5 Nature Apps That Make Outdoor Adventures Better
From identifying birds and plants to finding trails and tracking the weather, these highly rated apps help you get more out of every adventure
Spending time outdoors boosts your family’s wellness and helps foster deeper connections, both with nature and each other. These versatile apps help you navigate the wilderness while also identifying the sounds, sights and sensations you experience. Before you head out, download them from Google Play (for Android phones) or the Apple App Store. All offer a free version.
Merlin Bird ID
From red-eyed vireos to yellow-rumped warblers, it’s not always easy to see the birds you want to identify. But Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology app identifies bird calls across the US, Canada and much of the world.
Coolest feature: The app also IDs your bird photos and keeps a dated record of what you hear.
Pro tip: Before you travel, install a free regional “bird pack,” which works offline in the field.
Stellarium
Point your phone at the night sky to identify constellations, planets, the International Space Station and satellites, even while offline. Use your finger to scroll ahead in time to later that night to know what to look for when.
Coolest feature: Use the “Sky Cultures” section to find out how Indigenous, Asian, Middle Eastern, European and Oceanic cultures interpret the sky, and choose that as viewing mode.
Pro tip: Enabling the red “night mode” will protect your night vision.
$: Upgrades and enhancements are offered at a cost.
Seek by iNaturalist
Based on millions of observations by trained naturalists and citizen scientists, this app identifies 80,000 species of plants, insects, reptiles and fungi from your phone’s photos even while offline.
Coolest feature: Set your location to find birds, mammals and plants that others have identified nearby and tap on each to learn more.
Pro tip: Kids can earn badges or join a challenge without needing an account or sharing data.
AllTrails
This handy app includes recent reviews, photos and driving directions for 450,000 hiking trails around the world, along with descriptions and any real-time issues with trail conditions. Set search parameters such as dog friendly, epic views, wildflowers or waterfalls.
Coolest feature: Recent reviews give nearly real-time information, both positive and negative.
Pro tip: Paid version includes off-route alerts if you’ve taken a wrong turn (even while offline), downloadable maps for when you’re offline (otherwise not available), and 3-D trail previews.
$: Upgrades and enhancements are offered at a cost.
WeatherBug
Monitor your wellness by accessing air quality, pollen level and local fire risks while getting real-time, hourly and 10-day forecasts. Receive instant alerts for potentially dangerous weather, including nearest and recent lightning strikes and predicted worldwide hurricanes while online.
Coolest feature: Hour-to-hour chart ranks how favorable the weather conditions will be for outdoor sports.
Pro tip: App monitors the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), the potential heat stress from exercising in direct sunlight.
$: Upgrades and enhancements are offered at a cost.