PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management has news for park goers, nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts: the free Rhode Island State Parks and Recreation Pocket Ranger® App for iPhone and Android devices has just gotten a complete overhaul, and Amazon Kindle Fire has been added to the app platform.
"Rhode Island is fortunate to have an abundance of easily accessible parks, beaches, campgrounds, management areas and bike paths where families can picnic, walk, bike, swim, camp or fish," said DEM Director Janet Coit. "These resources offer great opportunities for residents and visitors to get outdoors and enjoy nature, get fit and have fun. Take a moment to download this new app before you head out to one of Rhode Island's state recreational facilities for a day of exploration and enjoyment."
The interactive outdoor guide, created by ParksByNature Network™ in partnership with DEM's Division of Parks and Recreation, is the ultimate guide to exploring Rhode Island's state parks. Thanks to user comments and suggestions, the app has been totally revamped. Updates include:
? A new user interface (UI) with a sleek, more photo-centric home screen design ? Photo galleries on park description pages ? A new Explore feature to optimize search capabilities, allowing a 4-in-1 search by location, activities, category, and site name ? These newly added features make it easier to navigate the app as well as Rhode Island state parks.
In addition to the newly added features, the app still contains plenty of standard features to maximize outdoor adventures including:
? Educational info, amenities, maps & directions ? Real-time Calendar of Events ? News, advisories, and weather alerts ? Social networking and photo/video sharing ? Potentially life-saving Alert feature ? GPS Tours ? Advanced GPS mapping features ? Record trail distance and time elapsed ? Mark Photo Waypoints ? Recall, post or share saved data ? Friend Finder ? Built-in compass
Rhode Island has fourteen state beaches, seven major state parks, 40,000 acres of state rural forestland, and over 400 miles of shoreline providing a diverse amount of conservation land and access points.
The Pocket Ranger® mobile tour guide can be downloaded from the iTunes Store and Android's Market, or directly at PocketRanger.com. Additional details are available on DEM's parks website at www.riparks.com. For more information call DEM's Division of Parks and Recreation at 667-6200.