5 Smartphone Must-Haves for a Successful National Park Visit

National parks in the United States are a dream destination for many travelers, with just under 430 parks spanning over 84 million acres. But navigating these vast landscapes and planning your itinerary can be stressful. Fortunately, there are ways to make your trip smoother. One smart move is investing in an annual America the Beautiful pass. Priced at $80, this pass grants you access to multiple parks and campgrounds, quickly proving its value after a few visits. But that’s not all—your smartphone can become your best travel companion with the right apps.

How to Prepare Your Phone for Travel to a National Park?

1. Prepare Enough Memory On Your Device

You’re about to capture a majestic waterfall, but your smartphone screen displays those dreaded words, “Cannot Take Photo: There is not enough storage to take a photo…” To ensure this doesn’t happen during your national park adventure, you should free up more memory before your trip.

Want quick results? Use the app to clean up photos on the iPhone. It will help you even if you want to take a photo already in the park and are faced with a memory deficit. If you download CleanUp App, then in a couple of minutes the app will delete all duplicates and identical photos from your device. Usually after cleaning up storage on the iPhone you can free up 5-10 GB of memory. If the photo cleanup app did not give sufficient results, you can also compress the video in it. If a large percentage of memory is occupied by videos, this will free up a lot of memory.

2. Saving Your Phone’s Battery

Planning a visit to a national park? Here’s how to ensure your smartphone is ready for the adventure, so you can stay connected and capture every moment.

When you’re far from civilization, preserving your phone’s battery is crucial. Follow these tips to keep your device powered up:

Avoid Extreme Temperatures: Keep your phone out of direct sunlight and extreme cold to prevent battery drain.
Use Airplane Mode: When you’re not in need of cellular service, switch to airplane mode to save energy.
Update Software: Ensure your phone’s software is up-to-date before you head out. Updates often include battery optimization improvements.

To stay powered during your trip, consider investing in a few key accessories:

External USB Battery Pack: These portable chargers are a lifesaver on extended hikes or when you’re away from a power source.
Car Charger: If you’re driving or camping near your vehicle, a car charger can be a convenient way to keep your phone charged.

3. Install the Just Ahead App

Exploring national parks can be overwhelming due to their vast expanse, but having a guide can make all the difference. Enter Just Ahead, an intuitive app designed to be your personal tour guide. With professional narrated tours and engaging stories, this app enhances your park experience by providing insightful information about your surroundings.

Key Features

Offline Functionality: Once you’ve downloaded a guide, there’s no need to worry about losing signal. Everything works seamlessly offline.
Highly Rated: Just Ahead boasts an impressive 4.7-star rating.
Free Download: The app is free to download, although only a couple of the guides are free to use initially.

While some of the lesser-known park guides are complimentary, popular destinations like Joshua Tree and Yosemite require a $19.99 fee to download their guides. If you plan to visit multiple parks throughout the year, consider the one-year season pass for $29.99—a worthwhile investment for avid adventurers.

4. Try National Parks App Seek

Planning a visit to a national park and eager to learn about the flora and fauna? Seek by iNaturalist is the perfect companion app for your adventure. With an impressive 4.8-star rating from over 3,000 users, it’s clear that this app is a favorite among nature enthusiasts. Users rave about its ability to quickly and accurately identify plants and animals with just a simple point-and-click.

One thing to note, however, is that the app does not provide animal track identifications. If you come across prints in the mud, you won’t be able to determine if they’re from a mule deer or a larger animal using this app alone.

5. Organize Your Home Screen

Enhance your travel preparations by configuring your smartphone’s home screen with essential travel apps. Ensure that your flight details, hotel reservations, language translation tools, and local guides are just a tap away. Organize these apps at least a week before your departure to familiarize yourself with their layout and functionality. This small step can make your travel experience smoother and more enjoyable.

Conclusion

Your smartphone can do a lot, but there are also too many variables to say exactly what you need to do. For most of us, the above steps and apps will be helpful. But you might also find new music to relax with or a power bank with solar panels useful. Think about your individual needs again, and hopefully this article has given you some direct or indirect tips on how to prepare your smartphone for a trip to national parks.