The popularity of camping that boomed with the pandemic is not slowing down. According to the Dyrt, a popular app to find camping spots, more and more people are continuing to spend the night outdoors.
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The Dyrt just released their 2024 Camping Report. The report has good news, like more people turning to the wilderness for recreation, but also some hiccups, like a struggle to find places to camp.
The report surveyed thousands of people and says an estimated 84.8 million camped in 2023. That’s about one in every four Americans. Of those people, 5.5 million camped for the first time last year. Maybe it’s not a surprise, but around 20 million campers only started camping since 2021.
The stats may look more like a headache for those who love the outdoors. Finding a campground has become tricky, and campers must book months in advance. That trend is changing as more people are seeking out free camping spots. Those are usually found in national forests and areas overseen by the Bureau of Land Management.
The Dyrt report says fewer people reported a struggle to find a camping spot than at the peak in 2022. However, 45.5% of campers had difficulty booking a spot, meaning more campsites and campgrounds are needed.
“We are in the new golden age of camping,” says The Dyrt CEO Kevin Long. “The demand for camping has never been greater, but technology is making it easier to find camping and property owners are rapidly expanding. As a result, campers have more options than ever before.”
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Also on the rise is the number of RVers. More people are adding comfort and luxury to their stay.
Finally, while dogs have long dominated the category of pets that go camping, the report found that 5.8% of campers brought along their cat.
