Plan adventures, store maps offline with new US Forest Service app
Hail, Tacomans, June is Great Outdoors Month, and you’re in one of the best regions in the world to celebrate it.
To honor Great Outdoors Month this year, the U.S. Forest Service unveiled a new app, the National Forests and Grasslands app, on June 1. The Forest Service has several apps but claims the new Forests and Grasslands app provides the most complete and accurate collection of Forest Service recreation sites ever made available to the public.
Along with planning tools such as safety alerts, closures and amenity details, the app allows users to download maps for offline use, which can be key when you’re on public land and out of cell reception.
Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz said in a statement that due to the sheer size and remote nature of the 165,000 miles of trails and more than 30,000 recreation sites, he knows that mobile service can be limited once visitors reach their destination.
“We encourage everyone to download the National Forests and Grasslands app – your own pocket-sized Forest Service guide – to check trail conditions, download offline maps, and view safety alerts before your trip,” he said.
The News Tribune has been testing the new app since its launch, and one of our favorite features is the “Start Adventure” button on the homepage. It really opens up all the possibilities.
Users can design their own trip on the app by searching for their favorite activities, like hunting, fishing, kayaking, cycling, hiking, etc., within a designated radius. Then they’re able to plan and save the adventure of their choice for offline viewing. It also includes real-time wildfire and National Weather Service Alerts.
The new app replaces nearly 30 outdated agency apps.
“This app provides a consistent nationwide platform that consolidates the functionality of those prior apps for a more efficient delivery of a better visitor experience,” a representative for the U.S. Forest Service told The News Tribune on Tuesday.
While the National Forests and Grasslands app officially launched on June 1, it has been in open beta on various app stores since March to favorable reviews.
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