Bring Geospatial Data
to Cursor
Learn how to connect Recreation.gov (RIDB) to Cursor and start using 10 AI agent tools in minutes. Fully managed, enterprise secure, and ready to use without writing a single line of code.
GDPR Free for SubscribersCompatible with every major AI agent and IDE
Gemini
What is the 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.
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.
How it works
- Subscribe to this server
- Enter your RIDB API Key
- Start exploring the great outdoors from Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible client
Who is this for?
- Travelers & Campers — quickly find available facilities and check activity support without manual searching
- Developers & Researchers — access structured federal data for geographic or environmental analysis
- Outdoor Enthusiasts — discover new recreation areas and view site media directly within your workflow
Built-in capabilities (10)
Get details for a specific recreation activity
Get details for a specific recreation facility
Get details for a specific organization
Get details for a specific recreation area
g., Hiking, Camping). List supported recreation activities
) with optional filtering. Retrieve information about recreation facilities
Retrieve media for a facility
List federal agencies managing resources
Retrieve media for a recreation area
List recreation areas
Why Cursor?
Cursor's Agent mode turns Recreation.gov (RIDB) into an in-editor superpower. Ask Cursor to generate code using live data from Recreation.gov (RIDB) and it fetches, processes, and writes. all in a single agentic loop. 10 tools appear alongside file editing and terminal access, creating a unified development environment grounded in real-time information.
- —
Agent mode turns Cursor into an autonomous coding assistant that can read files, run commands, and call MCP tools without switching context
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Cursor's Composer feature can generate entire files using real-time data fetched through MCP. no copy-pasting from external dashboards
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MCP tools appear alongside built-in tools like file reading and terminal access, creating a unified agentic environment
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VS Code extension compatibility means your existing workflow, keybindings, and extensions all work alongside MCP tools
Recreation.gov (RIDB) in Cursor
Recreation.gov (RIDB) and 4,000+ other MCP servers. One platform. One governance layer.
Teams that connect Recreation.gov (RIDB) to Cursor through Vinkius don't need to source, host, or maintain individual MCP servers. Every tool call runs inside a hardened runtime with credential isolation, DLP, and a signed audit chain.
Raw MCP | Vinkius | |
|---|---|---|
| Server catalog | Find and host yourself | 4,000+ managed |
| Infrastructure | Self-hosted | Sandboxed V8 isolates |
| Credential handling | Plaintext in config | Vault + runtime injection |
| Data loss prevention | None | Configurable DLP policies |
| Kill switch | None | Global instant shutdown |
| Financial circuit breakers | None | Per-server limits + alerts |
| Audit trail | None | Ed25519 signed logs |
| SIEM log streaming | None | Splunk, Datadog, Webhook |
| Honeytokens | None | Canary alerts on leak |
| Custom domains | Not applicable | DNS challenge verified |
| GDPR compliance | Manual effort | Automated purge + export |
Why teams choose Vinkius for Recreation.gov (RIDB) in Cursor
The Recreation.gov (RIDB) 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. All 10 tools execute in hardened sandboxes optimized for native MCP execution.
Your AI agents in Cursor only access the data you authorize, with DLP that blocks sensitive information from ever reaching the model, kill switch for instant shutdown, and up to 60% token savings. Enterprise-grade infrastructure, zero maintenance.
* 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
How Vinkius secures
Recreation.gov (RIDB) for Cursor
Every tool call from Cursor to the Recreation.gov (RIDB) MCP Server is protected by DLP redaction, cryptographic audit chains, V8 sandbox isolation, kill switch, and financial circuit breakers.
Frequently asked questions
How can I find campgrounds in a specific state like Colorado?
You can use the list_facilities tool and provide 'CO' in the state parameter. You can also add a query like 'campground' to narrow down the results to camping facilities specifically.
Can I see photos of a specific recreation area before visiting?
Yes! Use the list_recarea_media tool with the specific recAreaId. It will return links to images and videos associated with that area in the RIDB database.
How do I find out which federal agency manages a park?
First, use get_facility or get_recarea to find the organization ID associated with the site. Then, use get_organization with that ID to see the full details of the managing agency.
What is Agent mode and why does it matter for MCP?
Agent mode is Cursor's autonomous execution mode where the AI can perform multi-step tasks: reading files, editing code, running terminal commands, and calling MCP tools. Without Agent mode, Cursor operates in a simpler ask-and-answer mode that doesn't support tool calling. Always ensure you're in Agent mode when working with MCP servers.
Where does Cursor store MCP configuration?
Cursor looks for MCP server configurations in a mcp.json file. You can configure servers at the project level (.cursor/mcp.json in your project root) or globally (~/.cursor/mcp.json). Project-level configs take precedence.
Can Cursor use MCP tools in inline edits?
No. MCP tools are only available in Agent mode through the chat panel. Inline completions and Tab suggestions do not trigger MCP tool calls. This is by design. tool calls require user visibility and approval.
How do I verify MCP tools are loaded?
Open Settings → Features → MCP and look for your server name. A green indicator means the server is connected. You can also check Agent mode's available tools by clicking the tools dropdown in the chat panel.
Tools not appearing in Cursor
Ensure you are in Agent mode (not Ask mode). MCP tools only work in Agent mode.
Server shows as disconnected
Check Settings → Features → MCP and verify the server status. Try clicking the refresh button.
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