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More Outdoors Time May Become A Long-Lasting Habit
People practicing social distancing to protect themselves from the coronavirus take in a sunny day while hiking a popular trail in the Santa Monica mountain range in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 22, 2020. Brian Melley/AP
One positive outcome of the pandemic and COVID-19 restrictions: more people are getting outside. Trail use and state and national park visits were all up significantly this year.
That also meant a big boost for the outdoor industry.
"You introduce a bunch of people to biking, trail running, mountain biking, hiking, and they get a taste of those experiences,” said Marc Piruzzi, the editorial director of Mountain magazine. “There will be a long-term bump in the outdoor industry, from what happened during 2020."
Piruzzi says bike shops in particular saw a massive increase in business this year. Many were completely sold out in the early days of the pandemic.
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics says they also saw an increase in recreational vehicle use and solo hiking in Southern California.
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