21 Dispersed Camping Apps For Epic Adventures

Written by meastt09 in Uncategorized

When you go camping, don’t just fill your phone with selfies, share some of that space for these essential apps that will make your trip, a prepared one.

From fun to first aid, here are your best-dispersed camping apps plus 20 more you NEED for your next outdoor adventure. Heading outdoors? You’re packed, your excited and you are READY….But, are you?

What Apps You Need For Outdoor Adventures

We all love a good campsite with lots of amenities to get laundry and showers done without worrying about water storage or waste. However, you know what we love more?

Hitting the backcountry, going boondocking, getting off-grid, and doing a little dispersed camping.

It doesn’t get any better than truly heading off-grid to dispersed camping areas to really feel like your out in nature, away from it all. These apps below are all you will ever need to head into the great outdoors with all the bases covered.

We live in a time where we quite literally carry a supercomputer in our pocket. Out phones can come with us anywhere and despite not having cell service in the backcountry, you can have all the information and resources you need to pull this off the right way, and the safe way.

Every season brings new opportunities for adventurers of all kinds. What begins as a hobby becomes a lifestyle and it’s important to use the resources available to you to have a safe and fun outdoor experience when spending a lot of time outside.

Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or just getting started, here are the 20 best apps for spending time in the great outdoors.

Best Apps For National Parks

The following apps are great for finding, exploring and making the most out of your next national park adventure:

Rec.gov

This is a great planning site that allows you to find nearby attractions, book lodgings, and acquire permits or passes. Whether you’re spending a day or a week in the parks, Rec.gov has lots of resources for you to prepare for your trip.

National Park Trail Guides

Having this app on your phone is extremely useful when exploring the parks. This comprehensive guide allows you to figure out where you want to go along with distances and exact locations for your hiking or sightseeing needs.

National Parks Pocket Maps

Another way to explore the parks, this app allows you to see complete maps of dozens of national parks. Hikers and explorers will find this very useful when charting out their destinations and helpful in case you get lost.

Best Apps For Locating Dispersed Camping, Public Land Camping and Boondocking

These apps are very useful for campers and explorers looking for available places off the grid (or on it!). If you’re not sure where to start with off-grid camping, check out our guide here, 5 Tips For Public Land Camping.

Campendium

Campendium is an app that lets the user look at virtual campsites, read reviews, and get more information on sites in 48 states. Experienced campers looking for a new place to pitch their tent will enjoy the extensive features offered by this app.

Ultimate Campground

This site lists thousands of public campsites and provides maps for the user to find their next campground. It’s easy to use and comes with a variety of other features to search for sites.

Freeroam

Freeroam is an app that helps you find free campsites and join a community of users to discuss camping life. Whether you prefer to camp in a tent, RV, or trailer, Freeroam accommodates all styles of camping.

Hipcamp

Hipcamp offers services to help you find outdoor accommodations including camping and glamping experiences. For camping beginners or adventurers who want a little more comfort, Hipcamp can help you find a great place.

Best Apps for RV’ers, Vanlifers and Truck Campers

For RV campers, here are a couple apps to help you on your trip:

Outdoorsy RV Rental

Outdoorsy RV Rental is a trusted marketplace for those looking to rent out a vehicle for their next camping trip. Outdoorsy allows you to connect with other campers and RV owners to plan your trip or to rent out your RV, if you wish.

RV Trader

This site lets the user find, buy, and sell RV’s or trailers. RV Trader also includes a service that allows you to find campsites and explore hundreds of new or used RV’s.

Best Apps for Hiking

Adventurers who like to hike should check out some of these hiking apps:

AllTrails

AllTrails is a service that includes maps, reviews, and other information for thousands of trails across the US. With photos and feedback, it should be easy to find a trail for your next hike. Be sure to also check out our guide to 5 Essential Hiking Items to remember on your next trip!

PeakVisor

If you’re an experienced hiker or enjoy spending time in the mountains, this app allows you to take a photo of a mountain peak, and PeakVisor will identify it and give you its altitude.

Hiking Project

Another app that provides trail maps, Hiking Project is a great way to chart your next hike. It’s thorough and gives you many options for trails near your location.

Best Apps For Mountain Biking

Mountain bikers looking for an adventure should start here:

MTB Project

MTB Project helps you find safe, permitted, and beautiful trails just for mountain biking. This app provides you with offline maps and GPS information for thousands of bike trails.

If you are not familiar with mountain bike trails and their rating system, check this guide out here, Mountain Biking Trail Ratings Explained.

TrailLink

TrailLink is another map service for mountain bikers. Just boot up the app and start exploring local and faraway bike trails. Pairs well with an off-grid dispersed camping app!

Best Apps for Off-Grid Maps and Navigation

In case you’re lost (and don’t want to be) or maybe you just want to do additional exploring, check out these apps:

Google Earth

Google Earth is a popular and efficient service that most people know about. Using this app is easy and fast, even if you’re far from civilization.

Gaia GPS

This app gives the user access to offline maps for mountain bike trails, hiking trails, and other sites. If you don’t have a signal in the middle of nowhere, Gaia GPS is sure to help.

OnX Hunt

OnX Hunt is useful for hunters looking for permitted hunting locations. This app provides extensive maps of thousands of hunting sites and even provides a 3D map for most sites. Not into hunting? No worries, this app also provides excellent info on all parcels of land and what’s free vs what’s private property!

Topo Maps

Topo Maps allows the user to view topographical maps of the US. For those wanting to do some mountain hikes, this app is perfect for viewing altitude.

Best Apps For Weather and Live Weather Radar

Knowing the weather is essential for outdoor adventurers. Here’s a few apps that will help:

NOAA Weather Radar

The NOAA shows enhanced weather radar and allows the user to view incoming weather in their area. It’s best for coastal or hurricane weather.

MyRadar

MyRadar is a comprehensive weather service that’s fast and easy to use. It shows the user an animated weather forecast so you can see what’s coming to your area.

WeatherBug

Another good weather app, WeatherBug shows you local and national weather forecasts.

Best Apps For Off-Grid Safety

Dispersed Camping Apps get you ou tin the wild, however with that comes no access (or delayed access) to emergency first responders. Staying safe on your adventures is the first priority, so look into these apps to ensure your safety:

Overdue

Overdue is an app that checks in with you and lets your emergency contacts know if you didn’t make it back before or on your specified time.

SAS Survival Guide

Based on its book counterpart, SAS Survival Guide gives you tips and methods to survive in the wilderness anywhere in the world.

First Aid–American Red Cross

This app by the American Red Cross has a built-in 911 system and step-by-step guides for any emergency situation.

Pet First Aid–American Red Cross

This pet first aid app gives the user tips from veterinarians and guides on what to do in animal emergencies.

Cairn Hiking Safety

Cairn shows you how to stay safe on a hike and helps you get home. This app is very useful for extreme adventurers.

Best Apps for Off-Grid Fun!

The second most important thing when adventuring is to have fun! Here are a few apps that provide you with some interesting and unique experiences:

Geocaching

This official app allows you to explore a more modern adventure: geocaching! This treasure hunting game will give you a set of coordinates to start your next adventure.

Yonder Outdoor Adventure

Yonder is a social app that connects you with people and locations across the US for new adventures and experiences. 

PictureThis 

PictureThis is a unique app that allows you to take pictures of plants and will identify them for you. It’s fun to use but also quite useful if you spend a lot of time outdoors.

Outdoor adventuring is a special activity that requires a lot of planning and research. These apps will help you find your way to your next adventure.

Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts of the Best Apps for Dispersed Camping and Outdoor Adventure.

While you may not need all of these apps, there are certainly a few you definitely want to grab before you head out. At a minimum, we recommend Weather, Maps and First Aid. Anything beyond that is great also! Now, you’re really ready to GET OUTSIDE!

Recent Posts