June is Great Outdoors Month here in the U.S. Coordinated by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), the theme is getting outside to enjoy parks, trails, forests, waters, and other natural places. Some places have events. And there’s plenty of places to go with just you and whomever is in your buddy system.
The celebration began as “Great Outdoors Week” back in the late 1990s, and over time expanded into the full month. ORR, a coalition of outdoor recreation organizations and businesses, works with federal and state agencies to promote getting outdoors now that spring is getting ready to bring on summer.
Events!
If events are your thing, across the US we’ve got:
- Saturday 6/6/26 American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day® (that’s THIS weekend!), a fee-free day for US Forest Service sites (check the local regs just to be sure)
- June 6-14 National Fishing and Boating Week —remember it’s called fishing, not catching. Catch and release is usually OK (check the local fishing regs…)
- 6/12/16 Great Outdoors Day of Service—coordinated by the Corps Network (Do a good deed)
- 6/13/26 National Go RVing Day—recreational vehicles may be your thing, but it’s also A-OK to camp in a tent, or under the stars (check your weather app for any of the above)
- June 13-21 OHV Safety Week—recreational off-highway vehicles aren’t toys (though they can be a lot of fun used safely)
Some of our Canadian outdoor rec friends also participate in Great Outdoors Month. There’s certainly a lot of Great places in the Outdoors across Canada, too.
Economic Impacts!
Outdoor recreation has significant economic impact in the US and around the world. The US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) tracked $1.3 trillion of economic activity in the outdoor economy as of 2024 (the most recent year reported). That’s 2.4% of US GDP and over 5 million American jobs, disproportionately in rural counties.
Great Outdoors Month shows that small towns and rural areas do not need to reinvent outdoor culture. It’s already here.
We just need to protect and connect what we already have.
Your county fairgrounds aren’t just a sunk cost for 4-H and the tractor pull. They are a regional attraction for recreation and the arts (Go 4-H!)
That trail loop people have been talking about but never quite getting around to make it happen? That’s one thing young families are looking for when they decide if they are going to move to your small town.
That river landing that needs some TLC? That’s your entry to a multi-county rail trail that could bring outdoor enthusiasts from miles around.
Get Outdoors
Let’s let people in our hometowns know about Great Outdoors Month. Getting outdoors is how towns stay health, connected, and strong.
Now excuse me while I go string my fly rod and head to the hardware store for this year’s fishing license.
I wrote about the Rural Recreation Economy last month as part of our series on Public Health, Parks & Rec, and the Great Outdoors:
We also did a series on Conservation and the Great Outdoors last June:
- The Big Picture – Conservation and the Great Outdoors
- How Conservation Supports Rural Economic Growth
- Outdoor Recreation and Gateway Communities
- The Great Outdoors is a Great Place for a Good Book (6 authors you should check out)
- How to Catalyze Regenerative Conservation for Community Renewal
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