The benefits of expanding and improving the outdoor recreation economy are clear and compelling.
When visitors participate in outdoor recreation, they spend their hard-earned money on gear, equipment, food, lodging and more, and contribute $65.3 billion in annual tax revenue to federal coffers and untold billions to state and local community funding streams. Much of America’s recreation infrastructure on federally managed lands and waters is also associated with revenue streams — fishing and hunting licenses; entrance and activity fees; campground, slip and boat launch fees; recreation permits and registration fees; and excise and fuel taxes.
Takeaways on how trails boost the economy:
Evidence of Many Varieties of Economic Benefits Linked to Trails
Trails and greenways impact our economy through tourism, events, urban redevelopment, community improvement, property values, health care costs, jobs and investment, and general consumer spending.
FAQ: Our roads are in bad shape... why spend money on trails?
There is a huge amount of evidence that trails add value to properties and bring in significant increases in tourism spending, that roads just do not have.
webinar: Leveraging People and Places: Trails as Economic Development
This webinar will discuss urban trails and what cities are doing to provide economic development opportunities for the properties that lie along former industrial corridors.
Browse all Economic Studies, documents and articles in the resource library.
Why Trails Matter: Trails are Inclusive
posted Jan 12, 2024
Trails, if designed well, can promote equitable access to the outdoors for people of all ages and abilities, bringing together people with diverse social, racial, gender, and economic identities. Inclusive trails don't just happen. It takes a robust public engagement process, inclusive approaches to trail programming, public awareness efforts and trail enhancements to meet the diverse needs of the entire community.
Why Trails Matter: Outdoor Learning
posted Sep 10, 2023
Getting outside can help you learn, and trails play a critical role in accessing natural places and learning to love them.
Why Trails Matter: Resilience to Wildfire
posted Aug 9, 2023
Trails connect suburban and rural communities to wild places, and they can play an important role in landscape resilience, as wildfire becomes more frequent in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) where homes are increasingly being built.
Why Trails Matter: In Praise of Water Trails
posted Jul 12, 2023
This article is intended to inspire and support trail managers, designers, volunteer groups, and individuals with information you can use, whether you want to get out and explore an existing water trail or begin the process of designating a new water trail in your community.
3,969 views • posted 02/19/2020
