KUHL Says Montana Isn’t #1 Outdoorsy State

The outdoor brand KUHL recently ranked the most outdoorsy state in the U.S., and guess what? It is not Montana, Wyoming, or Idaho. Nope, it’s Vermont. Let that sink in. Vermont. Land of maple syrup, Bernie Sanders, and skiing in flannel. Big Sky Country only managed to land fourth on this list.

It almost feels insulting. We have Glacier, Yellowstone, and more unspoiled nature than most people can handle. Yet we’re stuck behind a state where the biggest outdoor hazard is probably running out of granola.

The Numbers Game

KUHL’s ranking isn’t about land or wildlife, it’s about Google searches. Vermont posted 8,515 searches per 100,000 residents for activities like skiing, camping, and kayaking. Montana? A respectable 7,069 searches . Not bad, it was behind not just Vermont, but also Hawaii and Colorado.

Hawaii makes sense. Surfing volcano-side and paddling with dolphins? Hard to argue. Colorado has the Rockies and a Starbucks at every trailhead, so of course it’s popular. But Vermont beating Montana? That one stings.

Silver Linings and Side-Eyes

Here’s where Montana does come in first: camping. Nobody in America Googles camping more than we do. And that tracks. We’ve got skies full of stars, mountains in every direction, and grizzly bears for campsite neighbors.

And don’t forget our neighboring states. Wyoming leads in hunting, Idaho has rugged backcountry, and Washington keeps drawing hikers into its soaking wet forests.

Enjoy the Quiet

So maybe this isn’t the worst news. Vermont can wear the crown. Let the Northeast have its glory, and let the wave of granola-eating, Patagonia-vested hikers head east. Out here, we’ll keep doing what we do best: enjoying Montana’s wild spaces without tons of people crowding the trailhead or boat launch.