There's An App For That. Wrangell-St. Elias & Other National Parks Reach Out

Carrie Wittmer, Public Affairs Officer at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Copper Center, just sent the following press release about an app used to explore parks.

WASHINGTON – Just in time for National Park Week, the new National Park Service (NPS) mobile app (go.nps.gov/app) is now available for visitors to national parks across the country. Created by park rangers with visitors in mind, the NPS App gives the public up-to-date information about all 423 national parks in one easy-to-use app.  

 
Visitors can download the NPS App in the iOS App Store and Google Play Store to plan a trip, find interactive maps, download maps and tours ahead of time and find things to do and places to visit during National Park Week and beyond. 
 
“National Park Week is a time for us to celebrate national parks and experience them in new ways,” said Deputy Director Shawn Benge. “We hope that visitors will recognize this opportunity to use the NPS App to discover their next national park adventure and learn more about these incredibly special places.” 
 
During a time when many visitors are choosing to visit parks close to home, users of the App will be able to find a selection of nearby parks to explore. While planning a trip, users can build personalized trips and save and share information about their upcoming adventure with friends or family. The app is available offline, so visitors can download necessary resources ahead of time – especially important for visits to more remote areas. 
 
While on a visit to national parks, the public is reminded to recreate responsibly, follow park safety guidelines and wear masks while inside all federal facilities and outside where physical distancing cannot be maintained. 

Kennecott Mills In Wrangell-St. Elias Park. (Photo, Country Journal/Bearfoot) 

 
The NPS App is fully accessible and includes tools for visitors with accessibility needs. While in the park, visitors can access self-guided tours to learn more about the park, create and share a virtual postcard and stay informed of alerts and closures. 
 
With millions of visitors to national parks every year, visitors need a trusted source for park information available on their mobile device in one single app. During this first stage of the app, NPS staff are continuing to add detailed information and resources for users. The NPS App will continue to be a tool for visitors in the years to come as NPS staff develop new features to enhance the experience of visitors to national parks.