Data Sources & Methodology

Primary sources first

Depending on the page, our preferred sources include the National Park Service, Recreation.gov, other responsible public agencies, official campground operators and manufacturers. We link readers back to the responsible source whenever a current rule, alert, fee or reservation detail can change a trip.

What we may calculate

Tools can transform reader inputs or source fields into estimates, rankings and comparisons. We publish the assumptions that affect the result. A calculation is not presented as a live fact when its inputs are estimates.

Freshness and timestamps

Time-sensitive information should include the time or date it was checked. An API timestamp shows when data was retrieved; conditions may have changed since. Always confirm high-impact details before travel.

Quality controls

• Source links and access dates for material claims.
• Units normalized without changing the underlying meaning.
• Missing values shown as unknown, not guessed.
• Human review before publication.
• Scheduled rechecks for pages with volatile information.

How we use software and AI

Software and AI tools may assist us in collecting and organizing source material, comparing source fields, drafting working copy and flagging changes between rechecks. They do not replace human source verification: a named reviewer checks material claims against the responsible official source, and calculations are published with their inputs and assumptions so they can be reproduced. No page is published solely because an automated system produced it. See the Editorial Team page for who is accountable.

Known limits

Coverage may be incomplete, reservation inventory changes quickly and field definitions vary between providers. Ticheka does not replace official emergency, weather, road or safety instructions.

Source hierarchy

For anything that governs access—length limits, hookups, fees, opening dates, permits, road restrictions—the managing agency page for that specific site is the primary record. The reservation platform is used for booking mechanics and window lengths. Manufacturer documentation is used only for equipment specifications, and is labeled as such because it describes a new unit under ideal conditions.

How we handle conflicting records

Agencies sometimes publish different figures in different places, usually because one page was updated and another was not. When that happens we publish the more conservative figure, name both sources, and note the discrepancy. Planning around the smaller number costs nothing; planning around the larger one can cost you the site.

How calculations work

Calculators on this site show their inputs and their assumptions. Fuel estimates depend on the consumption figure you enter, not on an industry average we chose for you. Cost estimates exclude taxes and local surcharges unless stated. Results are planning ranges, not quotes.

What we archive

We keep the source link and the date we checked it. We do not mirror agency content, and we do not present a cached copy as current. If an official page moves, we relink rather than quoting from memory.