Camping apps can save the day when you’re trying to find the perfect place to pitch your tent. Our list of the top 9 camping apps:
- The Dyrt (Free) — 500,000+ campsites, reviews & tips at National, State, Private
- Recreation.gov (Free) — National Parks only
- Reserve America (Free) — State Parks only
- Tentrr (Free) — Glamping, platform tents
- Hipcamp (Free) — Glamping, private land
- REI Co-op National Parks Guide (Free) — National Parks only, no reservations
- AllStays ($9.99) — Rest Stops, RV Parks & Some Campgrounds
- Campendium (Free) — RV, Tent campgrounds
- Boondocking (Free) — Submitted locations for boondockers
Here’s an all-too-familiar scenario: you just arrived to your campground hoping to get a walk-up site, only to find they’re all full. You’re hours from home without a place to stay, and dead set on having some time in the outdoors. What do you do?
The answer doesn’t have to be a long, frustrating drive home. Finding campsites is easier than ever, and might be best done from your phone. Savvy campers and first-timers alike can connect to a multitude of camping apps that serve campground information, reviews and bookings capability, all from your phone.
These Camping Apps Will Help You Stay Connected to the Outdoors
That desire for campground information is exactly why we built The Dyrt, which now features over 42,000 campgrounds and more reviews than any other app. We strive to be the resource for all things camping, but with countless other resources out there, it can be helpful to have several options.
Generally, some of the best camping apps can be divided into a few categories. Specialized databases and bookings tools, like Tentrr and Boondocking, are great for showing you a specific type of camping. More generalized databases, like The Dyrt, show you campgrounds, availability, activities and more, taking an all-in-one approach to finding camping from your phone. We’ve collected camping apps of all types that are likely to help you plan your next camping trip, whether its at a popular national park or in your local woods.
The Dyrt — 500,000+ RV and Tent Campsites, Reviews & Tips for All U.S. Campgrounds
Price: Free
Availability: iOS and Android
Rating: 4.7/5, 4.2K Ratings
The Dyrt is the all-in-one resource for campers to find campsites, read reviews, and book their stay. With the most campground photos, videos, and reviews of any camping resource, The Dyrt offers comprehensive and user-submitted guides to camping across the U.S. Our desktop, iOS, and Android apps (all free) feature over 42,000 ranked campgrounds (including Hipcamps, Tentrrs, cabins, private RV campgrounds, national parks, state parks, and more) with more being added every day. Users can compete in camping contests, where online reviews can lead to real prizes and discounts with our outdoor brand partners. Bookings are available in-app. See why campers call it the best camping app.
Recreation.gov — Federal Campgrounds
Price: Free
Availability: iOS only
Rating: 3.9/5, 59 Ratings
The well-known campground listing site runs an iOS-exclusive app that services only federal camping options. Their coverage features many popular national park and forest campgrounds and shows activities in the area on most listings.
It’s not peer-to-peer, so the sites don’t feature user-submitted reviews or images, however, there is some information on sites and surrounding activities from federal sources. If you’re more of a last-minute planner, bookings for these federal sites are available in-app.
Reserve America (RA Camping) — State & Some Private Campgrounds
Price: Free
Availability: iOS and Android
Rating: 4.8/5, 6.5K Ratings
The proprietary service for state-operated camping in 32 states (as well as a handful of private campgrounds from KOA and Good Sam) operates free iOS and Android apps. Campers can search for campgrounds via location and available dates, but the app lacks a map functionality that comes in handy when planning road trips.
The app features tracking details to keep your trips in order, including a helpful upcoming reservations tab and filtering features.
The app doesn’t feature reviews or rankings for campsites, so planning stops on the fly can be a little risky at times. Campers can book sites directly in the app.
Tentrr — Private, Unique Camping Spots
Price: Free
Availability: iOS only
Rating: 3.7/5, 18 Ratings
Tentrr’s iOS and Android apps emphasize the company’s main product — pre-made glamping tents set up on private (and some public) lands across the country. Their more than 730 campsites offer cozy accommodation in nature with a “bed-and-breakfast” extra touch; many sites offer sweet services like saunas, massages and yes, even breakfast in bed. Both the website and app offer information on sleeping options, amenities, and proximity to nearby attractions. Booking a site can be done directly in app, although many of these comfy campsites won’t come as cheap as a tent or RV site in a public campground.
Hipcamp — Private, Unique Camping Spots
Price: Free
Availability: iOS and Android
Rating: 4.6/5, 185 Ratings
Popularly known as the “AirBnB of camping,” Hipcamp focuses on private landowner-run campgrounds, similarly to Tentrr, but without the standardized glamping tent of Tentrr. Their iOS and Android apps offer neat bookings features like filters for night-of camping availability and for weekend getaways. Hipcamp sites are a mix of rural backcountry destinations and hotel-level accommodation that might make you reconsider your definition of camping. You’ll typically find yourself in isolation at these sites as well, as many properties offer a single space for tent or RV campers. Bookings are available in-app.
REI Co-op National Parks Guide — Maps and Information about U.S. National Parks
Price: Free
Availability: iOS and Android
Rating: 4.8/5, 684 Ratings
While this app doesn’t focus on camping directly, it’s still one of the best camping apps to add to your toolkit for its detailed info on national parks across the country. A perfect resource for planning a national parks road trip, REI Co-op’s free app features a wealth of knowledge on hiking trails, popular viewpoints, and even a GPS locator tool that can be used as a personal locator when lost—even without internet. The app is free, and available on most devices.
AllStays — Paid Database for Rest Stops, RV Parks & Some Campgrounds
Price: $9.99
Availability: iOS only
Rating: 4.6/5, 2.2K Ratings
The AllStays chain branches out from other camping apps by focusing on road trip-friendly services like locations of rest stops, RV parks, and Walmart parking lots, on top of their database of RV and tent camping options — however, this information isn’t packaged into one app. They own six separate apps that contain different information, each one ranging from $1 to $10 on the app store. While it does cost money unlike many other camping apps, the payoff includes attractive features like offline search. You’re unable to book sites in-app, as most listings are public, and the app doesn’t cater to user-generated reviews.
Campendium — Database of RV and Tent Campgrounds
Price: Free
Availability: iOS only
Rating: 4.8/5, 2.4K Ratings
Campendium offers a database of campgrounds that rivals many of the best camping apps on this list, and comes with powerful filtering features to sift through those campgrounds. The app features listings that are constantly being updated, but they come interspersed with advertisements across the app. Features like public land and overnight parking filters offer RVers a safe way to plan ahead while on the go. The app’s growing reviews offer some insight on camper’s experiences. Booking is unavailable through the app or site.
Boondocking — Database Specializing in Places You Can Park & Camp For Free
Price: Free
Availability: iOS only
Rating: 4.4/5, 2.4K Ratings
This free app specializes in collecting data on areas for free camping, most of which are dispersed or without hookups for tent and RV campers. The 500-some listings are available on the app, paired with details from real campers on their experiences there. Boondocking is a popular way to save a few bucks while road tripping or visiting wilderness areas, and this is one of the best camping apps to help you get started. Since the sites are all free, there’s no need to make reservations, and booking isn’t available in-app.
