# Recreation.gov Permit & Campsite Live Tracker (`hikemetrics/recreation-gov-permit-tracker`) Actor Get real-time booking and permit availability for highly sought-after campsites and wilderness routes on Recreation.gov. Build your own notification bots, automated booking triggers, or availability dashboards without dealing with complex browser scrapers. - **URL**: https://apify.com/hikemetrics/recreation-gov-permit-tracker.md - **Developed by:** [Wouter Peters](https://apify.com/hikemetrics) (community) - **Categories:** Automation, Developer tools, Travel - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $2.50 / 1,000 permit / facility month checks This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## Recreation.gov Campsite & Permit Live Availability Tracker Get real-time booking and permit availability for highly sought-after campsites and wilderness routes on Recreation.gov. Build your own notification bots, automated booking triggers, or availability dashboards without dealing with complex browser scrapers. --- ### 🚀 Key Features - **Campground Availability:** Scrapes month-by-month occupancy status for any campground facility by its ID (e.g., Watchman Campground in Zion, Yosemite campgrounds). This is the fully verified core of the actor. - **Wilderness Permit Tracking (Experimental / Beta):** Checks availability for Inyo-style permit zones (e.g., Mount Whitney, Inyo National Forest). Field mapping for the permit feed is provisional and not yet confirmed against every live permit endpoint — treat permit output as beta and validate against your target zone before relying on it. - **Zero Browser Overhead:** Directly queries the public JSON API endpoints. Fast, lightweight, and uses minimal compute memory (runs comfortably on 128MB). - **100% Public Data & Privacy First:** Requires no login credentials, cookies, proxies, or account creation. Your personal data is never requested. --- ### 💳 Pay-Per-Event (PPE) Pricing This actor is monetized using Apify's **Pay-Per-Event (PPE)** pricing plan. You are charged only for the actual data checked, not for idle execution time. | Event Name | Price (USD) | Charged Unit | Notes | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | `apify-actor-start` | **$0.00005** | Per actor run start | Synthetic start fee, managed by Apify | | `permit-month-check` | **$0.0025** | Per facility/permit check for a single calendar month | Only **$2.50 per 1,000 checks** | > [!NOTE] > If you query 1 campground for 2 different months, it counts as 2 check events ($0.0050 total). The default Apify dataset items are unpriced to avoid double charging. --- ### 🔒 Security & Compliance We take platform compliance and security seriously: - **No Login Walls:** The actor strictly accesses open public availability feeds. We never bypass authentication screens, Captchas, or account dashboards. - **Credential Safe:** The actor will automatically reject inputs containing fields like `cookie`, `session`, `password`, or `proxy` to prevent accidental credential leakage. - **Takedown Enforcement:** Includes a hardcoded compliance switch. In the event of a platform takedown request or maintenance, the actor can be set offline immediately by setting `disableForTakedown: true` or the environment variable `RECREATION_GOV_ACTOR_OFFLINE=1`. --- ### 📥 Input Schema Configure the actor by listing the campgrounds or permit zones you wish to scan. ```json { "targets": [ { "checkType": "campground-month", "facilityId": "232447", "name": "Watchman Campground", "months": [ "2026-08" ] } ], "disableForTakedown": false } ```` #### Input Fields: - `targets` (Array, Required): List of target locations to check. - `checkType` (String, Required): Either `campground-month` or `permit-inyo-month`. - `facilityId` (String): The campground facility ID (e.g., `"232447"`). Required if `checkType` is `campground-month`. - `permitId` (String): The permit zone ID. Required if `checkType` is `permit-inyo-month`. - `name` (String, Optional): A friendly name for logging and output identification. - `months` (Array of Strings, Required): Months to check in `YYYY-MM` format (e.g., `["2026-08"]`). - `disableForTakedown` (Boolean, Optional): Emergency override flag. Defaults to `false`. *** ### 📤 Output Format Each calendar month check produces a detailed dataset record. Below is an example: ```json { "targetId": "232447", "targetName": "Watchman Campground", "checkType": "campground-month", "month": "2026-08", "checkedAt": "2026-07-05T00:00:00.000Z", "success": true, "source": "recreation.gov-public-api", "sourceUrl": "https://www.recreation.gov/api/camps/availability/campground/232447/month?start_date=2026-08-01T00%3A00%3A00.000Z", "totalDateCount": 31, "availableDateCount": 3, "bookableDateCount": 3, "availability": [ { "date": "2026-08-01", "statuses": ["Available"], "available": true, "bookable": true, "availableCampsiteCount": 3, "bookableCampsiteCount": 3, "availableCampsites": [ { "campsiteId": "9876", "name": "B-12", "status": "Available" } ] } ], "ppeEventName": "permit-month-check", "compliance": { "publicDataOnly": true, "noLoginBypass": true, "takedownPolicy": "direct-offline" } } ``` > \[!NOTE] > The `availability` array is abbreviated above for readability. It contains **one entry per date returned by the Recreation.gov feed for that month**, and `totalDateCount` equals the number of those dated entries — not necessarily every calendar day (a facility may not publish data for every day). `availableDateCount` / `bookableDateCount` count the dated entries where at least one site is available / bookable. *** ### 🛠️ Developer & Integration Integrate this actor directly into your notification webhooks (Discord, Slack, SMS via Twilio) or database ingest systems using the Apify API. Since the output JSON is standardized, mapping availability changes is straightforward. # Actor input Schema ## `disableForTakedown` (type: `boolean`): Hard offline switch. Set true immediately after a takedown request. ## `targets` (type: `array`): Facility or permit targets to check. No credentials are accepted. ## Actor input object example ```json { "disableForTakedown": false, "targets": [ { "checkType": "campground-month", "facilityId": "232447", "name": "Watchman Campground", "months": [ "2026-08" ] } ] } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `results` (type: `string`): Dataset with per-month availability records. ## `summary` (type: `string`): Key-value store record with ok, checkedTargets, and chargedEvents. # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "targets": [ { "checkType": "campground-month", "facilityId": "232447", "name": "Watchman Campground", "months": [ "2026-08" ] } ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("hikemetrics/recreation-gov-permit-tracker").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "targets": [{ "checkType": "campground-month", "facilityId": "232447", "name": "Watchman Campground", "months": ["2026-08"], }] } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("hikemetrics/recreation-gov-permit-tracker").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "targets": [ { "checkType": "campground-month", "facilityId": "232447", "name": "Watchman Campground", "months": [ "2026-08" ] } ] }' | apify call hikemetrics/recreation-gov-permit-tracker --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=hikemetrics/recreation-gov-permit-tracker", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Recreation.gov Permit & Campsite Live Tracker", "description": "Get real-time booking and permit availability for highly sought-after campsites and wilderness routes on Recreation.gov. Build your own notification bots, automated booking triggers, or availability dashboards without dealing with complex browser scrapers.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "aTzoC0PHk2XqYWFo8" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/hikemetrics~recreation-gov-permit-tracker/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-hikemetrics-recreation-gov-permit-tracker", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/hikemetrics~recreation-gov-permit-tracker/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-hikemetrics-recreation-gov-permit-tracker", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/hikemetrics~recreation-gov-permit-tracker/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-hikemetrics-recreation-gov-permit-tracker", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "targets" ], "properties": { "disableForTakedown": { "title": "Disable for takedown", "type": "boolean", "description": "Hard offline switch. Set true immediately after a takedown request.", "default": false }, "targets": { "title": "Targets", "minItems": 1, "type": "array", "description": "Facility or permit targets to check. No credentials are accepted.", "items": { "type": "object", "required": [ "checkType", "months" ], "properties": { "checkType": { "title": "Check type", "type": "string", "description": "Availability check mode: campground-month or permit-inyo-month.", "enum": [ "campground-month", "permit-inyo-month" ] }, "facilityId": { "title": "Facility ID", "type": "string", "description": "Recreation.gov campground facility ID. Required for campground-month." }, "permitId": { "title": "Permit ID", "type": "string", "description": "Recreation.gov permit ID. Required for permit-inyo-month." }, "name": { "title": "Name", "type": "string", "description": "Optional display name for the target." }, "months": { "title": "Months", "type": "array", "description": "Months to check in YYYY-MM format.", "items": { "type": "string", "pattern": "^[0-9]{4}-[0-9]{2}$" } } } } } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```