Access to our public lands for camping has just benefited from advances in high tech. “I started Hipcamp a few years ago because I was very frustrated with how difficult it was to find a campsite,” said Hipcamp, CEO, Alyssa Ravassio. Her idea to create a free online campsite finder, also resulted in the creation of a lobbying group wanting better access to government reservation systems for our federal public lands.
Hipcamp.com is online and soon will add a mobile app. Coloradoans are among the most rapidly growing adopters of the technology. Part of the trend is private land owners making space for campers. One of the more difficult development challenges has been showing availability of campsites on public land. “Working with the government on this has definitely taken some time. We’ve actually been working on this problem for about five years now,” said Ravassio. This week change happened.
Ravvasio says the government was not against making the information available. It was a matter of explaining the need, and finding the people with the kind of tech expertise to make it happen. The government operates recreation.gov, an online reservation system. The newly available access for high tech developers brings potential for improved public access. “Really create a new platform where Hipcamp, but also other companies can build new technologies to better connect people to their public land and make them more relevant.”
