Outdoor recreation continues to fuel GDP
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A bill passed by Congress could expand opportunities for recreation on public lands in places like Montana.
The EXPLORE Act, presented to President Joe Biden last week, would help ensure public lands and recreational areas remain accessible and fund updates for old infrastructure, among other improvements. It comes as the outdoor recreation economy has grown 36 percent since 2012, according to an Outdoor Recreation Roundtable analysis.
United State capitol in Washington, D.C. © iStock - Muni Yogeshwaran
Jessica Zephyrs, vice president of marketing and communications for the Adventure Cycling Association, noted cycling is up 11 percent, and she has seen increased interest in biking off paved roads.
"What we've really seen growth in are things like bike packing, gravel cycling, E-bike touring, guided tours," Zephyrs outlined. "Getting outside and experiencing nature in the world."
The Great American Rail-Trail could fit the bill. Announced in 2019, it is a nonmotorized trail designed so a user can cross the entire country separated from traffic. The Montana section, which will run from Yellowstone northwest through Saltese, is 25 percent complete, according to the Rails to Trails Conservancy.
Zephyrs pointed out new and used bike sales spiked during the pandemic when more people started recreating outside. She added it is hard to tell if they're still using those bikes as other hobbies have become available again.
"The hope is that we can continue to inspire and empower people to get out on those bikes," Zephyrs emphasized. "Ride in a way that is exciting and empowering for them."
One section of the EXPLORE Act specifically supports biking on long-distance trails. New data show outdoor recreation in the U.S. generated more than $1 trillion in economic output last year, or 2.3 percent of the nation's gross domestic product.
