July 2026

Last year, more people in the United States participated in outdoor recreation than ever before. And while that should energize anyone who believes in the power of outdoor experiences, it prompts those of us who work in outdoor education and adventure programming to pay close attention.

According to the 2026 Outdoor Participation Trends Report from Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and the Outdoor Foundation, 183.2 million people ages 6 and older in the U.S. participated in outdoor recreation in 2025. That represents 59 percent of the population in that age group and marks the highest participation total ever recorded, according to OIA.

On the surface, that sounds like a straightforward win for human-powered outdoor recreation. More people hiking, camping, paddling, climbing, biking, exploring parks, and choosing time outdoors speaks to a growing desire for connection with the natural world.

However, the deeper story is asking far more of us.

The report also shows that outdoor participation has become more casual. Since 2019, the outdoor recreation participant base in the U.S. has grown by nearly 30 million people. Yet the average participant now engages in about five fewer outings per year than before the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 – May 2023). In other words, more people participate, but many do so less often.

For outdoor educators, parents, students, and community leaders, that gap shouldn’t be overlooked. Participation alone does not build lifelong outdoor confidence. Repeated experience, skill development, thoughtful instruction, and supportive community help turn a first step outside into a lasting outdoor life.

Outdoor Recreation Growth Points to a New Kind of Participant

The 2026 Outdoor Participation Trends Report confirms what many outdoor organizations, including The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), have already felt: The outdoor community has expanded. New participants continue to enter the space, and the growth reaches across age, race, ethnicity, gender, income, and education.

For example, the report notes (more…)

Editor’s Note: This post begins our Principles of Leadership series, created for anyone who wants to better understand what leadership looks like before, during, and after it’s called for. Each post in this series will introduce practical leadership concepts you can apply in a number of environments, including workplaces, classrooms, communities, and other settings. That also includes the backcountry where people depending on one another is a must. The series offers a preview of the deeper instruction, reflection, and application people experience in our forthcoming online course, Principles of Leadership, as well as when participating in any of our summer or semester courses for high school students; 10- or 14-day teen summer adventure camps in Ecuador, Oregon, Alaska, or North Carolina; hybrid and in-person EMT or wilderness medicine trainings; Camp L.E.A.D and Camp L.E.A.D. Pro day camps for youth and teens in North Carolina; Gap Semesters in the Pacific Northwest or North Carilina; custom outdoor programs for colleges, businesses, and non-profits; or our14-day Instructor Course.

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Picture yourself in the backcountry with a group of eager outdoor enthusiasts that has reached a decision point. Everyone knows one another, either through school, community or friends of friends scenarios.

The route ahead looks manageable, although the group is tired. Someone should speak up. Someone needs to ask the right question. Someone could help the group pause, think, communicate, and move forward with purpose.

No one hands you a title in that moment. Nobody announces, “You’re the leader now.” Still, leadership might begin right there.

At The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), we believe leadership starts before a title appears. It begins when someone chooses to take responsibility for their role in a group, and it grows through self-awareness, clear communication, sound judgment, and a willingness to help others move toward shared objectives and goals in a sound and informed way.

An NCOAE course gives participants a real setting to practice leadership, but the skills themselves travel far beyond the outdoor course environment. Leadership can show up in a classroom discussion, a workplace project, a volunteer effort, a family decision, a peer group, or any situation where people need direction and clarity.

Leadership Begins With Responsibility

Many people may think leadership starts when someone receives authority. A job title. A role assignment. A position at the front of the group. An ownership stake in a company.

In practice, leadership often begins earlier.

It begins when you notice (more…)