What is the key difference between Recreation Gov and Geonames?

Recreation Gov belongs to the Databases category with cloud HTTP/SSE execution, while Geonames belongs to the Databases category with cloud HTTP/SSE execution.

How do I install Recreation Gov or Geonames in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Recreation Gov and Geonames free or paid?

Recreation Gov operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Geonames operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Recreation Gov lists 4 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars. Geonames lists 4 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Recreation Gov and Geonames together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Recreation Gov vs Geonames

In-depth architectural comparison of the Recreation Gov and Geonames MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Recreation Gov

Databases · Remote HTTP/SSE

Quality: 51/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Geonames

Databases · Remote HTTP/SSE

Quality: 49/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Recreation Gov if you need specialized Databases tools running via a hosted cloud SSE transport. Choose Geonames if your workspace requires Databases integration with remote web transport. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Recreation Gov when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Databases domain.
You prefer remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: search_facilities, get_facility, search_recareas.

Explore Recreation Gov Details

Choose Geonames when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Databases domain.
You prefer remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: search_geonames, get_nearby, get_timezone.

Explore Geonames Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	R Recreation Gov Databases	G Geonames Databases
Summary	Recreation.gov MCP — wraps the Recreation Information Database (RIDB) API v1	GeoNames MCP — GeoNames geographical database API
Category & Scope	Databases	Databases
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Recreation Gov Tools (4)

search_facilities

Search US federal recreation facilities — campgrounds, day-use areas, visitor centers, trailheads — on Recreation.gov. Filter by name/keyword, state, activity (e.g. "camping", "hiking"), or geographic radius. Returns facility IDs, names, types, phone/email, and coordinates. Example: search_faciliti…

get_facility

Get full details for a single Recreation.gov facility (e.g. a campground) by its FacilityID. Returns description, directions, ADA access, phone/email, keywords, and coordinates. Example: get_facility({ facility_id: "232447" })

search_recareas

Search US federal recreation areas — the parent regions (national parks, national forests, BLM/USACE lands) that contain campgrounds and facilities — on Recreation.gov. Filter by name/keyword or state. Returns RecArea IDs, names, descriptions, phone, and coordinates. Example: search_recareas({ quer…

list_campsites

List the individual campsites within a Recreation.gov facility (campground) by FacilityID. Returns campsite IDs, names, type (e.g. "TENT ONLY", "RV"), loop, reservability, and type of use. Example: list_campsites({ facility_id: "232447" })

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Recreation Gov Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "recreation-gov": {
      "url": "https://pipeworx.io"
    }
  }
}

Geonames Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "geonames": {
      "url": "https://pipeworx.io"
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Recreation Gov is categorized under Databases and uses a remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport. In contrast, Geonames belongs to Databases using remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport. Select Recreation Gov when you need capabilities focused on databases and Geonames when you require tools for databases.

More alternatives to Recreation Gov More alternatives to Geonames Databases category hub Canonical compare URL