TIL a quick way to verify if a park's guide app is updated before you go

I mean, I've downloaded a few official park apps only to find the trail closures or facilities info was totally outdated when I arrived, idk, maybe it's just me but it's frustrating. Then I realized you can check the 'last updated' date in the app store listing before installing, which saved me a bunch of hassle last month. Now I always glance at that date and compare it to recent park announcements online, and it's been way more reliable. It's a small thing, but honestly, it made my planning so much smoother for my recent Glacier trip.

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alice6021h ago

Oh, that tip about glancing at the 'last updated' date is seriously underrated. I've wasted so much storage on apps that haven't been refreshed since like 2018, which is basically prehistoric in app years. My own wake-up call was downloading a national forest app only to find the campfire restrictions were from a completely different season, and we almost drove hours for nothing. Now I do the same dance of checking the date against recent social media updates from the park, and it feels like unlocking a secret level of adulting. It's barely any effort, but it saves you from that special kind of trip disappointment when technology lets you down. Honestly, more people should know this trick before they end up at a locked gate with a fully charged phone and zero useful info.