These are the apps we actually use living and traveling on the road. Some save money, some save time, and most save your sanity.
Camping & Overnight Stays
Yep, there's an app for that! Here's a few we actually use.
One of our favorite apps for life on the road (right up there with a Costco & Planet Fitness membership). Harvest Hosts gives you safe, low-stress places to stay while supporting local farms, breweries, wineries, and small businesses. It’s a win-win.
We use the Harvest Hosts All Access membership, which also includes Boondockers, Welcome and Escapees RV Club. If you’re full-time or close to it, Escapees is worth its weight in gold; mail forwarding, legal domicile options, and digital mailbox services make life on the road way easier.
Roadtrippers A solid road trip planning app that goes way beyond basic navigation. Roadtrippers helps you discover points of interest, plan multi-stop routes, and find cool places you’d otherwise drive right past. Great for turning “getting there” into part of the adventure.:
iOverlander A must-have for overlanders and vanlifers. iOverlander is a community-driven map packed with free campsites, water sources, mechanics, dump stations, and more; even works offline. It’s a little scrappy, but that’s part of the charm. Real info from real travelers, not polished marketing copy:
Campendium is one of the better apps for campground research. Campendium shines with detailed user reviews, photos, cell signal reports, and info on both paid campgrounds and free dispersed camping spots. Especially helpful if you’re traveling in an RV or need reliable overnight options.
ONX Offroad & Backcountry Maps
For those who want to go further off the beaten path with confidence. ONX is a powerful mapping app built for overland and off-road travelers who need detailed topographic and land-ownership maps in remote areas. It's often combined with hunting, fishing, and backcountry planning tools.
The app has multiple subscription tiers (Offroad, Backcountry, Hunt, and Fish), and the right plan depends on how deep you want access across features and regions. Offroad gives the core off-grid trails and topo maps, while Backcountry+ unlocks even more layers, trails, and overlays across zones. It’s worth exploring their plan breakdown to see what fits your travel style.
There are a ton of apps out there, and many of them overlap or partner with each other. Explore a few, ask other travelers what they use, and figure out what fits your style of travel best.
Dirt, Rocks, Snow, Rivers & Oceans
Incase you're not a local!
Trailforks:
Our go-to for mountain biking. Understanding terrain, and not accidentally dropping into something way over your head. Trailforks gives detailed trail maps, conditions, difficulty ratings, and local insight built by mountain bikers, for mountain bikers. Works offline, which is clutch when cell service disappears at the trailhead. While you're at it, make a free account on
pinkbike.com too.
Strava:
Strava is less about finding trails and more about tracking rides, progress, and staying motivated. Whether you care about stats or just want to remember where you rode, it’s a great way to log rides, see what locals are riding.
AllTrails:
Perfect for hiking, walking, and casual exploring when you’re in a new area. AllTrails is easy to use, packed with reviews, photos, and trail info, and great for finding something quick and accessible when you don’t want to overthink it.
OpenSnow:
Weather matters. A lot. OpenSnow is hands-down the best snow forecast app out there, built specifically for skiers and snowboarders. Accurate forecasts, storm tracking, and real-time conditions help you time powder days and avoid driving hours for bad snow.
Surfline:
If you surf, you already know Surfline. Live cams, swell forecasts, tide info, and conditions all in one place. We recommend going to the beach, sometimes the cams don't tell the entire story.
Surf Captain:
A solid complement to Surfline, especially for long-range forecasts. Surf Captain helps you understand swell direction, timing, and windows. Great for planning sessions a few days out instead of guessing.
TroutRoutes (by onX):
One of the best tools for fly fishing while traveling. TroutRoutes shows public access points, river sections, and helps you understand where you can legally fish. Since it’s now part of onX, it pairs nicely with off-grid travel, land ownership info, and backcountry exploration.
Apps for Nature
Yes, your phone has no place in nature, but these teach.
iNaturalist:
iNaturalist is a global community where you can log observations from the natural world and get help identifying plants, animals, fungi, and insects. It’s the best option if you want to connect with others, contribute to real science, and learn what’s around you while supporting conservation research.
Seek:
Seek by iNaturalist is a more private, beginner-friendly version of iNaturalist. Point your camera at a plant, bug, or fungus and get instant, AI-powered identification. No account required, no public posting; great for kids, families, or anyone who just wants to learn without sharing data.
Picture This:
If you want fast, clean plant and tree identification, PictureThis is hard to beat. It’s more polished and less science focused than iNaturalist, making it great for quick answers on the road. (Free version works fine.)
Merlin:
Merlin helps you identify birds by sight and sound. Its Sound ID feature listens to birds around you and shows real time suggestions for who’s singing. The best part? It works completely offline, which makes it perfect for remote camps, trailheads, and backcountry mornings.
To inspire people to get outside.
To sit on a bike, slide down a mountain, dance on water, and sleep under the stars (even if the parking lot lights are on).
Our Why
To build community
People need their people and a place to turn when they have questions, need direction, or just want to feel like they’re not doing this alone.
There’s no right or wrong way to get outside. Whatever rig, bike, board, or fly rod gets you off your screen and into the outdoors, that’s the right one for you in that moment.
We're here to support that, no judgment, just stoke.
Planning more time outside? Check out our Fishing & Hunting resources for licenses, guides, and regulations.
