The Most Popular Recreational Activities

Summer is a season for recreation. Warm weather beckons people outdoors every day and during every season, but a quick glance outside your living room window in June, July and August will illustrate just how much people cherish any chance to spend time in nature when the mercury rises. So how are people spending their time outdoors? According to a recent report from the Outdoor Foundation that studied participation in various sports and activities, the most popular outdoor activity in the United States is running.

The Outdoor Foundation report indicated that more than 61 million U.S. residents did some recreational running in 2019. To put that in perspective, 61 million people represents roughly 19 percent of the American population ages six and up. Fishing was the second most popular outdoor recreational activity among adults in the U.S., attracting more than 50 million participants. Outdoor recreation also is popular in Canada, where winter-dominant sports like skiing, snowboarding and hockey aren’t the only ways to enjoy the great outdoors. For example, the Trans Canada Trail, a recreational trail that connects every province and territory in Canada, attracts cyclists, joggers and hikers throughout the warm weather seasons.