EDITOR’S NOTE: The following column by Phil Ingrassia, president of the RV Dealers Association (RVDA), which was published in the May 2026 issue of RV Executive Today, is posted here with permission.
Two summers ago, my family visited Rocky Mountain National Park while staying in Estes Park, Colo. Like many visitors, I had a National Geographic National Park guidebook along for the trip, but as we approached the park, I realized I had no idea which entrance would give us the best chance of getting in without a long wait.
The guidebook offers park history, maps, and a few scenic suggestions, but it certainly can’t provide the real‑time congestion data, the latest timed‑entry requirements, or the quickest way to access the park. I found out later that the park’s official webcams provide visual updates at each entrance station, but for the most accurate view of congestion, it’s still recommended to combine webcam footage with traffic apps like Google Maps or Waze. I’ll try that next time!
That small moment underscored something RVers experience every day: technology is no longer a luxury in outdoor recreation and is going to be essential to navigating public lands in a way that’s efficient, enjoyable, and accessible. And it’s exactly why the federal government’s new focus on modernizing recreation data matters so much to our industry.
EXPLORE Act Implementation
As federal agencies ramp up implementation of the EXPLORE Act, the Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation (FICOR) is driving some of the most important technology upgrades on America’s public lands. Much of the work centers on modernizing how agencies collect and share recreation data. This includes everything from improving visitation estimates to developing common standards that will make accessing information more consistent across the Forest Service, BLM, National Park Service, and other federal systems.
FICOR is also coordinating early public‑private partnerships that explore new tools for real‑time recreation information, digital trip planning, and better integration with platforms like Recreation.gov. Last month, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) convened a first‑of‑its‑kind meeting with outdoor recreation technology companies and FICOR representatives from all the federal land and water management agencies.
A Data-driven System
This collaboration represents a meaningful shift toward a more connected, data‑driven recreation system and one that will ultimately help RV travelers benefit from clearer access information and a more seamless outdoor experience.
Federal agency participants highlighted ongoing efforts to implement the EXPLORE Act, including a coordinated approach to reporting recreation data across agencies and proposed pilot projects on federal sites nationwide to improve recreation visitation estimates. Other technology solutions are in the works to improve access for RVers and other public‑lands visitors, such as better trip‑planning tools and real‑time information on visitation and facility availability.
ORR, which includes RVDA and RVIA, will continue to engage with FICOR in the coming months, including providing input on upcoming pilot projects for deeper collaboration on data interoperability and innovation. As these efforts advance, RVers will increasingly benefit from the kind of information that turns a frustrating guess at a park entrance into a smooth, well‑planned adventure.
