The Cultural Shift in Outdoor Recreation
And what to do about it
Due to the conditions and consequences of the Industrial Revolution, the popularity of outdoor recreation began to prosper in the late 19th century. With the advent of the steam engine, the production of goods that would normally take days to do by hand could be accomplished in a matter of hours using machines. Mechanization expanded and led to the creation of massive factories solely focused on creating goods as quickly and efficiently as possible, while maximizing profits for the owning class. There was little to no attention given to environmental consequences or worker living conditions. The expansion of industry gobbled up large swathes of rural America, while industrial waste choked rivers and polluted the air. The workers in the cogs of industrialization often worked a rigorous schedule with little free-time. After work, most returned to over-populated and polluted neighborhoods.
As an answer to the conditions above, outdoorsman clubs like the Sierra Club and the Boone and Crockett Club organized wilderness experiences, built trails, and advocated for the conservation and preservation of American natural resources. Starting around the early 20th century, conservationists and naturalists such as Aldo Leopold and Robert Marshall began writing influential works regarding nature, man’s desire for adventure, and the necessity of outdoor leisure in an increasingly urban world. Robert Marshall eloquently described this in his seminal work, “The Problem of the Wilderness”:
“In a civilization which requires most lives to be passed amid inordinate dissonance, pressure and intrusion, the chance of retiring now and then to the quietude and privacy of sylvan haunts becomes for some people a psychic necessity. It is only the possibility of convalescing in the wilderness which saves them from being destroyed by the terrible neural tension of modern existence.”
The zeitgeist was that spending time in nature was a necessity of the human soul and the tenets that formed the ethos of outdoor recreation in America were minimalism, living slowly, and a strong calling for the preservation and conservation of nature.
However, it wasn’t long until the outdoor recreation community began to drift away from these founding ideals. This cultural shift manifested in three distinct ways: over-consumption, hastiness, and environmental degradation. This departure in many ways is still rooted in the consequences of the Industrial Revolution. I will go into detail on these three aspects, and suggest solutions for how we can return to the ideals at the heart of outdoor leisure.
At the core of recreating outdoors is challenging yourself to live with only the essentials, a value that began to change once companies realized they could profit from the popularity of this pastime. The objective of every brand and retailer is to get you, the consumer, to buy more. One example of how entrenched consumerism is in our everyday lives is a strategy called “Search Engine Optimization”, or SEO for short. This refers to specific ways to craft articles and listings so they appear closer to the top of search results. For example, one way to rank higher is to use a longer list when writing listicles. So, if you’re new to backpacking and want to research what essential gear to bring on your first trip, the article titled “50 essential backpacking items” tends to rank higher than “10 essential backpacking items”. This type of consumerism goes beyond specific brand marketing tactics, and is actually built into the way you find information on the internet.
The second cultural change is an increased focus on accomplishing adventures quicker, rather than being present in the experience. Brands market light weight materials and athletic clothing, while influencers and online coaches emphasize training and nutrition. This all serves to overstate the importance of mile PR’s or one rep maxes, which shifts the focus away from experiencing Nature and acts as a barrier to entry. This isn’t to say that being fit and conditioned should be ignored either. In fact, developing a strong and resilient body was emphasized as a reason why conserving wilderness areas was important. Exploring these regions creates a physical condition that is not measured in mile PR’s or body fat percentages, but a hardiness that is reminiscent of an elk or mountain goat.
Finally, environmental degradation has accelerated as outdoor recreation has boomed in popularity. It’s projected that outdoor recreation trips will continue to rise due to a warming climate. On one hand, more visitors to these areas results in more revenue, which helps provide funds for conservation. On the other hand, it leads to increasingly negative impacts on environmental and human health. Increased visitor usage has caused increased soil and vegetation loss, decreasing the aesthetic qualities of these areas. Meanwhile, visitors feel less fulfilled with these places because of the negative memories associated with traffic and large crowds. In summation, we are loving our parks to death in very measurable and real ways.
The cultural changes that are happening in modern outdoor recreation have detrimental effects on the environment and mental health, but all of these changes have solutions on the individual and community level. First, people and brands need to embody the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle. Invest in items that will last for a long time or that are repairable. Natural materials like wool, leather, and cotton have a long lifespan and are easier to repair than higher tech materials such as Gore-Tex and nylon. Furthermore, as Tapper points out in his 2024 article, modern textiles contribute to “forever chemical” pollution that may cause increased rates of cancer.
The next solution is to change our view of the outdoors. Nature is not something to be conquered nor is it a proving-grounds to show off athletic prowess. Most people utilize the outdoors as a means of escaping the stresses of modern life. By emphasizing athleticism we are neglecting the spirit of outdoor life. Recreation should first and foremost be about simplifying our lives and meditating on beautiful processes of Nature. The athletes who want to climb mountains and run ultramarathons are welcome to do their thing — we won’t stop them.
The last and most important action we can take is reducing the impact we have on the environment while we recreate. This not only means staying on designated trails and camping areas, but also means visiting areas that might not be as popular. There is a lot of pressure to go to famous National Parks such as Glacier or Yellowstone, but visitors can have a similar or better experience visiting nearby areas that are less used. If you want to visit Glacier but don’t want to deal with the crowds, take a slightly more rugged trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness or the plethora of National Forests in the area. In addition to the changes we can make in choosing where to recreate, we can be conscientious about what businesses and brands we support. Do your research and be aware of “greenwashing” campaigns where companies market using pro-environment buzz words without making changes in their supply lines or business practices.
The ideals that shaped outdoor recreation in America arose as an antithesis to the urbanization resulting from the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. These ideals included living minimally and simply while protecting the last vestiges of natural ecosystems from industry. In response to the booming popularity companies began profiting off of the outdoors movement. As such, culture began to shift away from these formative philosophies, which has led to increased environmental degradation and anxiety amongst recreationists. However, we can take action as individuals and a community to steer the culture back to the right place. We need to emphasize sustainability and under-consumption, slow down and simplify our adventures, and explore areas that are under-utilized currently. By doing so we can not only ensure that future generations can enjoy the outdoors, but we can foster more fulfilling experiences and adventures.
