On a national level, outdoor recreation generated $1.2 trillion in economic output. That represents a $1 billion growth from figures in 2022.

The largest piece of that pie went to snow activities, including all of the snow resort interests plus snowmobiling, for a total of $643 million, an increase of $41 million over 2022. The rest of the major categories break out like this:

• RVing – $412 million.
• Boating and fishing – $537 million, up $99 million
• Hunting, shooting and trapping – $331 million, up $86 million
• OHV activities including motorcycles, ATVs and UTVs – $166 million, up $30 million
• Climbing, hiking and tent camping – $143 million
• Bicycling – $73 million.

While there are other classifications of activities, these seven outdoor recreation categories represent the greatest economic impact. Each Utah city focuses on what it has to offer tourists.

Small rural communities have access to amazing OHV trail systems. Utah has over 80,000 miles of trail to offer OHV tourists whether they reside in or out of the state. $166 million is a huge and growing number.

Lynn Blamires, Special to the Standard-Examiner

These communities have a great opportunity to capture a piece of those tourist dollars with the jamborees and other OHV activities they put together each year. OHV drivers come from all over the country to enjoy Utah trail systems and the amenities offered by these towns. In Utah alone, 220,000 ATVs and UTVs were registered in Utah at the end of 2023.

Jamboree events showcase our amazing backcountry and no state in the Union holds more jamborees than Utah. The first jamboree of next year will be in Ephraim when it hosts the Second Annual Arapeen Winter Tracked UTV Ride in February. It will be followed by at least 19 more major OHV events in 2025.

In an interview with Max Reid, a member of the Paiute Trails Committee, I learned more about the monetary benefits received by the five counties covered by the Paiute from the OHV community. In 2023, 130,902 people rode 86,461 machines on this trail system. Those people spent $33,453,000 on food, fuel, lodging and accessories in the 19 towns the trails service. These numbers are for this trail system only.

From the data last collected, riders were separated into three groups. The amount of money spent per day by the riders increased according to the distance from the trail system to their homes.

• A rider from outside the state of Utah spent an average of $567.71 per day
• A rider from within the state of Utah spent an average of $131.25 per day
• A rider from within the five counties spent an average of $92.73 per day

In 2017, groups were split with a third of the riders in each group. Currently, 40% of the riders compose each of the first two groups with only 20% in the last group.

Lynn Blamires, Special to the Standard-Examiner

The mix of ATVs vs UTVs has an impact on these numbers. Before UTVs were introduced, ATVs carried one rider. Now UTVs can carry up to six people. Of the 130,902 machines, 66% were UTVs, 28% were ATVs and 6% were motorcycles. Not only has the number of machines increased, but so has the number of riders.

The outdoor recreation picture has been changing rapidly since the eyes of the world were focused on Utah in 2002 during the Winter Olympics. Before the Olympics, Utah was a state about which little was known.

Jason Curry, deputy director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources, said that the 2002 event with all eyes glued on Utah opened up the possibilities for people who may have stereotyped the state. “Quickly, people realized there’s a lot to Utah in terms of outdoor recreation opportunity that way,” he said.

Curry elaborated on the economic impact saying, “Communities across the state are experiencing the numerous benefits of our readily accessible landscapes, and we will remain committed to fostering a high-quality outdoor lifestyle that drives the outdoor economy and enriches the lives of all Utah’s residents and visitors.”

When you ride your OHV into the backcountry, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down and make yourself known appropriately to the local people in Utah’s rural communities.

Photo supplied

Contact Lynn R. Blamires at quadmanone@gmail.com.