home / skills / openclaw / skills / ridb-search

ridb-search skill

safe

This skill helps you locate nearby campgrounds and recreation facilities by location or coordinates using RIDB data for planning trips.

npx playbooks add skill openclaw/skills --skill ridb-search

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

Files (5)

SKILL.md

2.2 KB

---
name: ridb-search
description: Search the Recreation Information Database (RIDB) for campgrounds and recreation facilities near a location. Use when finding campgrounds, recreation areas, or federal facilities by location/radius. Supports geocoding (city names) and lat/lon coordinates.
---

# RIDB Search

Search recreation.gov's database for campgrounds and facilities near a location.

## Setup

Requires a free RIDB API key:
1. Go to https://ridb.recreation.gov/profile
2. Sign up and generate an API key
3. Set environment variable: `export RIDB_API_KEY=your_key_here`

## Usage

Search by location name (auto-geocodes):
```bash
python scripts/search.py --location "Bend, OR" --radius 50
python scripts/search.py -l "Yosemite Valley" -r 25 --camping-only
```

Search by coordinates:
```bash
python scripts/search.py --lat 44.0582 --lon -121.3153 --radius 50
```

### Options

| Flag | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `--location, -l` | Location name to geocode (e.g., "Bend, OR") |
| `--lat` | Latitude (use with --lon) |
| `--lon` | Longitude (use with --lat) |
| `--radius, -r` | Search radius in miles (default: 50) |
| `--limit` | Max results (default: 50) |
| `--camping-only` | Filter to camping facilities |
| `--reservable-only` | Filter to reservable facilities |
| `--json` | Output JSON (for programmatic use) |

### Output

Human-readable (default):
```
📍 Geocoded 'Bend, OR' to 44.0582, -121.3153

Found 23 facilities within 50 miles
------------------------------------------------------------

🏕️  Tumalo State Park
   ID: 234567 | ✅ Reservable
   Org: Oregon State Parks
   URL: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234567
```

JSON output (`--json`):
```json
{
  "query": {"latitude": 44.0582, "longitude": -121.3153, "radius_miles": 50},
  "total_count": 23,
  "facilities": [
    {
      "id": "234567",
      "name": "Tumalo State Park",
      "reservable": true,
      "url": "https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234567"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Notes

- RIDB contains federal recreation data; some state/private campgrounds may not be listed
- The `id` field is the campground ID used for availability checks on recreation.gov
- Radius is in miles (RIDB native unit)
- Geocoding uses OpenStreetMap/Nominatim (free, no key required)

Overview

This skill searches the Recreation Information Database (RIDB) to find campgrounds, recreation areas, and federal facilities near a given location. It supports geocoding from place names or direct latitude/longitude and returns human-readable summaries or machine-friendly JSON. Use it to locate camping options, filter for reservable or camping-only facilities, and get facility IDs for availability checks.

How this skill works

The skill accepts a location name (auto-geocoded via OpenStreetMap/Nominatim) or latitude/longitude coordinates and queries the RIDB API within a specified radius measured in miles. It can filter results for camping-only or reservable facilities, limit result counts, and output either a readable list or structured JSON with facility IDs, names, reservability, and URLs. An API key for RIDB is required and used to authenticate requests.

When to use it

Finding campgrounds or federal recreation facilities near a city or coordinates.
Filtering results to only reservable or camping-specific sites before checking availability.
Generating a machine-readable list of facility IDs and URLs for automation.
Planning trips when you need a quick list of nearby recreation areas within a radius.
Integrating location-based campground search into an app or workflow.

Best practices

Provide either a clear place name (e.g., 'Yosemite Valley') or precise lat/lon for best results.
Set a reasonable radius (default 50 miles) to balance result relevance and count.
Use --limit to avoid excessive results if you plan to post-process output.
Use JSON output for programmatic workflows; use human-readable output for quick checks.
Keep your RIDB API key secure and set it in the environment rather than embedding it.

Example use cases

Search campgrounds within 50 miles of 'Bend, OR' and get a readable list of options with IDs and URLs.
Auto-geocode 'Yosemite Valley', filter to camping-only facilities, and export JSON for trip planning.
Query by coordinates for a backcountry trip basecamp and limit results to the nearest 10 sites.
Filter to reservable facilities when you want sites that can be booked via recreation.gov.
Integrate into a travel app to display nearby federal recreation areas with direct links.

FAQ

Do I need an API key?

Yes. A free RIDB API key is required to query the database and must be set in your environment.

Can I use place names instead of coordinates?

Yes. Place names are geocoded automatically using OpenStreetMap/Nominatim so you can pass city or park names.