MUIRNet-News Glossaries

On more than 258 million acres of public lands, people enjoy countless types of outdoor adventure – participating in activities as widely varied as camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, boating, whitewater rafting, hang gliding, off-highway vehicle driving, mountain biking, birding and wildlife viewing, photography, climbing, all types of winter sports, and visiting natural and cultural heritage sites.

In an increasingly urbanized West, these recreational opportunities and the landscape settings where they take place are vital to the quality of life enjoyed by residents of western states, as well as national and international visitors.

Recreational use on BLM-managed lands also helps support the economies of western communities and states. More than 22 million people now live within 25 miles of public lands, and two-thirds of the lands managed by the BLM are within 50 miles of an urban area. Visits to recreation sites on BLM-managed public lands have significantly increased over the years, from just more than 51 million in 2001 to over 55 million in 2006.

Click here to learn more about the BLM Recreation and Visitor Services