Michigan Outdoor Recreation Participation Data

Activities, Demographic Characteristics and Associated Benefits at the State and Regional Level

Every five years, Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) develops an updated Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) to support a variety of funding and planning efforts at the federal, state and local levels.

As part of the most recent SCORP update (2023-2027), a survey of Michigan residents was undertaken to better understand several aspects of outdoor recreation participation across the state and within ten specified geographic subregions.

The visualizations of the survey data below provide information about the relative popularity of specific outdoor recreation activities among Michigan residents; broader social and community benefits derived from participation in those activities; and insights from participants regarding accessibility and opportunities to engage in those activities.

Visit the DNR’s “Managing Your Resources” website to locate the full SCORP package for more information. The original DNR SCORP project includes the full survey methodology, along with additional findings and recommendations to help understand the appropriate use and context of the data. 

Outdoor Recreation Participation Survey Data

These data visualization tools show outdoor recreation participation by Michigan residents in 45 different outdoor recreation activities and the demographic characteristics of outdoor participants engaged in each of those activities.

Participation can be viewed either by the total number of individuals engaged in each selected outdoor activity; by percentage of the state population participating; or by number of different times individuals participated in the selected activities (considered a “trip”). The demographic characteristics of participants also provide useful insights into the relative popularity of specific outdoor recreation activities by population.

Statewide Outdoor Recreation Participation by Activity

View the statewide number of recreators, recreator share of the population, and total number of recreator trips (in a 12-month period) by selected activity. Multiple activities can be added for comparison.

Statewide Outdoor Recreation Participation by Race/Ethnicity, Age, and Income for a Selected Activity

Compare outdoor recreation participation rates by race/ethnicity, age group, and income category. Users can view group-specific participation rates for outdoor recreation overall or for activity categories such as all snow activities.

Associated Benefits of Outdoor Recreation Participation

In addition to providing direct data regarding outdoor recreation participation, the SCORP survey was designed to enable researchers to use the data to model associated benefits of outdoor recreation, including two specific benefits: the economic value Michigan residents receive from recreating net of what they spend to recreate (net economic value); and for the first time, an estimate of the cost of illness savings attributable to participation in outdoor recreation. 

Statewide Estimates of Benefits of Outdoor Recreation by Activity

View the estimated annual value Michigan residents receive from recreating outdoors beyond what they spend to participate: net economic value, as well as the estimated annual reduction in healthcare costs resulting from the physical and mental benefits of recreating outdoors: cost of illness savings.

Regional Outdoor Recreation Participation and Associated Benefits by Activity

The map below displays outdoor recreation participation and associated benefits by geographic region. The specific regions displayed are Prosperity Regions, which are 10 state-designated government service delivery zones comprised of economically similar, contiguous counties.

Insights to Support Improved Access to Outdoor Recreation

The data below focuses on three groups of survey questions from the Department of Natural Resources updated SCORP: motivations and barriers to participation in outdoor recreation, and perceptions of the quality and availability of outdoor recreation amenities.

These visualizations allow users to view data by race/ethnicity, age, gender, and in some cases by region, to better understand how perceptions vary across groups. They are provided to support decision-makers seeking to influence outdoor recreation participation and improve recreation experiences for residents.

Please note: Pie charts may be difficult to see on mobile devices. Desktop is preferred.

Motivations to Recreate Outdoors by Age and Gender

This visual provides insights into the variation in motivation to recreate by region, gender, race/ethnicity, and age group, which can help leaders and decision-makers better understand and potentially increase participation among specific demographic groups. For example, a larger share of females than males are motivated by the ability to spend time with others outdoors, indicating that programmatic efforts aimed at increasing female participation may be more effective if they focus on creating opportunities to recreate together with friends. 

Barriers to Recreating Outdoors by Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Age

This visual can be used to identify key barriers to recreating for specific demographic groups. For example, if an organization has a goal of increasing recreation participation among Black residents, this tool can be used to identify which barriers need to be addressed in order to achieve the organization’s goal.

Perceptions of Outdoor Recreation Amenity (Availability and Quality) by Region

This visual looks at Michigan residents’ satisfaction with the availability and quality of recreational amenities within a 10-minute walk from home, within a 30-minute drive from home, and more than a 30-minute drive from home. Comparing satisfaction with availability and quality at a specific distance range can give insights into residents’ expectations. For example, if residents are substantially more satisfied with availability of amenities more than a 30-minute drive from home than they are with the quality of those same amenities, this may be an indication that residents expect to be able to enjoy a very high-quality recreation experience when driving more than 30 minutes.