This python module and script uses the https://recreation.gov website API for info regarding campgrounds and permits, as well as checking their availabilities.
Info on campground, including:
- Overall campground info, including any recreation.gov alerts
- Ratings on quality of cell service for major providers
- Info on each of the individual campsites within the the campground, with link to recreation.gov page
Get information on Cottonwood Campground in Joshua Tree.
❯ ./scripts/camping.py campground info 272299
COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND (CA)
Alerts
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
⚠️ <p>Odd-numbered campsites may not accommodate driver side slideouts</p>
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Campground fields
Field Value
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
URL https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/272299
email
id 272299
latitude 33.75
longitude -115.825
map_url
name COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND (CA)
phone 760-367-5554
campground_type CampgroundType.standard
parent_asset_id 2782
Sprint 0.3
AT&T 0.3
Verizon 0.2
T-Mobile 0.2
Campsites
Name ID Status Site type Reservation type
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
B02 103758 Open STANDARD NONELECTRIC Site-Specific
B27 103759 Open STANDARD NONELECTRIC Site-Specific
B21 103760 Not Reservable Management MANAGEMENT Site-Specific
A30 103761 Open STANDARD NONELECTRIC Site-Specific
B30 103762 Open STANDARD NONELECTRIC Site-Specific
A05 103763 Open STANDARD NONELECTRIC Site-Specific
B06 103764 Open STANDARD NONELECTRIC Site-Specific
...
Search campsite availability within the campground, including ability to:
- Filter by date window
- Filter by availability status (available, reserved, etc…)
- Filter by length of window
- Filter by specific campsite IDs
Search for sites in Cottonwood Campground in January that are available for at least 7 consecutive.
❯ ./scripts/camping.py campground avail 272299 -s 2023-01-01 -e 2023-01-31 -l 7 --status available
Alerts
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
⚠️ <p>Odd-numbered campsites may not accommodate driver side slideouts</p>
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Available campsites
Campsite name Campsite ID Start date End date Length Status
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
B02 103758 2023-01-22 2023-02-01 10 Available
A30 103761 2023-01-02 2023-01-13 11 Available
A30 103761 2023-01-22 2023-02-01 10 Available
B30 103762 2023-01-02 2023-01-13 11 Available
B30 103762 2023-01-22 2023-02-01 10 Available
B06 103764 2023-01-22 2023-02-01 10 Available
B01 103767 2023-01-22 2023-02-01 10 Available
B09 103773 2023-01-22 2023-02-01 10 Available
A21 103775 2023-01-22 2023-02-01 10 Available
A23 103776 2023-01-22 2023-01-29 7 Available
...
Campground availability options
❯ ./scripts/camping.py campground avail --help
Usage: camping.py campground avail [OPTIONS] CAMP_ID
get detailed availability for a campground
Arguments
* camp_id TEXT [default: None] [required]
Options
--start-date -s TEXT Start date [default: 2022-12-31]
--end-date -e TEXT End date [default: None]
--site-ids -i TEXT Site IDs [default: None]
--length -l INTEGER Booking window length [default: None]
--status TEXT Campsite status [default: None]
Info on permit, including:
- Overall permit info, including any recreation.gov alerts
- Ratings on quality of cell service for major providers
- Info on each of the individual permit divisions (aka trailheads) within the area
Get info on Inyo National Forest permits.
❯ ./scripts/camping.py permit info inyo
Inyo National Forest - Wilderness Permits
Permit fields
Field Value
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
URL https://www.recreation.gov/permits/233262
id 233262
name Inyo National Forest - Wilderness Permits
Verizon 0.7
T-Mobile 0.3
AT&T 0.7
Sprint 0.5
Divisions
Name ID Code District
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Baker and Green Lakes 460 JM22 John Muir
Baxter Pass 464 JM29 John Muir
Beck Lake 437 AA12 Ansel Adams
Big Pine Creek North Fork 495 JM23 John Muir
Big Pine Creek North Fork (Outfitter) 4952 JM23-O
Big Pine Creek North Fork (Pack Outfit) 4951 JM23-PO
Big Pine Creek South Fork 461 JM24 John Muir
Birch Lake 462 JM25 John Muir
Bishop Pass -South Lake 459 JM21 John Muir
Blackrock (Non Quota) 473 GT66 Golden Trout
Bloody Canyon 517 AA03 Ansel Adams
...
Search permit availability by division/trailhead, with ability to:
- Filter by date window
- Filter by number of spots remaining
- Filter by division ID and code
Search for permits in Inyo NF in June 2023 that have at least 5 remaining.
❯ ./scripts/camping.py permit avail inyo -r 5 -s 2023-06-01
Available permits
Division name Division ID Date Remain Total Is walkup
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Glacier Canyon 424 2023-06-01 5 5 False
Parker Lake 425 2023-06-01 6 6 False
Rush Creek 430 2023-06-01 10 18 False
Yost / Fern Lakes 434 2023-06-01 5 5 False
Golden Trout Lakes 442 2023-06-01 6 6 False
Duck Pass 444 2023-06-01 18 18 False
Valentine Lake 445 2023-06-01 5 5 False
Laurel Lakes 446 2023-06-01 5 5 False
Convict Creek 447 2023-06-01 6 6 False
McGee Pass 448 2023-06-01 9 9 False
...
Campground availability options
❯ ./scripts/camping.py permit avail --help
Usage: camping.py permit avail [OPTIONS] PERMIT_ID
get detailed availability for a permit
Arguments* permit_id TEXT [default: None] [required]
Options
--start-date -s TEXT Start date [default: 2022-12-31]
--end-date -e TEXT End date [default: None]
--div-ids -i TEXT Division IDs [default: None]
--div-codes -c TEXT Division codes [default: None]
--remain -r INTEGER Remaining spots [default: None]
--is-walkup --no-is-walkup Is walkup permit [default: no-is-walkup]
Extra
There are aliases for the common California permits, so you don’t have to look up the ID:
PERMIT_IDS = {
"desolation": "233261",
"humboldt": "445856",
"yosemite": "445859",
"inyo": "233262",
"sierra": "445858",
"seki": "445857",
"whitney": "233260",
}
What you'll want to do is go to recreation.gov and search for the campground (or permit) you want. Click on it in the search sidebar. This should
take you to a page for that campground, the URL will look like https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/<number>. That number is the campground ID. Similarly, the URL will look like https://www.recreation.gov/permits/<number> for permits.
The API and core models are complete, reasonably well-polished, and have tests. The campinp.py script is a hodge-podge of things that could be much better.
- Filter campground availability by site type
¯\_(ツ)_/¯