15 most 'outdoorsy' US states
Every state has a spectacular hike or crazy active adventure you should try; but some stand out more than others.
Despite America’s reputation for being one of most obese countries in the world, staying active is not a difficult task. Every city and state has or is very close to national parks, valleys, canyons, mountains, rivers peaks or pristine beaches to hike, climb, camp and wander.
These activities are available year-round, not just during peak vacation times. With a little creativity you can turn any city or state into an outdoor mecca to enjoy adventurous sports. Some of them – such as Hawaii, Wyoming, Florida and Pennsylvania – make it easier because they are surrounded by water, mountains, forests or historic sites.
Hawaii
Surrounded by water, year-round warm weather lending locals plenty of time to spend on outdoor activities, annual sporting events like The Honolulu Marathon, Ironman Hawaii, the Honolulu Triathlon, and The Great Aloha Run, and two national parks with incredible active volcanoes you can hike – it’s no surprise that Hawaii made the list. You can start your morning with a cool surf session, go snorkeling or scuba diving before lunch, paragliding in the afternoon, and biking down a volcano before dinner.
CaliforniaThe Golden State boasts a diverse and remarkable outdoorsy scene – hiking, biking, climbing, camping, swimming, surfing, and even skiing are all available. With seven national parks and hundreds of deep valleys, grand meadows, vast wilderness areas, waterfalls, caves and caverns, national historic trails and monuments, every day is an adventure day in California. It has the highest number of rock climbing, summer camps, and campgrounds throughout the country. San Francisco has the highest percentage of the population with walkable park access, 98.04 percent, and the highest number of bike-rental facilities per 100,000 residents, according to WalletHub. Eureka-Arcata-Fortuna has been voted by Backpacker as one of the “best cities to raise an outdoor kid.”
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