Recreation.gov (RIDB) MCP Server for VS Code CopilotGive VS Code Copilot instant access to 10 tools to Get Activity, Get Facility, Get Organization, and more
GitHub Copilot in VS Code is the most widely adopted AI coding assistant, embedded directly into the world's most popular code editor. With MCP support in Agent mode, Copilot can access external data and APIs to generate context-aware code grounded in real-time information.
Ask AI about this MCP Server for VS Code Copilot
The Recreation.gov (RIDB) MCP Server for VS Code Copilot is a standout in the Government Public Data category — giving your AI agent 10 tools to work with, ready to go from day one.
Vinkius delivers Streamable HTTP and SSE to any MCP client
{
"mcpServers": {
"recreationgov-ridb": {
"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
}
}
}Vinkius Desktop App
The modern way to manage MCP Servers — no config files, no terminal commands. Install Recreation.gov (RIDB) and 4,000+ MCP Servers from a single visual interface.





* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure
About Recreation.gov (RIDB) MCP Server
Connect to the Recreation Information Database (RIDB) and explore thousands of federal recreation sites, campgrounds, and historic landmarks across the United States through natural conversation.
GitHub Copilot Agent mode brings Recreation.gov (RIDB) data directly into your VS Code workflow. With a project-scoped config, the entire team shares access to 10 tools. Copilot queries live data, generates typed code, and writes tests from actual API responses, all without leaving the editor.
What you can do
- Facility Discovery — Search for campgrounds, visitor centers, and parks using keywords, states, or specific activities.
- Geospatial Search — Find recreation spots near specific coordinates using radial search parameters.
- Detailed Metadata — Fetch complete descriptions, operating hours, and management information for any facility or recreation area.
- Activity Mapping — List and filter by supported activities like hiking, fishing, or camping to find the perfect spot.
- Visual Exploration — Retrieve associated images and media for facilities and recreation areas to preview your destination.
- Agency Insights — Identify the federal organizations and agencies managing specific public lands.
The Recreation.gov (RIDB) MCP Server exposes 10 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to VS Code Copilot in under two minutes — credentials fully managed, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.
All 10 Recreation.gov (RIDB) tools available for VS Code Copilot
When VS Code Copilot connects to Recreation.gov (RIDB) through Vinkius, your AI agent gets direct access to every tool listed below — spanning geospatial-data, campgrounds, public-lands, and more. Every call runs in a secure, isolated environment with full audit visibility. Beyond a simple connection, you get real-time monitoring of agent activity, enterprise governance, and optimized token usage.
Get activity on Recreation.gov (RIDB)
Get details for a specific recreation activity
Get facility on Recreation.gov (RIDB)
Get details for a specific recreation facility
Get organization on Recreation.gov (RIDB)
Get details for a specific organization
Get recarea on Recreation.gov (RIDB)
Get details for a specific recreation area
List activities on Recreation.gov (RIDB)
g., Hiking, Camping). List supported recreation activities
List facilities on Recreation.gov (RIDB)
) with optional filtering. Retrieve information about recreation facilities
List facility media on Recreation.gov (RIDB)
Retrieve media for a facility
List organizations on Recreation.gov (RIDB)
List federal agencies managing resources
List recarea media on Recreation.gov (RIDB)
Retrieve media for a recreation area
List recareas on Recreation.gov (RIDB)
List recreation areas
Connect Recreation.gov (RIDB) to VS Code Copilot via MCP
Follow these steps to wire Recreation.gov (RIDB) into VS Code Copilot. The entire setup takes under two minutes — your credentials stay safe behind Vinkius.
Create MCP config
.vscode/mcp.json file in your project rootAdd the server config
Enable Agent mode
Start using Recreation.gov (RIDB)
Why Use VS Code Copilot with the Recreation.gov (RIDB) MCP Server
GitHub Copilot for Visual Studio Code provides unique advantages when paired with Recreation.gov (RIDB) through the Model Context Protocol.
VS Code is used by over 70% of developers. adding MCP tools to Copilot means your team can leverage external data without leaving their primary editor
Project-scoped MCP configs (`.vscode/mcp.json`) let you commit server configurations to your repository, ensuring the entire team shares the same tool access
Copilot's Agent mode integrates MCP tools seamlessly with file editing, terminal commands, and workspace search in a single agentic loop
GitHub's enterprise compliance and audit features extend to MCP tool usage, providing visibility into how AI interacts with external services
Recreation.gov (RIDB) + VS Code Copilot Use Cases
Practical scenarios where VS Code Copilot combined with the Recreation.gov (RIDB) MCP Server delivers measurable value.
Live API integration: Copilot can query an MCP server, inspect the response schema, and generate typed API client code in the same step
DevSecOps workflows: security teams can give developers access to domain intelligence tools directly in their editor for real-time vulnerability assessment during code review
Data pipeline development: Copilot fetches sample data via MCP and generates transformation scripts, validators, and test fixtures from actual API responses
Documentation generation: Copilot queries available tools and auto-generates README sections, API reference docs, and usage examples
Example Prompts for Recreation.gov (RIDB) in VS Code Copilot
Ready-to-use prompts you can give your VS Code Copilot agent to start working with Recreation.gov (RIDB) immediately.
"List all recreation facilities in Florida that support 'Hiking'."
"Show me the media and images for facility ID 233330."
"What are the supported recreation activities I can search for?"
Troubleshooting Recreation.gov (RIDB) MCP Server with VS Code Copilot
Common issues when connecting Recreation.gov (RIDB) to VS Code Copilot through Vinkius, and how to resolve them.
MCP tools not available
Recreation.gov (RIDB) + VS Code Copilot FAQ
Common questions about integrating Recreation.gov (RIDB) MCP Server with VS Code Copilot.
Which VS Code version supports MCP?
How do I switch to Agent mode?
Can I restrict which MCP tools Copilot can access?
Does MCP work in VS Code Remote or Codespaces?
.vscode/mcp.json work in Remote SSH, WSL, and GitHub Codespaces environments. The MCP connection is established from the remote host, so ensure the server URL is accessible from that environment.Explore More MCP Servers
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