Recreation.gov Web Campsite Availability Notifier

WHAT IT DOES

Recreation.gov Web Campsite Availability Notifier automatically scans Recreation.gov campground and campsite listing pages to extract availability data for individual campsites including site numbers, availability by date, maximum occupancy, and amenities. A floating panel displays a summary showing the total number of campsites found, the earliest available date across all sites, and the site with the most consecutive available nights. The panel provides a date range filter where you can set your preferred start and end dates and specify a minimum stay duration. When you apply your filters, the tool highlights all sites that match your criteria and displays them in the results section with site numbers and capacities. If matching sites are found, a desktop notification alerts you immediately. Your preferred date range and minimum stay settings are saved automatically across sessions. The all-sites list shows every campsite with its available dates, occupancy, and amenities, giving you a complete view of camping options.

WHERE IT RUNS

This extension operates exclusively on recreation.gov domain pages that contain campsite listing or availability content—specifically pages with "/camping," "/campsite," or "/campsites" in the URL path, or pages that display individual site availability information. It works alongside the free BotGentz companion extension, which provides the necessary DOM access and page interaction capabilities. The notifier runs entirely within your local browser instance and does not communicate with any external servers or APIs. All campsite extraction, date filtering, and preference storage occurs on your machine, ensuring your camping search activity and personal preferences remain private. It supports all modern Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera) and Firefox when paired with the BotGentz bridge.

HOW TO USE

After installing both BotGentz and this campsite notifier, navigate to any Recreation.gov campground page that lists individual campsites and availability. Within 1-2 seconds, a panel appears in the bottom-right corner displaying a summary of all campsites found. The "Date Range" section lets you enter a start date and end date in MM/DD/YYYY format, and specify a minimum number of nights you want to stay. Click "Apply Filters & Check" to find sites matching your criteria—matching sites appear in the results area with site numbers and capacities, and a desktop notification alerts you to available sites. The "All Sites" section lists every campsite with its available dates, occupancy, and amenities. Use the "Clear Filters" button to reset your search criteria. Your preferred date range and minimum stay settings are saved and persist across browsing sessions, so you don't have to re-enter them each time you check availability.

CAMPSITE DATA EXTRACTION MECHANISM

The campsite notifier uses a multi-strategy extraction system to locate and parse campsite availability data from Recreation.gov pages. It first attempts to find structured campsite elements using a comprehensive set of CSS selectors based on the site's typical page structure, including class names like "campsite-item," "site-item," "site-card," and "campsite-card." When these selectors fail due to site updates, the tool falls back to text-based parsing, scanning page content line by line to identify site numbers through pattern matching for "Site #" or "Campsite #" labels. For each detected site, the tool extracts availability dates by matching date patterns in MM/DD/YYYY format, occupancy information through pattern matching for "occupancy" or "sleeps" labels, and amenities through keyword detection for common amenities like electric, water, sewer, table, fire ring, and others. This dual approach ensures reliable campsite detection across different page layouts and availability presentation formats. The tool also calculates the earliest available date across all sites and identifies the site with the most consecutive available nights through simple date array analysis.

THE PANEL

The campsite notifier panel is a compact, functional overlay that integrates into the Recreation.gov page. It can be dragged by clicking and holding the title bar, positioning the panel anywhere on the screen for optimal visibility while you browse campsites. The panel includes a built-in snap feature that automatically aligns to the nearest screen edge when released within 48 pixels, keeping your workspace organized. Click the collapse arrow in the top-right corner to minimize the panel to a small icon bubble showing a gear emoji, preserving screen space while keeping the tool accessible. The panel is not resizable in this version, maintaining a consistent compact size that works on all screen resolutions. Press the Escape key to instantly hide the panel; press Escape again to restore it. All position, collapse state, date range preferences, and minimum stay duration are saved locally using GM_setValue and persist across browsing sessions.

PLEASE NOTE

This extension requires the free BotGentz extension to function—the campsite notifier does not work standalone. Recreation.gov occasionally updates its page layouts and availability presentation formats, which may temporarily affect campsite extraction accuracy. The tool extracts campsite data from the visible page content; if availability information is loaded dynamically after page load, you may need to wait a moment or refresh the page for the panel to populate. Availability data is extracted from the page at the time of viewing and may not reflect real-time changes—always verify availability on the official Recreation.gov website before booking. The tool does not store or transmit any data; all campsite data, date preferences, and settings are processed and saved entirely within your browser. This tool is designed for personal trip planning assistance and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Recreation.gov or the U.S. federal government. Campsite availability is subject to change; always confirm details on the official Recreation.gov site before making reservations.