As the long and dreary winter comes to an end, the time for spending excessive time outside soaking up rays and feeling warm breezes through your hair are right around the corner. Maybe you’re an avid cyclist, or have a camper you invested half a years salary into. Maybe you are content with your 2-person tent and just want to hit some trails in the beautiful scenic areas around you. Either way, these top apps for outdoor enthusiasts are geared for those who love to make the most out of nature and everything it has to offer.
iBird Pro Birds North America
This is a heavyweight app with a heavyweight price for bird watchers. Users can access it over WiFi or download the over 900 species bird database onto their phones when they purchase the program, allowing for convenient use when out in the wilderness away from internet. There’s over 30 identification criteria, from type of habitat, shape, coloring, and locale. and there’s specific versions of the app for the UK and backyard birdwatching. They boast over a million users who have access and contribute to over 4,500 photos, 1,000 hand drawings and 3,000 bird songs to help you identify the rarest of birds. It includes up-to-date species identification and migration maps and field guides to ensure you’re in the right spots and looking for the right species. Users can save their favorites to cloud storage and use specific bird songs to attract the birds for closer looks.
REI National Park Guide & Maps
Planning a vacation along the various national parks across the country? This app is one that will help you immensely. Use fellow traveler’s reviews on everything from lodging, trails, hidden gems, eateries, tours and animal sightings. You can plan your trip before getting there and not have to worry about having an internet or cell connection. Find elevations and trail difficulty levels to avoid taking on things out of your element, and be sure to find the most breathtaking sites and kid-friendly activities to keep everyone happy. Access your location at all times via your phone’s GPS to prevent one from getting lost and record the data if you are in need of emergency services. With over 30 stunning locations and more being added, this app is essential for those wanting to get the most out of their vacations or adventures in national parks.
Offline Survival Manual
Shows like The Walking Dead and Last Man on Earth show a world in which society is a free-for-all for survival. But what if you were outdoors hiking and got lost? Or you were traveling and your vehicle broke down? The Offline Survival Manual is not only an app to get through those stressful times, but utilize nature and what you are given. The downloaded guide is jam packed with info for emergency situations. From learning about different shelter types and how to build them, to how to find and hunt for food, this app may seem silly on the exterior but may come in handy down the road. You don’t even necessarily need to be stuck in the wilderness to use these helpful tips, which include taking care of medical problems, psychological stress and topics ranging from how to find clean water and build fires. There’s extensive sections on different climates, scenarios and seasons, as well as chapters avoiding poisonous plants and dangerous animals. You can also learn about using the environment to find time and directions. This is a top app for outdoor enthusiasts that can come in handy and save your life when you need it most.
RV Parks & Campgrounds
Have an RV or are an avid camper? You need this app, which offers detailed maps of various RV parks and campgrounds across the country. It includes both public and privately owned locations, as well as access to US military-only campgrounds and an extensive guide to Jellystone Park. They even give users access to 55+ senior communities, 1,000 different hiking trails, and can guide you through getting to and from with mapped out gas stations and stores that are RV-friendly and essential gear and supply centers. If you’re a spontaneous person love to take off into nature every other weekend during the summer, this app can be extremely helpful in trying to determine where you are going and finding new places to visit.
Walk with Map My Walk
Maybe you’re someone who just loves being outside in their neighborhood and city. Perhaps you take the long way to work just so you can take in the beauty of your environment. This app is great for those folks as well as anyone who uses walking and moving as their form of exercise, whether it be walking the dog or around the block a few times. It’s both a calorie counter and a step counter, and is best utilized with such equipment as Fit-Bit and Android Wear. Users can measure an endless amount of statistics including determining when you should replace your runners. They offer a wide variety of activities as well, from cross-fit, cycling, running, yoga and walking –600 guided activities that you can follow and get immediate progress feedback. You can also take advantage of importing and exporting your data to other fitness recording programs and take part in community activities that are a fun way to challenge and push yourself and measure your progress against other app regulars. This app is a fun and broad application for staying active and challenge themselves whether heading to the corner store or for a bike ride with their canine.
When all else fails, one can always step outside and take advantage of the landscapes around them. You can go exploring in your neighborhood or to a park, or pack up your car and head off to a nearby campsite for the weekend. Maybe you went all-out and got an RV to spend your summers or retirement in, or just love to visit the best that the country has to offer in outdoor activities. The top apps for outdoor enthusiasts will give you some ideas and help you plan your next adventure, but there are many more out there to fit whatever your love and hobby may be.
