4 apps/sites every outdoor lover should use!
In the age of technology the urge to get outside and escape the online world is an itch that every outdoor lover feels everyday.
But what if we could use just a little bit of that tech to help us explore the beauty of outdoor world and discover more? While I absolutely love turning off my phone or going to a place with no service and disconnecting. There are a few phone apps and websites I absolutely love and help me discover more about the outdoors.
iNaturalist
iNaturalist is a site/app that should be at the top of every nature lovers list. Ever find a mushroom, bug, bird, animal, or plant and wanted to know what it was? I know I certainly have! So what is iNaturalist? It’s a massive database where users take pictures and record their observations, sharing with fellow naturalists and discuss their findings.
Not sure what something is? Well make an observation and experts can weigh in and help you to identify what you found. In doing so you become a citizen scientist helping to contribute to a huge database, helping to find new or rare species, and understand where certain plants, mushrooms, animals etc.. live and thrive. It’s an amazing way to learn more about the outdoors and the more you post the more you contribute to helping scientists understand our planet and the amazing life that calls it home!
https://www.inaturalist.org
iNaturalist is super user friendly and has a phone app as well. Just snap a pic and upload it. Congrats you are now a citizen scientist.
LighterPack
Constantly forgetting something on your backpacking trip? Or want to record the weight of everything without sitting there with a pen and paper, or just share the gear you use with friends? LighterPack is here to make your life a whole lot easier. What is also great about LighterPack is that you can look at other people’s gear, who have shared their link. This is a great way to check out different gear and what most people are using. It is also a great place to check out as a beginner backpacker and get a feel for what gear seasoned backpackers have in their kits.
https://lighterpack.com/
Make a gear checklist to print. Never forget something again!
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
THE DYRT
The Dyrt is one of the best websites/apps for finding all sorts of camping spots. From remote backcountry spots to RV parks to dispersed camping, The Dyrt has it all. The free version is a bit limited, but it’s a great tool when researching areas around you. They also have guides to all sorts of different places and National Parks. This app is great for planning out any hiking/camping trip.
https://thedyrt.com
FAROUT
This app is geared towards long-distance backpacking, and ohhh does it shine in this area! Farout is your one-stop shop when planning a long-distance backpacking trip. Planning to hike the AT of PCT, this app is a must. It has water sources, camp sites, towns, hostels, pretty much all you need to plan your Thru-hike, all in one place.
No need to carry a book that lays out the trail and where to stop and mileage, just download the map and off you go. The only downside is that there is a cost for each trail map, but the resources it provides are absolute gold on a Thru-hike. I cannot recommend this app enough when it comes to planning a long-distance backpacking trip.
