Hiking statistics at a glance
Hiking is no longer a niche outdoor habit. The latest figures show a large and still-growing participation base, with clear spillover into national parks, trail systems, and backcountry use.
The numbers also show that hiking sits inside a much larger outdoor participation story, where growth is broad, demographic, and measurable across years, parks, and trail platforms.
Key takeaways
- 63.4 million Americans hiked in 2024 (OIA 2026 Hiking Report).
- Hiking participation had nearly doubled since 2012 (OIA 2026 Hiking Report).
- Outdoor participation reached 175.8 million participants in 2023, equal to 57.3% of Americans age 6 and older (OIA 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report).
- The National Park Service recorded 323,014,305 recreation visits in 2025 and 331,863,358 in 2024 (NPS 2025 visitation release; NPS Visitation Numbers).
- Yosemite National Park logged 4,285,729 visitors in 2024 and 48,968 overnight hikers (Yosemite National Park statistics).
- Grand Canyon National Park recorded 55,309 backpacking user nights in 2025 and 4,919,163 visitors in 2024 (Grand Canyon National Park statistics).
Why these hiking statistics matter
Hiking statistics are useful because they connect three layers of demand at once: overall participation, destination-level visitation, and trail-specific activity.
A single figure like 63.4 million participants tells you hiking is mainstream (OIA 2026 Hiking Report). The park data show where that interest turns into real foot traffic. The trail-platform data show how people evaluate routes before they even leave home.
That combination gives a better picture than a simple popularity ranking. It shows hiking as an ecosystem: people plan, travel, visit, review, and return.
Hiking participation trends over time
The strongest trend in the dataset is simple: hiking participation has been rising for years, and the 2024 figure confirms that momentum.
63.4 million American participants in 2024 is a large base by any standard, and the OIA notes that hiking had nearly doubled since 2012 (OIA 2026 Hiking Report). That makes hiking one of the clearest examples of a long-run outdoor growth category rather than a short-lived surge.
A related sign of momentum appears in the 2025 reporting cycle, where hiking gained more than 2 million new participants (OIA 2025 Outdoor Participation Trends Report). Even without splitting that growth into regions or age bands, the direction is unmistakable. The market did not merely stay large; it added more people.
Outdoor participation more broadly also advanced. In 2023, outdoor participation grew 4.1% to 175.8 million participants (OIA 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report). That total represented 57.3% of Americans age 6 and older (OIA 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report). So hiking is rising inside a broader outdoor culture that already involves a majority of the population.
At a glance: participation and growth
| Metric | Figure | Source label |
|---|---|---|
| Hiking participants in 2024 | 63.4 million | OIA 2026 Hiking Report |
| Change since 2012 | Nearly doubled | OIA 2026 Hiking Report |
| New hiking participants in 2025 cycle | More than 2 million | OIA 2025 Outdoor Participation Trends Report |
| Outdoor participants in 2023 | 175.8 million | OIA 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report |
| Share of Americans age 6+ | 57.3% | OIA 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report |
| Outdoor participation growth in 2023 | 4.1% | OIA 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report |
Hiking demographics: who is participating
The demographic split matters because it shows hiking is not growing in just one narrow segment. The broader outdoor participation dataset points to expansion across several groups.
Female outdoor participation reached 51.9% in 2023, up from 50.0% in 2022 (OIA 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report). That is a modest year-over-year move, but it matters because it signals that the participation base is not static. Even a percentage-point shift in a category this large means millions of people.
Other demographic gains were sharper in the 2025 report cycle. Outdoor participation increased 7.4% among seniors (OIA 2025 Outdoor Participation Trends Report). Youth participation increased 5.6% in the same cycle (OIA 2025 Outdoor Participation Trends Report). Black participation grew 12.8% and Hispanic participation grew 11.8% (OIA 2025 Outdoor Participation Trends Report). Those figures suggest the category is widening rather than relying on one demographic pipeline.
A particularly notable datapoint is the 60.0% LGBTQ+ outdoor recreation participation rate in 2023 (OIA 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report). That is another sign that outdoor recreation is reaching a diverse audience at scale.
Demographic signals to watch
- Female participation is above the halfway mark at 51.9% (OIA 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report).
- Seniors are still adding participation, not exiting the category, with a 7.4% increase in the 2025 cycle (OIA 2025 Outdoor Participation Trends Report).
- Youth growth at 5.6% suggests the next generation is still being pulled into the activity (OIA 2025 Outdoor Participation Trends Report).
- Black and Hispanic participation both posted double-digit growth in the 2025 cycle (OIA 2025 Outdoor Participation Trends Report).
- LGBTQ+ participation at 60.0% underscores how broad the outdoor base already is (OIA 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report).
National park hiking statistics and visitation
National park numbers are one of the cleanest ways to see how hiking participation translates into real-world movement. The National Park Service recorded 323,014,305 recreation visits in 2025 and 331,863,358 in 2024 (NPS 2025 visitation release; NPS Visitation Numbers). Those are enormous totals, and they frame hiking as part of a much larger visitation economy.
The NPS also reported that 26 national parks set new visitation records in 2025 (NPS 2025 visitation release). That detail matters because it suggests the pressure is not isolated to a few famous places. Demand is spreading across the system.
Another useful benchmark is the scope of the dataset itself. The NPS visitor-use dashboard reports data for 406 of 433 National Park System units (NPS Visitor Use Statistics dashboard). That coverage matters when reading the system-wide numbers, because it shows the scale of the tracking effort behind the headline totals.
National Park Service visitation snapshot
| Year or measure | Figure | Source label |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 recreation visits | 323,014,305 | NPS 2025 visitation release |
| 2024 recreation visits | 331,863,358 | NPS Visitation Numbers |
| 2023 recreation visits | 325,498,646 | NPS Visitation Numbers |
| 2022 recreation visits | 311,985,998 | NPS Visitation Numbers |
| 2021 recreation visits | 297,115,406 | NPS Visitation Numbers |
| 2020 recreation visits | 237,064,332 | NPS Visitation Numbers |
| 2019 recreation visits | 327,516,619 | NPS Visitation Numbers |
| New visitation records in 2025 | 26 national parks | NPS 2025 visitation release |
That table shows an important pattern. The pandemic-era low in 2020 was followed by a strong rebound, and the system then remained at very high levels through 2023, 2024, and 2025 (NPS Visitation Numbers; NPS 2025 visitation release). For hikers, that means more congestion in popular places, more competition for permits or trail access in some parks, and more evidence that outdoor travel remains high on the public agenda.
Yosemite hiking statistics
Yosemite is one of the clearest single-park indicators of how hiking demand shows up in practice. The park has 800 miles of trails and 20 miles of paved walking and bicycle paths (Yosemite National Park statistics). That combination tells you the park is structured for both casual walking and serious backcountry-style hiking.
Visitor totals remain enormous. Yosemite had 4,285,729 visitors in 2024, up from 4,057,237 in 2023 and 3,812,316 in 2022 (Yosemite National Park statistics). The 2021 and 2020 totals were 3,343,988 and 2,360,812, respectively, while 2019 reached 4,586,463 (Yosemite National Park statistics). That sequence gives a useful view of rebound and normalization across several years.
Overnight hiking data add another layer. Yosemite recorded 48,968 overnight hikers in 2024, compared with 39,358 in 2023 and 50,548 in 2022 (Yosemite National Park statistics). That series is especially useful because it separates overnight trail use from general visitation. A park can be busy without necessarily seeing the same amount of overnight backcountry use. Yosemite’s numbers show that both matter.
Yosemite by the numbers
| Metric | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Source label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visitors | 4,586,463 | 2,360,812 | 3,343,988 | 3,812,316 | 4,057,237 | 4,285,729 | Yosemite National Park statistics |
| Overnight hikers | 50,548 | 39,358 | 48,968 | Yosemite National Park statistics |
Yosemite also helps explain why hikers pay close attention to safety and planning. In 2024, the park recorded 194 search and rescue operations, 389 motor vehicle accidents, 663 medical assists, and 17 fatalities (Yosemite National Park statistics). Those are not hiking-only numbers, but they are highly relevant to anyone interpreting park activity at scale. High visitation and backcountry use create operational pressure.
Grand Canyon hiking statistics
The Grand Canyon dataset shows a different but equally important type of hiking demand. In 2024 the park had 4,919,163 visitors, and in 2025 it had 4,430,653 visitors (Grand Canyon National Park statistics). That keeps the park among the highest-traffic destinations in the country.
The hiking-specific figures are just as revealing. Grand Canyon recorded 55,309 backpacking user nights in 2025, including 21,098 corridor backpacking user nights and 34,211 other backcountry-trail backpacking user nights (Grand Canyon National Park statistics). It also issued 13,048 backcountry permits and used 8,265 backcountry permits in 2025 (Grand Canyon National Park statistics).
Those permit and user-night numbers make the park especially valuable for understanding demand management. Backcountry hiking is not just about how many people want to go; it is about how many trips the system can accommodate.
Grand Canyon hiking and backcountry snapshot
| Metric | 2025 figure | Source label |
|---|---|---|
| Visitors | 4,430,653 | Grand Canyon National Park statistics |
| Backpacking user nights | 55,309 | Grand Canyon National Park statistics |
| Corridor backpacking user nights | 21,098 | Grand Canyon National Park statistics |
| Other backcountry-trail backpacking user nights | 34,211 | Grand Canyon National Park statistics |
| Backcountry permits issued | 13,048 | Grand Canyon National Park statistics |
| Backcountry permits used | 8,265 | Grand Canyon National Park statistics |
| Emergency medical service incidents | 848 | Grand Canyon National Park statistics |
| Fatalities | 11 | Grand Canyon National Park statistics |
| Search-and-rescue incidents | 232 | Grand Canyon National Park statistics |
| North-bound train boardings | 173,423 | Grand Canyon National Park statistics |
| South Rim mule-trip riders | 9,964 | Grand Canyon National Park statistics |
| North Rim mule-trip riders | 2,832 | Grand Canyon National Park statistics |
Two operational details stand out. First, the park recorded 848 emergency medical service incidents and 232 search-and-rescue incidents in 2025 (Grand Canyon National Park statistics). Second, the 2025 data include 11 fatalities (Grand Canyon National Park statistics). Together they show that hiking at scale brings real risk management requirements, especially in a landscape as demanding as the Grand Canyon.
Trail-platform data: how hikers browse and choose routes
Trail discovery platforms give a different view of hiking demand. Instead of park entries or permits, they show route interest and social proof at the trail level.
AllTrails lists 110,073 hiking trails in the United States, including 57,190 family-friendly hikes, 12,200 wheelchair-friendly trails, and 74,798 routes with waterfalls or scenic views on its U.S. trails page (AllTrails U.S. trails page). It also shows 32,095,610 reviews there (AllTrails U.S. trails page). That is an enormous amount of user-generated trail data, and it confirms that hiking decisions are increasingly informed by reviews and filters.
The broader AllTrails hiking page lists 88,612 hiking trails, 49,221 walking trails, 55,046 running trails, and 11,155 camping trails in the United States (AllTrails hiking page). Angels Landing Trail alone has 33,034 reviews on that page (AllTrails hiking page). Those numbers reinforce how concentrated attention can become around iconic hikes.
AllTrails trail inventory and review scale
| Category | U.S. count | Source label |
|---|---|---|
| Hiking trails | 110,073 | AllTrails U.S. trails page |
| Family-friendly hikes | 57,190 | AllTrails U.S. trails page |
| Wheelchair-friendly trails | 12,200 | AllTrails U.S. trails page |
| Waterfall or scenic-view routes | 74,798 | AllTrails U.S. trails page |
| Reviews on U.S. trails page | 32,095,610 | AllTrails U.S. trails page |
| Hiking trails | 88,612 | AllTrails hiking page |
| Walking trails | 49,221 | AllTrails hiking page |
| Running trails | 55,046 | AllTrails hiking page |
| Camping trails | 11,155 | AllTrails hiking page |
| Angels Landing Trail reviews | 33,034 | AllTrails hiking page |
This platform data matters because it shows how hikers narrow choices. The available filters signal demand for family use, accessibility, scenery, and activity type. The review counts show that users are not just browsing. They are comparing experiences, which makes trail reputation part of the hiking economy.
Reading the data together
The best way to interpret these hiking statistics is to layer them. Participation data show the size of the user base. Park data show where that demand lands. Trail-platform data show how people choose where to go.
A few patterns become clear when the figures are placed side by side:
- Hiking is large at the national level, with 63.4 million participants in 2024 (OIA 2026 Hiking Report).
- The broader outdoor market is even larger, reaching 175.8 million participants in 2023 (OIA 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report).
- Park visitation remains high enough to create repeated record-setting pressure in multiple parks (NPS 2025 visitation release; NPS Visitation Numbers).
- Backcountry use is visible in both Yosemite and Grand Canyon, where overnight and permit numbers show structured demand rather than casual wandering (Yosemite National Park statistics; Grand Canyon National Park statistics).
- Trail discovery platforms now document demand at scale, with more than 32 million reviews on the AllTrails U.S. trails page (AllTrails U.S. trails page).
For anyone writing, researching, or planning around hiking, that combination is the real story. Hiking is not just popular. It is measured, distributed, and embedded in a larger outdoor participation system that keeps expanding across age groups, communities, parks, and trail networks.