Four Out of Five Campers Increase Camping Frequency During Retirement
PORTLAND, Ore., March 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dyrt, the app to get the best campsites, built by the largest RVing and camping community in the U.S., has found that four out of five campers 65 and over either camp more, if already retired, or plan to camp more when they do retire.
These statistics are from the 2026 Camping Report Presented by Toyota Trucks, which is compiled from the results of surveys conducted with thousands of members of The Dyrt Community, a representative sample of U.S. residents, and camping property managers across all 50 states.
The report found that 16.4% of campers are ages 55 and over, and 6.2% are at least 65. With an estimated 82.4 million Americans going camping in 2025, that works out to 13.5 million campers being at least 55 years old, with 5.1 million campers 65 and over. That means at least 4 million campers increase their camping frequency in retirement.
We also know how the majority of them plan to enjoy these camping trips: RV and trailer camping is significantly more popular among older campers. Only 21% of campers 34 and under took an adventure in an RV or trailer in 2025, but once they reach the age group of 55-64, that number goes all the way up to 55%. The Dyrt also found that 64% of those ages 65 and up went camping at least one time in an RV or trailer last year.
"It's a fairly common sentiment among campers when they reach the campsite on Friday evening after a long week, 'I can't wait until I can do this without having to rush back for work on Monday,'" says Kevin Long, CEO of The Dyrt. "The era of remote work and Wi-Fi and satellite technology has given those campers still in the workforce a sneak peek into what spending extra time at a campground can be like. And there are millions of people out there right now, living the dream and exploring campgrounds all over the country in an RV."
While RVs and trailers are more popular among older campers, glamping has the opposite fate: The percentage of campers who glamp decreases as age goes up. Despite an overall 8% increase in glamping from 2024 to 2025, only 3% of campers 65 and over visited a luxurious glampsite last year.
"While you might think the comfort of glamping would attract older campers, we are seeing the opposite is true," The Dyrt founder Sarah Smith wrote in this year's camping report. "To campers over 50, let me tell you, if you haven't tried sleeping in a king-size bed in a heated yurt or tiny house, you're missing out!"
Other interesting age-related findings from the camping report include:
- Campers 55-64 are the most likely age group to leave a reserved campsite at least one day early
- Campers 65 and over are most likely to cancel a reservation with plenty of advance notice
Read The Dyrt's 2026 Camping Report Presented by Toyota Trucks.
About The Dyrt
The Dyrt is the app to get the best campsites, built by the largest RVing and camping community in the U.S. With The Dyrt PRO, campers get all RV parks and campgrounds, the Free Camping Collection, and the RV Trip Planner. The Dyrt's 2026 Camping Report Presented by Toyota Trucks is informed by the largest online camping community and is the leading source of information for the camping industry.
Media Contact:
Mike Wollschlager
860-526-1555
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SOURCE The Dyrt
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