The Outdoor Foundation in the U.S. has published the section...

The Outdoor Foundation in the U.S. has published the section of its Outdoor Recreation Participation Report dedicated to camping, finding that 44 million Americans went camping in back yards, cars and RVs in 2009, a new high. The average camper spent 13.2 days camping, for a combined total of 580.7 million outings. The number of campers is almost a million more than the previous high, recorded in 1996. The report surveyed more than 40,000 Americans ages 6 and over, asking about their participation in 114 different activities. It was done by the Outdoor Foundation along with the Coleman Company. The foundation said that the economy has led consumers to return to “simpler lifestyles,” leading to the boom. Campers often participated in other outdoor activities. Fitness walking led the way with 48.8 percent of campers doing it, followed by angling, with 43.6 percent. Other popular activities for camping participants included hiking, wildlife viewing, boating (including kayaking, canoeing or rafting), and hunting and shooting activities.