Camping Apps

For those looking for great places to start camping, Woodall's has you covered with information from over 12,000 different camp sites around the North American region. Whether you are a tent camper or an RVer this app will give you the full rundown for your potential campsite including: recreational activities, pet rules, swimming areas, Wi-Fi hotspots, pricing, directions, and tons more. In addition, Woodall's will present ratings about a site based on an official evaluation. The bottom line is that if you are an avid camper, you will not want to be caught without this free app guiding you to some of the best camp sites out there.

There's nothing worse than forgetting an essential item when unpacking at your campsite. Make sure essentials don't fall through the cracks with this fantastic app. Suggested items are categorized and you can add custom entries. The app will auto-suggest items when typing new entries to add and you can also add full categories with one tap. This app supports multiple lists and also lets you share it with others via email.

When it's mealtime, you still want to eat well and there's no reason you can't have some fantastic food while enjoying the great outdoors. Coleman's app lets you filter recipes by cooking method, type of meal, or available ingredients. Recipes are shown as at-home and campground versions and each one can be added to a list for later reference. In addition, you can rate and share each recipe so you always know the ones you love the most. Coleman provides a bunch of tips as well, so you can slice veggies and crimp foil like a pro.

Many times when camping, the sky is incredibly clear and you have a beautiful star field above to admire. The GoSkyWatch Planetarium is an amazing app that identifies the stars and constellations based on your location and the orientation of your iPhone. The apps takes full advantage of the compass and accelerometer to pick up what you're viewing in the sky. Photos of the actual planetary body also pop up when it's locked onto an object. With this app you can have hours of entertainment and education every evening of your camping adventure.

Camp & RV is another great camping app for iOS. This universal app will show you nearby campsites. Both the iPhone and iPad interfaces are very well done. The app can even store some of the information on your device, which is needed when you do camping in remote areas. There is a ton of information in this app. Included are over 18,000 campgrounds in the United States and Canada. These include both private and public sites. There are also other neat tidbits such as rest areas, RV rental locations, and other places of interest. Although a great app, it is quite expensive compared to some of the others.

Campwhere is a fantastic alternative to the essential app. The only downside is that this app has a much smaller database, with only about 9,500 sites within the United States and Canada. The app layout and interface are quite good and well thought out. While the app is a bit expensive, it very well may suit your needs perfectly.

Packing List is a nicely-designed app, though it is far less customizable than other apps. Items are categorized nicely and you'll have plenty of supplies after going through its suggestions. It also features a progress meter as you check items off your list. A nice touch is the ability to enter your camping date so it counts down until your vacation begins.

An app that has great potential is iCampsites HD. This app has a great start, but lacks polish and finish. The design feels very rudimentary and incomplete. The data is pretty good; included is database of over 2,000 campsites around the world. Keep your eye on this one for future updates.

This app is filled with tons of information you may need in the event of an emergency. While most of it is more than you will ever need to know when camping on most campgrounds, there are good tips about dangerous animals, instructions for building a fire, and identifying which plants are okay to eat.

Camp & Hike Checklist is a valid alternative to the Camping List app. We did not find the app quite as user friendly, but still found it very usable. The iPad interface is a bit better than the Camping List app. The functionality is nearly identical. If you are unhappy with Camping List, then you should grab this one.