home / skills / openclaw / skills / recgov-availability

recgov-availability skill

safe

This skill checks campsite availability on recreation.gov for federal campgrounds using campground IDs and optional filters to return results.

npx playbooks add skill openclaw/skills --skill recgov-availability

Review the files below or copy the command above to add this skill to your agents.

Files (5)

SKILL.md

2.2 KB

---
name: recgov-availability
description: Check campsite availability on recreation.gov for federal campgrounds (National Parks, USFS, BLM). Requires campground ID(s) — get from ridb-search or recreation.gov URLs.
---

# Recreation.gov Availability Checker

Check campsite availability for federal campgrounds on recreation.gov.

## Quick Start

```bash
cd /Users/doop/moltbot/skills/recgov-availability

# Check availability (campground ID from URL or ridb-search)
python3 scripts/check.py -c 233965 --start 2026-07-10 --nights 2

# Multiple campgrounds
python3 scripts/check.py -c 233965 233900 --start 2026-07-10 --nights 2

# Filter to tent sites, JSON output
python3 scripts/check.py -c 233965 --start 2026-07-10 --nights 2 --type tent --json
```

## Finding Campground IDs

From URL: `recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233965` → ID is `233965`

Or use ridb-search:
```bash
python3 ../ridb-search/scripts/search.py -l "Newport, OR" --camping-only
```

## Options

| Option | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `-c, --campground` | Campground ID(s) to check (required) |
| `-s, --start` | Start date YYYY-MM-DD (required) |
| `-n, --nights` | Consecutive nights needed (default: 1) |
| `-t, --type` | Site type: tent, rv, standard, cabin, group |
| `--electric` | Electric sites only |
| `--nonelectric` | Non-electric sites only |
| `--include-group` | Include group sites |
| `--pets` | Pet-friendly only (slower) |
| `--shade` | Shaded sites only (slower) |
| `--fire-pit` | Sites with fire pits (slower) |
| `--vehicle-length N` | Min vehicle length in feet (slower) |
| `--show-sites` | Show individual sites |
| `--json` | JSON output |

## Status Meanings

| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| ✅ Available | Book now |
| ❌ Reserved | Already booked |
| ⏳ NYR | Not Yet Released — reservations not open |
| 🚗 FCFS | First-come-first-served (no reservations) |

## Coverage

- National Park Service campgrounds
- USDA Forest Service campgrounds
- BLM recreation sites
- Army Corps of Engineers areas

For state parks, use `reserveamerica`.

## Notes

- No API key needed
- Python 3.8+ (stdlib only)
- Amenity filters (--pets, --shade) require extra API calls
- Booking window is typically 6 months ahead

See README.md for full documentation.

Overview

This skill checks campsite availability on recreation.gov for federal campgrounds (National Parks, USFS, BLM, and similar). It accepts one or more campground IDs and returns availability for a requested start date and number of consecutive nights. The tool supports site-type and amenity filters and can output either human-friendly or JSON results.

How this skill works

Provide campground ID(s) from a recreation.gov URL or a RIDB search and specify start date plus nights. The script queries recreation.gov endpoints (no API key required), inspects site-level availability, and applies optional filters (type, electric, pets, shade, vehicle length). It reports status per date range and can list individual sites or emit JSON for automation.

When to use it

Checking if a campsite is bookable for specific consecutive nights before planning a trip.
Monitoring multiple campground IDs at once to compare availability windows.
Filtering search results by site type (tent, RV, cabin, group) or amenities (electric, pet-friendly).
Scripting automated checks and integrating availability into alerts or booking workflows.
Verifying whether sites are first-come-first-served, reserved, or not-yet-released.

Best practices

Use campground IDs from the recreation.gov URL (e.g., recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233965) or from a RIDB search to avoid mistakes.
Query well in advance and re-run checks because booking windows and release dates change (often six months out).
Apply amenity filters sparingly in bulk checks; those require extra API calls and slow queries.
Combine --show-sites and --json for automation that needs site-level detail plus machine-readable output.
Respect rate limits and avoid excessive polling; schedule periodic checks rather than tight loops.

Example use cases

Quickly verify 2-night availability at a National Park campground for specific dates using its campground ID.
Compare availability across multiple Forest Service campgrounds before deciding where to book.
Automate a daily check that alerts when a tent site with pets allowed opens up within the next six months.
Filter results to electric-only RV sites with a minimum vehicle length for trip planning.
Export JSON availability to a planner app or script that aggregates campsites from multiple providers.

FAQ

Do I need an API key to use this skill?

No. The script queries recreation.gov public endpoints and does not require an API key.

How do I find the campground ID?

Take the numeric ID from the recreation.gov campground URL (after /campgrounds/) or use a RIDB search tool to look up campgrounds.