Best States for Outdoor Enthusiasts (2026)
Rankings weighted toward outdoor access (parks, public land, recreation), environmental quality, safety, health infrastructure, and affordable housing — for those who prioritize access to nature and an active lifestyle.
Top 10 States for Outdoor Enthusiasts
All 50 States Ranked for Outdoor Enthusiasts
| Rank | State | Grade | Outdoor Enthusiasts Score | Overall | 🏞️ Outdoor Access | 🌿 Environment | 🛡️ Safety | Region | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | B+ | 69.7 | 69.4 | 95.7 | 46.6 | 79.8 | West | Cities → |
| 2 | Vermont | A+ | 67.4 | 79.6 | 55.6 | 76.3 | 83.3 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 3 | Montana | B+ | 63.8 | 71.1 | 71.7 | 62.9 | 50.9 | West | Cities → |
| 4 | Maine | A+ | 63.4 | 77.3 | 45.0 | 77.1 | 89.6 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 5 | Idaho | B+ | 61.3 | 70.7 | 50.2 | 70.0 | 80.5 | West | Cities → |
| 6 | New Hampshire | A+ | 61.0 | 87.8 | 43.0 | 45.2 | 93.5 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 7 | South Dakota | A+ | 57.6 | 81.8 | 45.8 | 53.3 | 66.9 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 8 | Alaska | C | 57.5 | 42.1 | 100.0 | 49.5 | 16.7 | West | Cities → |
| 9 | Rhode Island | B+ | 54.4 | 69.8 | 37.4 | 53.4 | 83.8 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 10 | Oregon | B | 54.1 | 58.1 | 53.4 | 64.2 | 50.5 | West | Cities → |
| 11 | Minnesota | A | 53.4 | 76.7 | 30.7 | 51.0 | 64.7 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 12 | North Dakota | A | 53.1 | 76.6 | 39.1 | 38.5 | 62.5 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 13 | Massachusetts | B+ | 51.8 | 72.8 | 32.0 | 54.4 | 71.0 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 14 | Utah | A+ | 51.7 | 79.3 | 38.3 | 28.5 | 58.8 | West | Cities → |
| 15 | Washington | B | 50.8 | 61.4 | 35.4 | 73.1 | 42.3 | West | Cities → |
| 16 | Connecticut | A | 49.9 | 73.5 | 23.8 | 38.3 | 84.2 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 17 | Virginia | A | 49.4 | 74.9 | 20.1 | 48.0 | 78.5 | South | Cities → |
| 18 | Colorado | B+ | 49.3 | 66.2 | 44.5 | 45.9 | 39.2 | West | Cities → |
| 19 | Nebraska | A | 49.2 | 74.9 | 22.0 | 44.1 | 65.7 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 20 | New York | B | 48.6 | 58.4 | 30.2 | 58.4 | 66.0 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 21 | Hawaii | B | 48.3 | 63.2 | 36.3 | 56.9 | 53.3 | West | Cities → |
| 22 | Iowa | B+ | 47.7 | 69.5 | 22.4 | 46.7 | 66.9 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 23 | Wisconsin | B | 46.0 | 65.2 | 23.9 | 40.6 | 69.9 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 24 | Kansas | B | 45.3 | 59.3 | 30.4 | 48.0 | 52.7 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 25 | Maryland | B+ | 43.2 | 67.7 | 11.8 | 46.1 | 53.1 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | B | 43.0 | 60.3 | 19.8 | 38.0 | 71.6 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 27 | Nevada | D | 42.5 | 40.3 | 39.3 | 41.5 | 49.8 | West | Cities → |
| 28 | New Jersey | B | 42.0 | 65.9 | 6.5 | 37.4 | 83.0 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 29 | Arizona | C | 40.7 | 44.7 | 37.7 | 25.9 | 46.4 | West | Cities → |
| 30 | Delaware | C+ | 39.3 | 52.3 | 23.9 | 33.5 | 44.7 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 31 | Florida | C+ | 39.0 | 52.8 | 27.8 | 34.0 | 56.2 | South | Cities → |
| 32 | Michigan | C | 38.5 | 47.7 | 17.8 | 42.0 | 58.6 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 33 | California | C | 38.5 | 42.9 | 40.8 | 24.7 | 43.8 | West | Cities → |
| 34 | New Mexico | D | 38.1 | 33.1 | 44.3 | 50.8 | 7.7 | West | Cities → |
| 35 | North Carolina | C+ | 37.4 | 53.7 | 13.5 | 34.6 | 51.6 | South | Cities → |
| 36 | Illinois | C+ | 36.4 | 52.0 | 5.8 | 31.0 | 59.5 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 37 | Ohio | C+ | 35.6 | 49.1 | 10.0 | 35.2 | 60.5 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 38 | Indiana | C+ | 35.3 | 50.7 | 9.8 | 38.4 | 57.9 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 39 | West Virginia | D | 34.5 | 34.4 | 16.7 | 28.8 | 73.4 | South | Cities → |
| 40 | Georgia | C+ | 34.1 | 51.5 | 7.6 | 32.1 | 53.4 | South | Cities → |
| 41 | Kentucky | D | 33.8 | 38.4 | 9.9 | 28.9 | 73.7 | South | Cities → |
| 42 | Missouri | C+ | 33.7 | 49.3 | 15.0 | 25.3 | 37.7 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 43 | Oklahoma | C | 33.0 | 41.5 | 12.7 | 37.3 | 40.5 | South | Cities → |
| 44 | Tennessee | C | 32.3 | 46.8 | 13.3 | 36.2 | 30.6 | South | Cities → |
| 45 | Texas | C | 31.9 | 45.8 | 4.7 | 40.8 | 47.3 | South | Cities → |
| 46 | Mississippi | D | 31.8 | 31.5 | 14.7 | 22.7 | 63.7 | South | Cities → |
| 47 | South Carolina | C | 30.5 | 44.0 | 8.9 | 21.1 | 38.5 | South | Cities → |
| 48 | Alabama | D | 28.6 | 38.9 | 6.6 | 28.3 | 40.4 | South | Cities → |
| 49 | Arkansas | F | 27.8 | 30.9 | 14.7 | 25.8 | 28.9 | South | Cities → |
| 50 | Louisiana | F | 24.4 | 25.9 | 10.3 | 16.0 | 34.9 | South | Cities → |
Best States for Outdoor Enthusiasts in 2026: What the Data Shows
Wyoming leads our rankings for outdoor enthusiasts with a score of 69.7 out of 100. Close behind are Vermont (67.4) and Montana (63.8). These top-ranked states consistently score well across the categories that matter most to outdoor enthusiasts: outdoor access, environment, safety.
Key Findings
The gap between the #1 and #50 state is 45.3 points — a substantial difference that translates to real quality-of-life differences. The median state scores 43.2/100, meaning the top half of states cluster in the 43-70 range.
For outdoor enthusiasts, the most important category is Outdoor Access (30% weight), followed by Environment (15%) and Safety (15%). States that score above 70 in these top categories almost always place in the top 15.
Regional Patterns
For outdoor enthusiasts, Northeastern states lead with an average persona score of 51.3, followed by the West (51.3), Midwest (44.3), and South (33.5).
Surprise Rankings
Alaska jumps from #41 overall to #8 for outdoor enthusiasts — a gain of 33 spots. Meanwhile, Nebraska drops from #8 to #19, losing 11 spots when outdoor enthusiasts priorities are applied.
States Facing Challenges
At the bottom of the list, Louisiana (24.4), Arkansas (27.8), and Alabama (28.6) face the biggest challenges for outdoor enthusiasts. Lower scores in outdoor access and environment are the primary drivers.
Methodology
These rankings use the same real government data as our overall state rankings — from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, and America's Health Rankings — but re-weighted to reflect the priorities of outdoor enthusiasts. The top-weighted categories are Outdoor Access (30%), Environment (15%), Safety (15%). Categories with 0% weight are not included in the calculation. See our full methodology for details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best state for outdoor enthusiasts in 2026?
Wyoming ranks #1 for outdoor enthusiasts with a persona-weighted score of 69.7/100. The top 3 are Wyoming, Vermont, Montana.
What are the worst states for outdoor enthusiasts?
The lowest-ranked states for outdoor enthusiasts are Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama. These states score lower on the categories most important to outdoor enthusiasts.
How are "best for outdoor enthusiasts" rankings calculated?
We re-weight the 11 scoring categories based on what matters most to outdoor enthusiasts. Rankings weighted toward outdoor access (parks, public land, recreation), environmental quality, safety, health infrastructure, and affordable housing — for those who prioritize access to nature and an active lifestyle.