Idaho Outdoor Economy: Outdoor Recreation Trends Driving Growth
America's passion for the outdoors continues to grow, which is good news for the Idaho outdoor economy.
New research from the Outdoor Industry Association shows that outdoor recreation participation has reached an all-time high, creating new opportunities for communities, employers, and Idaho businesses that depend on healthy landscapes and access to public lands.
According to the Outdoor Industry Association's 2026 Outdoor Participation Trends Report, a record 183.2 million Americans, about 59 percent of the U.S. population ages six and older, participated in outdoor recreation last year. The report also shows participation has increased by nearly 30 million people since 2019, making outdoor recreation one of the nation's fastest-growing lifestyle and economic sectors.
While the most recent data suggests Americans are recreating slightly less frequently than in previous years, it also shows an increase in overall participation numbers. This means more people than ever are hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, climbing, paddling, mountain biking, and exploring the nation's public lands.
What These Outdoor Recreation Trends Mean for Idaho
For Idaho, these outdoor recreation trends reinforce something many businesses already understand: our natural landscapes are a competitive advantage.
Idaho's mountains, rivers, forests, deserts, and public lands are economic assets that attract entrepreneurs, support tourism, help employers recruit talented workers, and improve quality of life.
As more Americans choose outdoor recreation, Idaho is well positioned to benefit from increased visitation, business investment, and workforce attraction.
Why Public Lands Matter to Idaho Businesses
Growing outdoor participation strengthens far more than the recreation industry.
Greater participation in outdoor recreation creates greater demand for local retailers, guide services, transportation providers, gear manufacturers, and countless small businesses across Idaho's rural and urban communities.
Access to well-managed public lands also helps employers recruit and retain talented employees who value outdoor recreation and a high quality of life.
For many companies, proximity to trails, rivers, forests, and open spaces has become an important factor when choosing where to locate or expand operations.
Investing in Idaho's Outdoor Economy
Outdoor recreation is already a significant contributor to the national economy, generating hundreds of billions of dollars in economic activity and supporting millions of jobs.
Idaho continues to experience that momentum. Investments in recreation infrastructure, healthy forests, accessible trails, and responsible stewardship strengthen local economies while protecting the natural resources that businesses rely on.
Supporting outdoor recreation promotes better maintenance and stewardship of Idaho’s valuable recreation assets and is an investment in local economic growth and opportunities.
The Business Case for Protecting Public Lands
At Idaho Business for the Outdoors, we believe healthy public lands are essential business infrastructure.
Our mission is to provide a collective, non-partisan business voice in support of the investments, jobs, innovations, revenues and wellness benefits sustained through the preservation of Idaho’s outdoors and public lands. This latest outdoor recreation trends report reinforces why this work matters.
As participation continues to grow nationwide, protecting Idaho's public lands helps ensure that businesses, communities, and future generations continue to benefit from the economic opportunities our outdoors provide.
When Idaho protects its public lands, it protects one of its greatest economic assets.