Who does not love to behold the beauty of nature? The greenery, soothing scent, and different kinds of animals!
According to a recent report by The Yale School of the Environment, spending time with nature — as long as people feel safe — is an antidote for stress: It can lower blood pressure and stress hormone levels, reduce nervous system arousal, enhance immune system function, increase self-esteem, reduce anxiety, and improve mood.
The awesomeness of nature can't be overemphasized!
However, you can only explore nature effectively with guidance. But, with the advancement in technology, you can enjoy your outdoor hobbies with nature with the help of your mobile device.
Several outdoor apps make it easy to explore nature better without limitations on Android and iOS devices.
This article will unravel the best outdoor apps that make nature adventures mind-blowing.
Let's proceed!
Best Outdoor Apps for Nature-lovers
1. Birda App
Outdoor hobbies are interesting, but lacking the necessary tools makes it frustrating.
It's time to get off the shell and enjoy the fun of nature with one of the best outdoor apps for nature lovers.
The Birda app was designed by nature lovers and for nature lovers.
It features a well-designed, clean, and user-friendly interface to reveal the enticing world of birds. The app makes it easy to get outside with your loved ones, record your birding experiences, and share them with conservation researchers.
Interestingly, you don't need to further in ornithology to know more about birdwatching. The Birda app features an inclusive community of nature lovers and researchers like you. If you are unsure about a bird you spotted or need more details about a bird, you can upload a picture of the bird to the community for more details.Also, the app makes it easy to increase your birding knowledge and keep a record of your progress.
And, if you'd love to get off the online competition, you can use the Birda app offline.
Whether you are a casual nature lover, serious birder, or ornithologist, you can use this app to connect with nature and find your flock.
It's accessible via App Store or Google Play for easy download.
2. iNaturalist
iNaturalist makes it easy to connect with nature and share your experience with the natural world.
iNaturalist is the joint initiative of the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society. The app has over 5 million people signed up, over 121 million observations, and over 400,000 species observed.
This app allows nature lovers to easily record their observations, share them with fellow naturalists, and discuss their findings.
Observations made by its users are shared with scientific data repositories to help research and use your data. Again, every observation can help improve biodiversity science, from the smallest weevil to your garden flowers.
Also, you can keep track of your experience with nature by storing your data in the cloud. The app creates room to connect with experts and other naturalists who can help build your knowledge about your observations.
The iNaturalist app works well on all devices. You can download and install the mobile app via Google play or App Store.
3. Solar Walk
Do you know you can explore the solar system in real time from your room?
You are surprised!
A solar Walk is an intuitive tool for astrophile, astronomers, and general nature lovers. It brings the experience of the solar system to your fingertips.
This app displays the planet, satellites, and other solar system features in breathtaking detail and accuracy.
Interestingly, you can travel to the future or the past through the Time Machine. Just use the date and time filter to select your preferred date and time to examine the universe at that period.
Solar Walk makes exploring dwarf planets, galaxies, comets, stars, asteroids, and other celestial bodies easy. You can discover amazing astronomy facts, planet positions, stars' names, and more.
Visit Google Play or App Store to download this mobile app.
4. Alltrails
It's time to explore with confidence!
Whether you want to go on hiking, trail running, wheelchair-friendly, mountain biking, dog-friendly, or road biking, Alltrails has an amazing feature to search, navigate, and track the right trail.
The Alltrail app user interface makes it easy to search for trails by city, park, or trail name. Besides, the trails are verified by experts and reviewed by the global community.
In addition, the app has amazing menus featuring trending trails, parks worth a look at, cities to explore, and countries to consider.
The pro version allows you to stay on track offline. However, you need to download the offline maps or print a backup copy. Also, with the off-route notifications, you can take advantage of your way.
Alltrails is otherwise known as the app for the outdoors. Visit App Store or Google Play to download and install this app.
5. Leafsnap
Let's tilt the gear and go botanical!
Have you seen a plant or tree and wondered what it was?
Leafsnap helps you identify any plant without the help of a botanist. Just snap the plant, upload it, and the app will tell you its name in a few seconds. Also, the app gives a step-by-step guide on how to care for a plant.
This app is a major tool for an adventurous nature lover. You are not stuck at any phase about a plant and other details. Leafsnap has an inbuilt feature to identify over 32,000 plant taxons worldwide. You can access the app via Google Play or App Store.
6. Just Ahead
Every time we go on a trip, we stress ourselves trying to figure out where we are, what to see, and things to know.
Isn't it nice having someone with you who has been on that journey countless times? Rather than missing those wild animal sightings and colorful flowers because your face is buried in a guidebook.
Just Ahead is the best companion for any journey!
The app features an audio guide written by experts and narrated by professionals.
It has a GPS-guided tour that knows where you are and what to say. Imagine you are horse trekking a mountain and before you is a beautiful sight. You are trying to figure out what it is. Just Ahead shares a detailed story of what is before you.
Also, the app works offline. There are places around the world that lack mobile device service. Just Ahead can work without WiFi or a cell signal. Just ensure you download your guide before embarking on the trip.
Again, the Just Ahead guide features an in-built offline map. This feature makes it easy to access the direction for your destination even without internet access.
You can download this app through App Store or Google Play.
7. Star Walk 2
Star Walk 2 features a sky map that allows you to enjoy the amazing views of the stars, planets, and constellations.
In addition, you can get information about sky objects by checking their photos and 3D models. The Star Walk 2 features past, futuristic, and spectacular astronomy events. You can check the event's date to get notified quickly.
As an extension, you can explore satellites, star clusters, asteroids, comets, and other celestial bodies.
Visit App Store or Google Play to download the app.
Factors to Consider in an Outdoor App
No one has enough storage capacity to install every app on Play Store on their mobile device. Besides, some apps have high pricing, while some require a monthly subscription. This is why it is necessary to know how to sieve the app store well before opting for an app.
Here is the most important thing to consider when looking for an outdoor app:
1. Will it Add Value to My Next Trip?
Everyone going on a trip or adventure has different needs. You need to ask yourself – will this app add value to my next outdoor event?
The definition of value here is how well an app solves your needs. You can access the features of an app through the app description to know how well it solves your needs.
2. Inclusive Community
This factor is a must-have for any outdoor app you want to consider. An outdoor app community will feature experts and nature lovers like you.
There are times you will see an organism that is strange to you. This is where the place of community comes in. You can snap and upload a picture of the organism to the community for more detail.
Ensure you look out for outdoor apps with a strong community because the benefits are mind-blowing.
3. Does it have an Offline Feature?
There is no possibility that there will be a mobile device network when you are out in nature. You need an outdoor app that works well even though your phone has no service or is in airplane mode.
4. Ability to Track Progress
The beauty of any action is the assurance that you are making progress. It's a source of motivation to do more. You should get an app with a tracking feature to watch your growth.
Final Words
It's time to go outdoors!
You have at your fingertips the best outdoor apps for nature lovers.
Interestingly, this article covers the best app for different nature outings. An end has come to boring adventures.
Download and install any apps and be sure to have the best experience in your next adventure.