Camping‘s popularity has exploded in recent years, with more people than ever taking to the great outdoors. And camping apps have played a big role in making camping more accessible and enjoyable for both veteran and novice campers.
From finding campsites to navigation, planning trips and even controlling your campsite amenities – camping apps put a world of information and functionality right at your fingertips. With new apps launching all the time, we‘ve compiled a list of 10 of the very best camping apps that will upgrade your next adventure.
1. The Dyrt – Best All-Round Camping App
Key Features: 500,000+ campground reviews, availability calendars, amenities filters, trip planning tools, offline access
With over 1 million downloads and a 4.5-star rating from 15,000 reviews, The Dyrt is arguably the most popular and highly-rated camping app available. It features crowdsourced information and reviews on a huge range of campgrounds across the US – from backcountry sites to RV parks and everything in between.
Users love the wealth of reviews and availability information that takes the guesswork out of finding campgrounds. Filtering by amenities, cell coverage, price range and more makes The Dyrt perfect for tailoring to your needs. And rich features for planning trips, finding camping buddies and even winning prizes cement it as the best all-round camping app.
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Last Updated: December 2022
Price: Free (PRO version available)
2. Hipcamp – Best for Glamping & Unique Sites
Key Features: Glamping rentals, cabins, treehouses, tiny homes, farm stays, ranch resorts
For a more glamorous camping experience, Hipcamp connects you to some of the most spectacular lodgings and sites across the US and beyond. We‘re talking secluded cabins, luxury tents, treehouses, yurts, tipis – you name it. Hipcamp lists thousands of incredible sites – all with beautiful photography and detailed descriptions.
It simplifies booking these often exclusive outdoor stays and provides key amenity filtering for the perfect off-the-grid escape. Over 100,000 downloads and a glowing 4.6-star rating show that Hipcamp delivers unique outdoor stays you won‘t find anywhere else. Just be prepared to pay more for the privilege.
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Last Updated: November 2022
Price: Free
3. Park4Night – Best for RV & Van Camping
Key Features: Crowdsourced campsites worldwide, handy filters, offline access, driving directions, user photos
With over 300,000 listed locations, Park4Night is the go-to app for RV and vanlifers looking for camps on the road. It uses crowdsourcing similar to The Dyrt to map low-cost/free overnight camping spots submitted by users all around the world.
Handy filters allow you to narrow down campsite types – from large parking lots perfect for RVs to scenic nature spots for tents. Detailed location descriptions, offline access and driving directions take the stress out of finding your next mobile camp. For on-the-go camping, Park4Night can‘t be beat.
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Last Updated: January 2023
Price: Free (Premium)
4. AllTrails – Best for Hiking & Backcountry Camping
Key Features: Detailed hiking & biking trail maps, 50,000+ trail guides, reviews & photos, recording trails
Boasting 50,000+ hiking and biking trail guides, AllTrails is a must-have app for backcountry trekking and camping adventures. It provides topo maps, trail descriptions, photos and reviews on a staggering array of North American trails – many of them in remote wilderness areas.
You can plan upcoming hikes with marked campsites and record tracks to follow back out from deep wilderness. AllTrails is also growing its database to trails across the world. For anyone planning serious backcountry hikes, this versatile app comes highly recommended.
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Last Updated: January 2023
Price: Free (Pro for advanced features)
5. Recreation.gov – Reserve Campsites on Public Land
Key Features: Reservations for 100,000+ federal campgrounds, easy booking, fast updates, rich location info
Brought to you by the National Park Service, Recreation.gov allows you to book campsites at over 100,000 federal recreation sites around the country. We‘re talking national and state park campgrounds, backcountry permits and everything operated on public land.
With real-time availability, fast updates, images and detailed campsite info, Recreation.gov takes the uncertainty and difficulty out of booking coveted public land camps. And accessing everything through one easy app – rather than myriad park websites – makes trip planning a breeze. With nearly 5-star reviews, it‘s a foolproof way to book public land camps.
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Last Updated: December 2022
Price: Free
6. RV Parky – Best for RV Camping
Key Features: Campground finder tailored to RVs, crowd-verified reviews, extensive filters, trip planning tools
As the name suggests, RV Parky is an app dedicated specifically to RV camping. Featuring a huge database of RV parks and campgrounds nationwide – all reviewed and rated by campers – it helps you find the perfect spot for your rig.
You can dial in all kinds of filters like length of stay, price range and over 100 amenities from big rig access to laundry and Wifi availability. Users love the specificity for RV needs and the continuous community additions and updates to campsite information. For RV camping, RV Parky is purpose-built to take the uncertainty out of road-tripping.
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Last Updated: January 2023
Price: Free
7. Campendium – Reviews & Information on Campgrounds
Key Features: 50,000+ campground reviews, details on amenities/cell coverage/prices, photos, RV-friendly focus
Similar to RV Parky, Campendium contains huge amounts of crowdsourced details and reviews specifically geared towards RV travelers and campers. It lists information on 50,000+ public and privately owned campgrounds across the US and Canada.
The depth of details on each location really sets Campendium apart. You‘ll find reviews, recent photos, notes on cell and data connectivity, price ranges, pad sizes, hook up types, restrictions – and crucially – dates when the details were last updated. For the most up-to-date campsite information, Campendium is a must-download.
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Last Updated: January 2023
Price: Free
8. Wikicamps – Best for Campsite Availability
Key Features: Crowd-updated campsite availability, extensive filters, community app with events/meetups
Boasting the world’s largest crowd-sourced database of campsite availability, Wikicamps is a handy resource for road trip planning on the fly. Unlike apps relying on seasonal availability data, Wikicamps has constant crowdsourced updates on open campsites right now.
It also features excellent campsite filtering by type, features, restrictions plus information on nearby attractions and facilities. And the app fosters an active community element – with events, meetups, groups and more ways to connect with fellow campers. For both inspiration and instantly up-to-date site availability, Wikicamps is essential for road warriors.
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Last Updated: January 2023
Price: Free (Pro version available)
9. National Parks by Chimani – Guide to US National Parks
Key Features: In-depth guides to 63 National Parks, trail maps, tours, hundreds of points of interest, transit info, crowd updates
America’s National Parks are precious gems, and this fantastic app by Chimani helps you uncover everything each Park has to offer. It provides in-depth guides on 63 iconic Parks with features like trail maps, hundreds of points of interest, tours, transit and crowd information.
The wealth of knowledge caters perfectly for planning your next Park adventure. The app is elegantly designed, works offline, and is totally free. For both inspiration and easily digestible information on America’s National Parks, this dedicated app is a fantastic resource.
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Last Updated: January 2023
Price: Free
10. RadPower – Monitor and Control eBike Camping Trailers
Key Features: Real-time tracking, locking, temperature & power monitoring for Rad eBike camping trailers
Rounding out our list is a cool app with a futuristic twist. Rad Power’s trailer control app connects via Bluetooth to high-tech camping trailers for Rad Power electric bikes. It enables real-time tracking, remote locking control, temperature monitoring, USB power control and trip pre-heating of your camping pod while riding.
For eBike adventurers, it’s a gamechanger that perfectly balances technology and time in nature. And with the rise of smart and sustainable trailer gear, app integration seems poised to become an essential component for camping in future.
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Last Updated: January 2023
Price: Free
So there you have it – our picks of the 10 best camping apps that will take your outdoor adventures up a level in 2023. From finding campsites to planning epic road trips and controlling smart trailers – leverage technology to spend more time enjoying nature this year. Camp On!
