The Best States for Outdoor Access (2026)
Alaska ranks #1 for outdoor access in 2026 with a score of 100.0/100, followed by Wyoming (95.7), Montana (71.7), Vermont (55.6), and Oregon (53.4). Scores combine recreation facilities, public land percentage, and national park acreage from Census, USGS, and NPS data. Texas ranks last at 4.7.
- Runner-up
- Wyoming 95.7
- Last place
- Texas 4.7
Outdoor Access score by state
Darker states score higher. Hover, focus, or tap a state to see its rank, score, and grade in the panel.
Key Takeaways
Alaska leads the nation in outdoor access with a score of 100.0, 4.3 points ahead of #2 Wyoming. The top 3 is rounded out by Montana at 71.7.
The West dominates: 7 of the top 10 states are in the West. Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico lead the way for the region.
The 95.3-point gap between #1 Alaska and #50 Texas is one of the widest spreads across all categories. The median state scores 23.9, meaning half of all states fall below this threshold.
The bottom 5 — Georgia, Alabama, New Jersey, Illinois, Texas — are concentrated in the South, with 3 of 5 from that region. Texas ranks last with a score of 4.7, signaling persistent challenges in outdoor access.
Despite ranking #1 in outdoor access, Alaska sits at #42 overall — a notable divergence that shows category leadership doesn't always translate to top composite scores. This gap suggests Alaska has room to improve in other areas to climb the overall rankings.
Related analysis
What Are the Best States for Outdoor Enthusiasts in 2026? All 50 Ranked
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.
Read the full analysis →All 50 states ranked by outdoor access
The top 20 are listed first; open the rest of the table for all 50.
| # State | Grade | Outdoor Access score | Overall score | Key metrics | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | A+ | 100.0 | 44.3 | 61.8% public land · 6.82 rec facilities/10K · 74.54 park acres/capita | West |
| 2Wyoming | A+ | 95.7 | 79.9 | 48.2% public land · 7.19 rec facilities/10K · 4.13 park acres/capita | West |
| 3Montana | A+ | 71.7 | 75.0 | 29.9% public land · 6.8 rec facilities/10K · 1.12 park acres/capita | West |
| 4Vermont | A+ | 55.6 | 74.0 | 17.9% public land · 8.65 rec facilities/10K · 0.04 park acres/capita | Northeast |
| 5Oregon | A+ | 53.4 | 50.9 | 52.6% public land · 3.43 rec facilities/10K · 0.05 park acres/capita | West |
| 6Idaho | A | 50.2 | 78.4 | 62.5% public land · 2.85 rec facilities/10K · 0.4 park acres/capita | West |
| 7South Dakota | A | 45.8 | 79.3 | 5.4% public land · 6.96 rec facilities/10K · 0.3 park acres/capita | Midwest |
| 8Maine | A | 45.0 | 71.6 | 5.8% public land · 9.53 rec facilities/10K · 0.07 park acres/capita | Northeast |
| 9Colorado | A | 44.5 | 64.7 | 36.2% public land · 2.74 rec facilities/10K · 0.12 park acres/capita | West |
| 10New Mexico | A | 44.3 | 30.6 | 34.7% public land · 2.83 rec facilities/10K · 0.19 park acres/capita | West |
| 11New Hampshire | B+ | 43.0 | 83.4 | 13.5% public land · 4.99 rec facilities/10K · 0.01 park acres/capita | Northeast |
| 12California | B+ | 40.8 | 40.2 | 45.8% public land · 1.86 rec facilities/10K · 0.2 park acres/capita | West |
| 13Nevada | B+ | 39.3 | 45.8 | 84.9% public land · 1.66 rec facilities/10K · 0.24 park acres/capita | West |
| 14North Dakota | B+ | 39.1 | 75.5 | 3.9% public land · 5.49 rec facilities/10K · 0.09 park acres/capita | Midwest |
| 15Utah | B+ | 38.3 | 75.4 | 64.9% public land · 1.32 rec facilities/10K · 0.63 park acres/capita | West |
| 16Arizona | B+ | 37.7 | 47.8 | 38.6% public land · 1.55 rec facilities/10K · 0.37 park acres/capita | West |
| 17Rhode Island | B+ | 37.4 | 62.0 | 4.4% public land · 5.29 rec facilities/10K · 0 park acres/capita | Northeast |
| 18Hawaii | B+ | 36.3 | 64.8 | 15.1% public land · 3.9 rec facilities/10K · 0.25 park acres/capita | West |
| 19Washington | B | 35.4 | 61.8 | 28.5% public land · 2.39 rec facilities/10K · 0.26 park acres/capita | West |
| 20Massachusetts | B | 32.0 | 70.0 | 7.7% public land · 4.3 rec facilities/10K · 0.01 park acres/capita | Northeast |
Show all 50 states ↓Show fewer ↑
| # State | Grade | Outdoor Access score | Overall score | Key metrics | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21Minnesota | B | 30.7 | 70.4 | 10.9% public land · 3.8 rec facilities/10K · 0.05 park acres/capita | Midwest |
| 22Kansas | B | 30.4 | 55.1 | 0.6% public land · 4.86 rec facilities/10K · 0.01 park acres/capita | Midwest |
| 23New York | B | 30.2 | 54.9 | 15.1% public land · 3.33 rec facilities/10K · 0 park acres/capita | Northeast |
| 24Florida | B | 27.8 | 59.9 | 26.3% public land · 1.82 rec facilities/10K · 0.11 park acres/capita | South |
| 25Wisconsin | B | 23.9 | 70.6 | 5.8% public land · 3.55 rec facilities/10K · 0.01 park acres/capita | Midwest |
| 26Delaware | B | 23.9 | 53.6 | 2.7% public land · 3.88 rec facilities/10K · 0 park acres/capita | Northeast |
| 27Connecticut | C+ | 23.8 | 66.9 | 0.9% public land · 4.06 rec facilities/10K · 0 park acres/capita | Northeast |
| 28Iowa | C+ | 22.4 | 69.2 | 1.1% public land · 3.87 rec facilities/10K · 0 park acres/capita | Midwest |
| 29Nebraska | C+ | 22.0 | 71.1 | 1.4% public land · 3.79 rec facilities/10K · 0 park acres/capita | Midwest |
| 30Virginia | C+ | 20.1 | 67.7 | 10.5% public land · 2.59 rec facilities/10K · 0.05 park acres/capita | South |
| 31Pennsylvania | C+ | 19.8 | 56.9 | 5.6% public land · 3.09 rec facilities/10K · 0.01 park acres/capita | Northeast |
| 32Michigan | C+ | 17.8 | 42.7 | 13.4% public land · 2.01 rec facilities/10K · 0.07 park acres/capita | Midwest |
| 33West Virginia | C+ | 16.7 | 42.8 | 12% public land · 2.03 rec facilities/10K · 0.05 park acres/capita | South |
| 34Missouri | C+ | 15.0 | 51.0 | 5.4% public land · 2.55 rec facilities/10K · 0.01 park acres/capita | Midwest |
| 35Mississippi | C | 14.7 | 41.9 | 6.5% public land · 2.38 rec facilities/10K · 0.04 park acres/capita | South |
| 36Arkansas | C | 14.7 | 40.1 | 10.5% public land · 1.96 rec facilities/10K · 0.04 park acres/capita | South |
| 37North Carolina | C | 13.5 | 59.1 | 9.3% public land · 1.95 rec facilities/10K · 0.04 park acres/capita | South |
| 38Tennessee | C | 13.3 | 57.1 | 7.2% public land · 2.13 rec facilities/10K · 0.06 park acres/capita | South |
| 39Oklahoma | C | 12.7 | 43.0 | 2.2% public land · 2.61 rec facilities/10K · 0 park acres/capita | South |
| 40Maryland | C | 11.8 | 53.6 | 7.9% public land · 1.91 rec facilities/10K · 0.01 park acres/capita | Northeast |
| 41Louisiana | C | 10.3 | 30.0 | 4.2% public land · 2.12 rec facilities/10K · 0.01 park acres/capita | South |
| 42Ohio | C | 10.0 | 52.1 | 1.5% public land · 2.37 rec facilities/10K · 0 park acres/capita | Midwest |
| 43Kentucky | D | 9.9 | 44.8 | 5.4% public land · 1.94 rec facilities/10K · 0.02 park acres/capita | South |
| 44Indiana | D | 9.8 | 59.2 | 2.1% public land · 2.29 rec facilities/10K · 0 park acres/capita | Midwest |
| 45South Carolina | D | 8.9 | 49.0 | 6% public land · 1.77 rec facilities/10K · 0.01 park acres/capita | South |
| 46Georgia | D | 7.6 | 55.4 | 6.1% public land · 1.61 rec facilities/10K · 0 park acres/capita | South |
| 47Alabama | D | 6.6 | 48.5 | 3.7% public land · 1.74 rec facilities/10K · 0 park acres/capita | South |
| 48New Jersey | D | 6.5 | 55.0 | 7.3% public land · 1.35 rec facilities/10K · 0 park acres/capita | Northeast |
| 49Illinois | F | 5.8 | 47.6 | 2.4% public land · 1.78 rec facilities/10K · 0 park acres/capita | Midwest |
| 50Texas | F | 4.7 | 52.2 | 1.8% public land · 1.69 rec facilities/10K · 0.04 park acres/capita | South |
Best and worst states for outdoor access
Top 10 States for Outdoor Access
ScoreBottom 10 States for Outdoor Access
ScoreFrequently Asked Questions
What is the best state for outdoor access in 2026?
Alaska ranks #1 for outdoor access in 2026 with a score of 100.0/100, followed by Wyoming (95.7) and Montana (71.7). Rankings combine recreation facilities per capita from Census County Business Patterns (40%), percentage of state area that is public land from USGS PAD-US (35%), and national park acreage per capita from the National Park Service (25%). Alaska offers vast public lands, multiple national parks, and extensive recreation infrastructure. Western states with millions of acres of federal public land dominate this category.
Which states have the least outdoor access?
The states with the lowest outdoor access scores in 2026 are Texas (4.7/100), Illinois (5.8), and New Jersey (6.5). These states tend to be densely populated Eastern states with limited public land as a percentage of total area and fewer national park acres per capita. However, some of these states compensate with high recreation facility density — gyms, pools, parks, and trails — even if they lack the vast wilderness that drives Western states' scores. The gap between best and worst outdoor access scores is 95.3 points, one of the widest among all categories.
How is the outdoor access score calculated?
The outdoor access score combines three metrics: recreation facilities per capita from Census County Business Patterns (40% weight — includes gyms, fitness centers, parks, pools, skiing facilities, and other recreation businesses), percentage of state area that is publicly accessible land from USGS PAD-US database (35% weight — BLM, Forest Service, state parks, and other public lands), and national park acreage per capita from the National Park Service (25% weight). Each metric is normalized to a 0-100 scale. Outdoor access carries a 6% weight in the composite. This combination captures both developed recreation infrastructure and natural public land access.
Why do Western states dominate outdoor access rankings?
Western states dominate because they contain the majority of America's federal public land — BLM land, national forests, national parks, and wilderness areas. States like those in the Mountain West can have 30-60%+ of their total land area as publicly accessible. This drives up both the public land percentage and national park acreage components of the score. Eastern states, which were settled earlier and have primarily private land ownership patterns, typically have far less public land as a percentage of their area. However, Eastern states can still score moderately well if they have high densities of recreation facilities per capita — the 40% weight on recreation facilities ensures that developed recreation infrastructure counts significantly.
Does outdoor access affect health and quality of life?
Research consistently shows that access to parks, trails, and outdoor recreation improves physical health, mental health, and overall life satisfaction. States with high outdoor access tend to have more physically active populations, lower obesity rates, and better mental health outcomes. The connection works through multiple channels: free outdoor recreation encourages exercise, green spaces reduce stress and improve mental well-being, and proximity to nature increases opportunities for social connection through hiking groups, sports leagues, and community events. For remote workers who spend long hours at a desk, outdoor access becomes especially valuable. The 6% weight in our composite acknowledges outdoor access as a meaningful quality-of-life factor.
How the Outdoor Access Score Is Calculated
Our outdoor access score combines recreation facilities per capita from Census County Business Patterns (40%), percentage of state area that is public land from USGS PAD-US (35%), and national park acreage per capita from the National Park Service (25%). Outdoor access carries a 6% weight in the composite. Western states with vast public lands and national parks dominate this category, while densely populated Eastern states with fewer public lands score lower despite often having more recreation facilities per capita.