MCP Server Documentation

Overview

The Outdoorithm MCP Server exposes 17 tools: 13 public read-only tools for discovery, availability, reservation handoffs, weather, safety, gear, SQL exploration, and operations, plus 4 authenticated alert-management tools that act on behalf of a signed-in user.

The server is designed for agent workflows. Favor the MCP endpoint over scraping HTML whenever you need structured, reliable, machine-readable campground and trip-planning data.

Quick Start

Connect in Claude

Add Outdoorithm from the Connectors Directory or paste the MCP URL directly into any MCP-capable client.

Connect in Claude Code

claude mcp add --transport http outdoorithm https://mcp.outdoorithm.com/mcp

Discovery Endpoints

https://outdoorithm.com/.well-known/mcp.json
https://outdoorithm.com/.well-known/mcp/server-card.json
https://outdoorithm.com/llms.txt

Connection Details

URL	`https://mcp.outdoorithm.com/mcp`
Transport	Streamable HTTP
Authentication	Read-only tools are public. Alert tools require a per-user API key passed as a tool parameter.
Rate Limit	Standard identified IP/session buckets receive 500 requests per hour. Anthropic Claude.ai egress is isolated in a 5000 request/hour pooled bucket. Unattributable traffic receives a stricter 100 request/hour shared bucket.
Tool Surface	13 read-only tools + 4 authenticated tools

Tools Reference (17 tools)

Campground Tools

search_campgroundsRead-only

Search Campgrounds

Search 11,800+ US campgrounds with 40+ filters. Supports location, amenities, terrain, activities, pricing, safety, sentiment, seasonality, cell coverage, and more.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`near_location`	string	No	City, address, or landmark such as 'Yosemite' or 'Oakland, CA'
`latitude / longitude`	number	No	Center point for radius search
`states`	string[]	No	US state filters such as ['CA', 'OR']
`max_distance_miles`	number	No	Radius around the provided location
`camping_type`	string	No	tent, rv, primitive, group, cabin, or glamping
`limit`	number	No	Maximum results to return (default 20, max 50)

get_campground_detailsRead-only

Get Campground Details

Fetch a detailed campground profile with amenities, review summaries, seasonal ratings, safety flags, best sites, and practical planning notes.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`campground_id`	string	Yes	Unique campground identifier in Outdoorithm CUID format

find_similar_campgroundsRead-only

Find Similar Campgrounds

Find semantically similar campgrounds using a blend of review meaning and structured campground attributes.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`campground_id`	string	Yes	Reference campground CUID
`result_limit`	number	No	Maximum results to return
`max_distance_km`	number	No	Optional max distance filter in kilometers

check_availabilityRead-only

Check Availability

Check live campsite availability across 13+ reservation providers for a specific campground and date range.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`campground_id`	string	Yes	CUID of the campground to check
`start_date / end_date`	string	Yes	Check-in and check-out dates in YYYY-MM-DD format
`min_nights`	number	No	Minimum consecutive nights required

check_safetyRead-only

Check Safety

Return Greenbook community safety scores, discrimination flags, and active campground alerts such as closures and restrictions.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`campground_ids`	string[]	Yes	One or more campground CUIDs to evaluate

get_weatherRead-only

Get Weather

Get a camping-specific 7-day forecast with suitability ratings, warnings, and gear guidance for a location.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`latitude / longitude`	number	Yes	Coordinates for the forecast point
`campground_name`	string	No	Optional name used in the response copy
`check_in_date / check_out_date`	string	No	Optional trip dates for contextual recommendations

Trip Planning Tools

calculate_drive_timesRead-only

Calculate Drive Times

Calculate road drive times and distances from one origin to up to 24 campgrounds using Mapbox Matrix.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`origin_latitude / origin_longitude`	number	Yes	Coordinates for the starting point
`destinations`	object[]	Yes	List of { campground_id, latitude, longitude } objects

build_packing_listRead-only

Build Packing List

Generate a campground-aware packing checklist shaped by trip type, season, group size, pets, and activities.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`campground_id`	string	No	Optional campground CUID to personalize around amenities
`trip_type`	string	No	car_camping, backpacking, rv, or glamping
`season`	string	No	spring, summer, fall, or winter
`adults / children / has_pets / nights`	number / boolean	No	Trip composition and duration inputs

prepare_reservationRead-only

Prepare Reservation

Create a ToS-compliant handoff to the operator's booking page with booking-window timing and next-step guidance. This does not place a booking on the user's behalf.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`campground_id`	string	Yes	Campground CUID such as RecreationDotGov:232447
`start_date / end_date`	string	Yes	Desired check-in and check-out dates in YYYY-MM-DD format
`party_size`	number	No	Optional group size for user-facing context

Gear Tools

get_gear_for_campgroundRead-only

Get Gear For Campground

Return personalized gear recommendations tailored to a campground's terrain, activities, and amenity gaps.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`campground_id`	string	Yes	Destination campground CUID
`slot_type`	string	No	essential, activity, comfort, or amenity_gap

search_gearRead-only

Search Gear

Search the gear catalog by query, kit, category, recommendation tier, necessity level, and price range.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`query`	string	No	Free-text product search
`kit_name / category_name`	string	No	Filter by kit or category
`min_price / max_price`	number	No	Price filters in USD
`necessity / recommendation_tier`	string	No	Filter by editorial classification

compare_gearRead-only

Compare Gear

Compare 2-3 gear items side by side with verdicts, specs, links, and tradeoffs.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`gear_ids`	string[]	Yes	Two or three product IDs or slugs

Operations Tool

health_checkRead-only

Health Check

Return basic server health metadata including status, version, and environment.

Authenticated Alert Tools

create_alertAuthenticated

Create Alert

Create an availability alert that continuously checks for openings and notifies the user when sites are found.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`api_key`	string	Yes	User API key from the Outdoorithm dashboard
`campground_ids`	string[]	Yes	One or more campground CUIDs from the same provider
`start_date`	string	Yes	Earliest check-in date in YYYY-MM-DD format
`date_type`	string	No	range, perpetual, or specific_months
`end_date / specific_months / min_nights`	string / number[] / number	No	Additional alert-window constraints

list_alertsAuthenticated

List Alerts

List a user's campsite alerts, optionally filtered by status such as active, paused, expired, or permanent_error.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`api_key`	string	Yes	User API key from the Outdoorithm dashboard
`status`	string	No	Optional alert status filter

toggle_alertAuthenticated

Toggle Alert

Pause an active alert or resume a paused alert.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`api_key`	string	Yes	User API key from the Outdoorithm dashboard
`alert_id`	string	Yes	Alert UUID

delete_alertAuthenticated

Delete Alert

Permanently delete an alert and its notification history.

Key Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`api_key`	string	Yes	User API key from the Outdoorithm dashboard
`alert_id`	string	Yes	Alert UUID

Example Prompts

“Find dog-friendly campgrounds near Yosemite with showers under $40 and strong family-friendly reviews.”

Tools used: search_campgrounds

“Check if Kirk Creek Campground has availability for next weekend, the weather, and the booking handoff link if dates are open.”

Tools used: check_availability, get_weather, prepare_reservation

“Compare three Big Sur campgrounds by drive time from San Francisco, safety, and family amenities.”

Tools used: search_campgrounds, calculate_drive_times, check_safety, get_campground_details

“Build a packing list for a 3-night family RV trip with a dog and hiking plans.”

Tools used: build_packing_list, get_gear_for_campground

“Create an alert for Pinnacles Campground for any 2-night weekday opening in September.”

Tools used: create_alert

Data Sources

11,800+ campgrounds from Recreation.gov, ReserveCalifornia, ReserveAmerica, GoingToCamp, KOA, Hipcamp, and 10+ state park systems
Enriched review summaries, sentiment analysis, and seasonal ratings synthesized from real camper reviews
Greenbook community safety scores assessing inclusivity and welcoming atmosphere
Live availability from 13+ reservation providers via Camply infrastructure
Weather data from Open-Meteo with camping-specific interpretation
Road drive times and geocoding via Mapbox

Privacy & Data Handling

Public read-only tools do not write user data or place reservations.
Alert tools create, pause, resume, or delete alerts only when a user explicitly provides their own API key.
All MCP traffic is served over HTTPS/TLS.
Optional MCP telemetry records tool name, argument keys, latency, outcome, environment, and user-agent only. Raw argument values are not stored.
Rate limiting is enforced to protect shared infrastructure and downstream providers.

For our full privacy policy, see outdoorithm.com/privacy.

Support

For questions, issues, or feedback about the Outdoorithm MCP Server, contact support@outdoorithm.com.