Reference data
Colorado and U.S. outdoor recreation statistics
A sourced reference for writers, trip planners, and anyone tracking the scale of outdoor travel, RVing, and public-land visitation.
Last updated September 21, 2026
Outdoor recreation runs from the truck at the trailhead to the wider travel economy around it. The figures below bring together the most recent federal measures available as of September 21, 2026. Each fact links to its primary source and keeps its reference year visible, so it is clear what the number does and does not measure.
$696.7B
U.S. outdoor recreation value added
Outdoor recreation accounted for 2.4% of current-dollar U.S. GDP in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 data ↗2.7%
Real growth in the outdoor recreation economy
Inflation-adjusted outdoor recreation GDP grew 2.7% in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 data ↗$27.5B
U.S. RVing value added
RVing was the second-largest conventional outdoor recreation activity by current-dollar value added in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 data ↗$1.6B
Colorado snow activity value added
Colorado had the largest state contribution to U.S. snow activity value added in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 data ↗51.5%
Share from supporting outdoor activities
Travel, tourism, local trips, construction, and government spending made up 51.5% of U.S. outdoor recreation value added in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 data ↗323M
National Park Service recreation visits
The National Park Service reported 323 million recreation visits across its system in calendar year 2025.
National Park Service, 2025 data ↗1.39B
National park recreation visitor hours
Visitors logged 1.39 billion recreation hours in the National Park System during 2025.
National Park Service, 2025 data ↗26
National Park System units with record visitation
Twenty-six reporting park units set an annual recreation-visit record in 2025.
National Park Service, 2025 data ↗How to use these figures
Keep the source and reference year with the number.
These statistics cover different parts of the outdoor economy. The Bureau of Economic Analysis reports economic value added, while the National Park Service reports recorded visits and visitor hours. They are useful together for context, but they are not interchangeable measures of people, trips, or spending.
Cite this page
Peakline Overland. “Colorado and U.S. Outdoor Recreation Statistics.” Updated September 21, 2026. https://peaklineoverland.com/resources/outdoor-recreation-statistics