The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) recently released its 2024 outdoor recreation data. At the national level: outdoor recreation accounts for $1.3 trillion in gross output, 5.2 million jobs, and 2.4% of GDP. It’s also the slowest growth since the post-pandemic surge, with affordability pressuring who can actually participate. The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable published a solid breakdown of the national picture, and it’s worth reading.
The national picture is clear. The next question is what it looks like at the state level, where communities are seeing economic activity, which providers are driving it, and how we can replicate successful models at scale.
What the data doesn’t measure
The BEA report tracks spending and jobs. However, it doesn’t track how those dollars are trickling down to local community-based outdoor providers. Last year, Rising Routes assessed 81 outdoor education and recreation providers across Colorado and published a Roadmap for Colorado’s Outdoor Access Ecosystem. What we found adds additional context to this data.
Three in four outdoor organizations say they need leadership and management training, and the ones with the greatest need are the least positioned to access it.
“The outdoor economy is thriving in the aggregate, but the infrastructure underneath it is fragile. That’s the gap we’re working to close.” — Jason Swann, Executive Director of Rising Routes
The implications for outdoor access
The economic case for expanding access is strong. With outdoor recreation contributing nearly $700 billion to U.S. GDP, expanding participation is an economic opportunity. Communities that take actions to reduce barriers to outdoor experiences — by providing things such as transportation, gear, and mentorship — are also investing in local economic growth. In Colorado, our research found that funding instability, physical access gaps, and fragmented collaboration are the barriers that hit hardest, especially for organizations serving rural, low-income, and BIPOC communities.
Workforce pathways are growing, but unevenly. The outdoor economy supports millions of jobs, and programs that connect young people and underrepresented communities to outdoor careers strengthen the industry’s talent pipeline. But our research showed that leadership training is the top need across every region in Colorado, and the organizations with the greatest need are the least able to access training. Staff turnover is high, and seasonal-to-permanent pathways barely exist. The result? Careers are stunted, and the whole outdoor industry struggles because of it.
Rural communities need inclusive growth. Outdoor recreation increasingly shapes rural and gateway economies – but without intentional access strategies, those benefits stay concentrated among existing participants and businesses. Organizations that create entry points, such as first trips, mentorship, and skill-building, help ensure the next generation of outdoor participants reflects the diversity of the country.
The opportunity ahead and what we can do
The BEA report confirms that outdoor recreation is a major sector of the American economy. The next phase of growth won’t be measured only in dollars. It will depend on who gets to participate, who can find and sustain careers in the sector, and which communities benefit from outdoor investment. For organizations like Rising Routes, the message in the data emphasizes our guiding principle that expanding access to the outdoors is essential for the long-term vitality of the outdoor recreation economy itself.
That’s why we’re investing in state-level infrastructure. We are currently building a learning center for outdoor providers to connect across shared funding, technical assistance, and equity mechanisms. A statewide advocacy coalition is also in development, to help ensure a diverse array of outdoor providers can respond in a timely manner to policy and funding developments. And our interactive provider web map and analysis tools launching later this year will make it easier to see where services exist, where gaps are, and where resources can be leveraged to create positive outcomes for all.
Want more research insights like this? Subscribe our newsletter below.