June is the perfect month to explore the great outdoors, and we suspect that the people who invented National Great Outdoors Month knew this fact already, since this is when they decided to place it. This is a month that we encourage everyone to observe because there are few things better than traveling to and enjoying natural spaces.

It doesn’t matter if a person hikes, bikes, camps, goes kayaking, or engages in some other activity. All that matters is that it’s done outdoors. Fortunately, the United States has approximately 84 million acres of national parks for people to explore. There are also many state and local parks that people can explore as well. So, everyone should head out there and explore it during this month.

The History of National Great Outdoors Month

The genesis of this month was Great Outdoors Week, which was created by U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1998. The purpose of this week was to encourage people to enjoy nature. Since national parks are staffed and collect revenue, this would not only increase jobs but also raise funds to protect said national parks.

This week continued for a few decades but was eventually expanded some 18 years later. The Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act was created in 2016 to study the recreational activities of Americans.

This report came to the conclusion that outdoor recreation contributed more than $412 billion to the economy. National Great Outdoors Week was expanded to National Great Outdoors Month to encourage even more Americans to explore the great outdoors.

Facts About National Parks in the U.S.

Since we’re all exploring the great outdoors, we thought that we’d take the time to list some facts about national parks that we learned during the course of our research. Let’s take a quick look at them below.

• The oldest national park in the U.S. is Yellowstone National Park. It was created in 1872.
• Mackinac National Park was established in 1875 and was the second oldest national park, but it was returned to Michigan in 1895.
• Yosemite National Park has three of the tallest waterfalls in the world.
• Alaska and California each have eight national parks.

Observing National Great Outdoors Month

Heading out to the great outdoors is a great way to observe National Great Outdoors Month. In fact, we think it’s the only way for people to celebrate it. All they have to do is decide whether they want to visit a state or national park.

It can be in the woods, in the mountains, or on the beach. And while people are celebrating this month, they should use the hashtag #GreatOutdoorsMonth to encourage others to do the same.