# Recreation.gov (RIDB) MCP > Recreation.gov (RIDB) connects your AI agent to federal data on US parks, campgrounds, and trails. It lets you search for specific facilities by keywords or coordinates, list supported activities like hiking or camping, and pull detailed metadata directly from the Recreation Information Database. Get structured government data without clicking through a dozen websites. ## Overview - **Category:** government-public-data - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** geospatial-data, campgrounds, public-lands, outdoor-recreation, api-integration, location-services ## Description You're connecting your AI agent directly to federal data covering US parks, campgrounds, and trails via Recreation.gov’s Information Database. Instead of clicking through a dozen different government websites, your agent handles the database calls so you get structured info right in the chat. When you need to figure out what's available, start by calling `list_activities` to pull up every official outdoor action supported by the system; this lets you filter your searches based on activities like 'Hiking,' 'Boating,' or 'Camping.' If you want a broad overview of locations, running `list_recareas` gives you a list of all available recreational areas. You can then use the coordinates to execute geospatial searches against those recreation areas. When you know what you're looking for, your options get specific. To find details on one particular spot, run `get_facility`, which pulls every piece of metadata and detail associated with a single named facility ID. If you need more than just one site, use `list_facilities` to pull bulk data across multiple sites; this tool lets you filter that list by state or specific activity type. For deep dives into specific locations, the tools are built for granularity. You can run `get_recarea` to get detailed metadata on an entire recreation area, including its boundaries and how it's managed. If your focus is on the managing body, calling `list_organizations` gives you a list of federal agencies that manage public lands; subsequently, you use `get_organization` to pull structured data about that specific agency. To make sure you have all the visual assets for any location, run `list_facility_media` to fetch every associated picture and media file tied to a single facility ID. For an entire recreation area, running `list_recarea_media` retrieves the full set of images and assets attached to that whole scope. If you need info on what specific actions are possible at a site, use `get_activity` to retrieve detailed information about one specified outdoor activity type. This framework allows your agent to pull complete records for anything from operating hours and management agency details to full descriptions for any location or area in the database. You'll use these tools—like `list_facilities`, `list_activities`, and `get_facility`—to make sure you never have to manually navigate through multiple federal websites again. ## Tools ### get_activity Retrieves detailed information about a single, specified outdoor activity type. ### get_facility Pulls all available metadata and details for one specific recreation facility using its ID. ### get_organization Gets structured information about a federal agency that manages public lands or resources. ### get_recarea Retrieves detailed metadata for one specific recreation area, including its boundaries and management info. ### list_activities Lists all the official outdoor activities supported by the database, letting you filter searches. ### list_facilities Retrieves a list of recreation facilities, allowing bulk searching with filters like state or activity type. ### list_facility_media Fetches all associated images and media files for a specific facility ID. ### list_organizations Provides a list of federal organizations that manage public lands, helping you attribute the data source. ### list_recarea_media Retrieves media assets and images associated with an entire recreation area. ### list_recareas Lists all available recreational areas, helping you identify the correct scope for your search. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` List all recreation facilities in Florida that support 'Hiking'. ``` **Response:** ``` I've searched the RIDB for facilities in Florida with hiking activities. I found several locations including the 'Ocala National Forest' and 'Everglades National Park' facilities. Would you like the specific details for one of these? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Show me the media and images for facility ID 233330. ``` **Response:** ``` Fetching media for facility 233330... I found 3 images showing the campground layout and the surrounding lake views. [Links to images provided]. ``` **Prompt:** ``` What are the supported recreation activities I can search for? ``` **Response:** ``` I can retrieve the full list of supported activities. Common ones include Camping, Hiking, Fishing, Boating, and Biking. Would you like me to list all available activity types from the database? ``` ## Capabilities ### Find a specific site Use `get_facility` to retrieve complete details on any named recreation facility. ### List all available activities Call `list_activities` to get the full list of supported outdoor actions, like 'Hiking' or 'Boating'. ### Search for multiple facilities Run `list_facilities` to pull bulk data on multiple sites, optionally filtering by state or activity type. ### Get site media and images Use `list_facility_media` to fetch all associated pictures and visual assets for a given facility ID. ### Find areas by coordinates Execute geospatial searches against recreation areas using coordinate parameters. ## Use Cases ### Building an itinerary for campers A user needs to find available camping spots in Arizona for the weekend. They ask their agent, which runs `list_facilities`, filtering by 'Arizona' and 'Camping'. The agent returns a list of IDs and basic details, allowing the user to select three options for the final itinerary. ### Researching environmental data A GIS analyst needs to map all federal sites that support fishing near specific coordinates. They use `get_recarea` with radial search parameters and then cross-reference the results using `list_activities` to confirm 'Fishing' support for accurate mapping. ### Creating a destination guide A content creator needs to write about a specific national park. They run `get_facility` and receive all operating hours, management details, and rich descriptions in one call. Then they use `list_facility_media` to pull images for the article. ### Checking resource jurisdiction Before posting content about a specific park, a developer uses `get_organization` on the facility ID. This confirms which federal agency (like the National Park Service or Forest Service) is in charge, ensuring their information is factually correct. ## Benefits - Get structured facility data instantly. Instead of clicking through multiple government pages, simply call `get_facility` to pull all metadata for a specific park or campground into your chat window. - Filter by activity type efficiently. Use `list_activities` first, then pass that list to `list_facilities`. This is far faster than manually checking every site's description for 'hiking' support. - See the visuals right away. After locating a facility, run `list_facility_media`. You get all associated images and media without leaving your workflow—perfect for travel guides. - Understand land management. Use `get_organization` or `list_organizations` to identify which federal agency controls the resource. This is critical for accuracy and attribution in research applications. - Handle large datasets easily. The `list_facilities` tool lets you search multiple parks by state or activity type simultaneously, pulling a comprehensive list that manual searching can't match. ## How It Works The bottom line is: you talk to your AI client like talking to a human expert who has immediate access to federal databases, instead of navigating government websites yourself. 1. Subscribe to the server and input your API Key into your AI client's settings. 2. Ask your agent a question (e.g., 'Find campgrounds in Colorado for fishing'). 3. The agent calls `list_facilities` or `get_facility`, retrieves structured data, and presents it to you. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How do I find facilities in a specific state using list_facilities?** You pass the state name directly as a filter parameter when calling `list_facilities`. This returns a filtered list of relevant facility IDs, saving you manual review time. **Can I check which federal agency runs this park using get_organization?** Yes. After getting the facility details with `get_facility`, you can run `get_organization` to pull the name and ID of the managing federal agency, which is great for attribution. **What's the difference between list_activities and get_activity?** `list_activities` gives you a full catalog of every supported activity (Hiking, Fishing). `get_activity` takes one specific name from that list and pulls detailed rules or descriptions for just that action. **Do I need to run get_recarea before list_facilities?** No. You use them independently. Use `list_activities` if you want to filter by what people *do*. Use `list_facilities` if you know the type of place you are looking for. **How do I use the list_facility_media tool to get pictures or media for a specific campground?** It fetches all associated images and media based on a facility ID. You must provide the unique facility identifier; otherwise, it can't pull the right content. **If I know the name of an entire park or recreation area, how do I get its complete metadata using get_recarea?** The tool retrieves all descriptive details and management information for one specific recreational area. Just pass the unique ID to pull a full record instead of just basic location data. **What should I run if I need a comprehensive list of all federal agencies that manage public lands?** Use the list_organizations tool. This gives you a directory of every managing agency, letting you know who controls a specific area before you search for facilities. **When using list_facilities, what parameters do I pass to keep results manageable?** Always include filters like state codes, keywords, or activities. Running the tool without narrowing parameters will return too much data and likely time out. **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.