A new smart phone app will help outdoor enthusiasts find recreational opportunities across the region. The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, or SEMCOG, has launched a new mobile app to help residents in their seven-county region find parks, playgrounds, ball fields, hiking trails, beaches, and all-other-things outdoors. The Southeast Michigan ParkFinder App enables users to search from over 2,600 parks in Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St.Clair, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties.

While compiling data for park planning, members SEMCOG saw the potential in creating an app for residents who want to get out and use a park but don’t know where they are. Users can select from among 50 search options like size, type, and location, and then see all of the available amenities at each park. Links to the park’s websites and directions through Google Maps are also available. The app is free and can be found by searching “Southeast Michigan ParkFinder” in the Apple App Store of Google Play Store.(MK)