OLYMPIA – Aug. 21, 2014 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission today announced the release of the next generation of the Pocket Ranger® mobile app and the kick-off of the ‘Walk in the Park’ GeoChallenge.
The free Washington State Parks mobile app for iPhone and Android recently had a complete overhaul. This interactive outdoor guide, created by ParksByNature Network™ in partnership with Washington State Parks, is the ultimate guide to exploring Washington’s state parks. Based on user comments and suggestions, the app has been totally revamped. Updates include:
- A sleek new home screen design that is more photo-centric.
- Photo galleries on park pages.
- A new Explore feature to optimize park searches that allows a 4-in-1 search by location, activities, category and site name.
These newly added features make it easier to navigate the app on smart phones and state parks.
The app still contains plenty of standard features to maximize visitors’ outdoor adventures, including:
- Educational info, amenities, maps and 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
‘Walk in the Park’ GeoChallenge
To celebrate the great outdoors, State Parks and ParksByNature Network® are partnering with SUBWAY® restaurants to launch the newest geochallenge, ‘Walk in the Park,’ in the Pocket Ranger® mobile app. The geochallenge features state parks in 16 western Washington counties: King, Snohomish, Chelan, Clallam, Douglas, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Thurston and Whatcom. As participants discover the natural beauty of Washington by visiting the exceptional state parks in the geochallenge, they will have a chance to win $3,000 worth of prizes. The ‘Walk in the Park’ GeoChallenge runs through Dec. 31.
To get started, participants must download the official Washington State Parks Pocket Ranger® mobile app onto their mobile device (from either the App Store or Google Play), select the “Challenges” icon, pick the ‘Walk in the Park’ GeoChallenge and register a username and password. The geochallenge uses the advanced GPS mapping features found on the Washington State Parks Pocket Ranger® mobile app.
Participants can earn points by recording each visit to a state park. Easy-to-reach parks are worth five points, while more challenging, out-of-the way parks are worth up to 20 points. By visiting the online LeaderBoard ( www.pocketrangerexchange.com), participants can engage in friendly competition by keeping tabs on other players. They also can track which parks they’ve already visited and which parks they still need to explore as they embark on the State Parks ‘Walk in the Park’ GeoChallenge.
Winner selections and prizes: The first participants to finish the geochallenge are eligible to win prizes. More than $3,000 worth of prizes will be awarded after Jan. 2, 2015. Prizes are provided by SUBWAY® restaurants.
- First level: The first 30 participants to record visits to 15 individual state parks will receive a $10 SUBWAY® gift card.
- Second level: The first 20 participants to record visits to 20 individual state parks will receive a $20 SUBWAY® gift card.
- Top prize: The first 10 participants to record visits to 30 individual state parks will receive a $30 SUBWAY® gift card.
For more information and official rules, visit www.parks.wa.gov/geocaching and select the Subway ‘Walk in the Park’ GeoChallenge.
State Parks works in partnership with ParksByNature Network™ to provide this free service to the public. No state funds were used to develop the mobile app. ParksByNature Network™ locates sponsors to underwrite development of the app for the state park systems it serves.
About SUBWAY® restaurantsHeadquartered in Milford, Connecticut, and with regional offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Brisbane, Miami and Singapore, the SUBWAY® brand was co-founded by Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck in 1965. Their partnership, which continues today, marked the beginning of a remarkable journey—one that has made it possible for thousands of individuals to build and succeed in their own business. In 2012, SUBWAY® Restaurants became the first restaurant to meet the American Heart Association's Heart-Check Meal Certification Program nutritional criteria. For more information about the SUBWAY® chain, visit Find SUBWAY® on Facebook at www.facebook.com/subway and on Twitter at @SUBWAY. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor's Associates Inc.
About Washington State Parks
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages more than 100 state parks and properties totaling approximately 120,000 acres. The Commission provides a variety of recreation opportunities for citizens and provides stewardship protection for a diverse array of natural, cultural and historic resources. State Parks’ statewide programs include long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation.
Follow Washington State Parks:
Share your favorite state park adventure on the State Parks’ blog site at www.AdventureAwaits.com.
Support state parks by purchasing your annual Discover Pass today, and enjoy a whole year of outdoor fun on Washington’s beautiful state-managed recreation lands. For more information, visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.
Media contact:
Sandy Mealing: (360) 902-8559Wash. Telecommunications Relay Service: (800) 833-6388
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