is still a long way to go. 

Currently, 72 percent of outdoor recreation participants are White. If the outdoor participant base does not become more diverse over the next 30 years, the percentage of outdoor recreation participants in the population could slip from 54 percent today to under 40 percent by 2060. Increasing the accessibility to natural areas near urban centers and ensuring these centers are welcome, culturally relevant and co-created with the community members for whom these areas will serve should be a priority to ensure the outdoors are enjoyed by everyone, regardless of ZIP code, background or income.

Sustaining the success of America’s outdoor industry, meeting tomorrow’s challenges and demonstrating the value of inclusion in all outdoor spaces will require necessary investments and policies to meet the needs of a new generation of outdoor enthusiasts. 

Thankfully, leaders on Capitol Hill are hearing the call with a historic outdoor recreation package known as America’s Outdoor Recreation Act. This bipartisan legislation — the most comprehensive since President John F. Kennedy was in the White House — would directly affect the millions of people who don’t have access to safe outdoor spaces or who are facing other outdoor equity barriers. The bill would inject critical federal investments in recreation infrastructure and public parks and take steps to help ensure America’s outdoors are open, sustainable and equally accessible for all. This package is designed to accommodate Americans’ growing participation in outdoor recreation and support the industry’s many economic benefits.

Specifically, this measure is designed to achieve its lofty goals by increasing the time federal lands are open to the public, providing support for infrastructures like parks and cycling trails, and using real-time data to extend the outdoor recreation season. It would also improve and modernize recreation infrastructure on federal land by identifying and setting out solutions for increasing broadband connectivity at developed recreation sites.

Through outdoor programming, public policy advocacy and collaboration across industry sectors, we can move the needle on these issues.

Addressing outdoor equity in our country must be a priority. We can and must do better. This bipartisan bill makes massive progress toward this effort while also having the potential to boost tourism and workforce development opportunities in communities across America. These are a few reasons America’s Outdoor Recreation Act should be enacted.