With the rapid economic development, people’s demand for outdoor sports and recreational sports is constantly increasing. As a part of social sports, recreational sports are of great significance and function for improving health, building physical fitness, preventing diseases, enhancing cultural literacy and promoting spiritual civilization. It is also a key part of China’s sports industry. Under this background, strengthening the management of outdoor sports and recreational sports has become a necessity for China’s social development. This paper aims to comprehensively explore the development trends of outdoor sports in recreational sports and the influencing factors behind them, so as to provide strategies and suggestions for the healthy and sustainable development of outdoor sports. By comprehensively and deeply analyzing the development history, current situation, challenges and opportunities of outdoor sports combined with policy, economic, cultural, environmental and other factors, this paper holds that outdoor sports, as an important part of recreational sports, have broad development prospects and potential. In the future, outdoor sports will show a trend of diversification, personalization, professionalization, popularization and competition. At the same time, environmental protection and sustainable development will become important topics in the development of outdoor sports. Policy, economy, culture, environment and other factors will exert an important influence on the development of outdoor sports.