Bring Geospatial Data
to VS Code Copilot
Learn how to connect Recreation.gov (RIDB) to VS Code Copilot 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 VS Code Copilot?
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.
- —
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) in VS Code Copilot
Recreation.gov (RIDB) and 4,000+ other MCP servers. One platform. One governance layer.
Teams that connect Recreation.gov (RIDB) to VS Code Copilot 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 VS Code Copilot
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 VS Code Copilot 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 VS Code Copilot
Every tool call from VS Code Copilot 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.
Which VS Code version supports MCP?
MCP support requires VS Code 1.99 or later with the GitHub Copilot extension. Ensure both are updated to the latest version. Older versions of Copilot may not expose the Agent mode toggle.
How do I switch to Agent mode?
Open the Copilot Chat panel and look for two mode options: "Ask" and "Agent". Click "Agent" to enable autonomous tool calling. In Ask mode, Copilot provides conversational answers but cannot invoke MCP tools.
Can I restrict which MCP tools Copilot can access?
Yes. VS Code shows a tool consent dialog before any MCP tool is invoked for the first time. You can also configure tool access policies at the organization level through GitHub Copilot settings.
Does MCP work in VS Code Remote or Codespaces?
Yes. MCP servers configured via .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.
MCP tools not available
Ensure you are in Agent mode in Copilot Chat. MCP tools only appear in Agent mode.
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