American Hiking Society Celebrates Bipartisan Passage of EXPLORE Act

SILVER SPRING, MD – December 19, 2024 — This afternoon, the Senate unanimously passed the EXPLORE Act on the Senate floor, bringing  the landmark outdoor recreation and access legislation across the finish line. It will now be sent to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

“American Hiking Society and the 59 million strong hiking community celebrates the bipartisan passage of the EXPLORE Act. We applaud the leadership of Chairman Manchin and Westerman and Ranking Members Barasso and Grijalva  in making outdoor recreation and access a priority! The bill has many provisions that will enhance the experience of hikers and all recreation users, and the inclusion of the Outdoors for All Act, Military and Veterans in Parks, and the extension of the Every Kid Outdoors program, are essential components of the bill that will expand outdoor access to all communities, including those most in need of access to green spaces,” said Heather Klein Olson, Executive Director, American Hiking Society.

The House of Representatives unanimously passed the EXPLORE Act (H.R. 6492) earlier this year which helped get people outdoors by modernizing federal recreation systems and eliminating barriers of access to the outdoors. This first-of-its-kind legislation is the result of decades of work by stakeholders and Congress.

The  EXPLORE Act is a bipartisan collection of bills that will help get people outdoors by modernizing federal systems and eliminating barriers at no cost to taxpayers. This first-of-its-kind legislation is the result of decades of work by stakeholders and Congress

The package includes the Outdoors for All Act which expands access to outdoor recreation opportunities in cities and towns, particularly in underserved areas.

In addition to the Outdoors for All Act the package would modernize, enhance, and improve outdoor recreation access and the visitor experience:

  • Extends the Every Kid Outdoors Program for 7 more years
  • Allows for selling passes and collecting fees online
  • Supports youth and veterans 
  • Provides flexibility in crossagency outings for outfitters and guides
  • Updates infrastructure  
  • Breaks down government silos to address pressing recreation challenges and opportunities 
  • Expands parking at highly visited destinations 
  • Unifies and makes data collection consistent 
  • Modernizes film and photo permitting 
  • Creates more transparency in processes 
  • Improves resources for hunters and anglers 
  • Builds sustainable local economies 


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Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering all to enjoy, share, and preserve the hiking experience. To learn more about American Hiking Society and its mission and programs, visit americanhiking.org.