# NY State Parks Explorer vs exploreCHQ

The clearest difference is rating: exploreCHQ at 5.0 against NY State Parks Explorer's 3.6. NY State Parks Explorer's advantage is ratings volume (13 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

exploreCHQ holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NY State Parks Explorer has 13 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NY State Parks Explorer | exploreCHQ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ny-state-parks-explorer/id1496803341/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explorechq/id1658590686/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 23.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 167 MB | 135 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [New York State Office of Information Technology Services](https://appshunter.io/developer/712337016) | [THE CHAUTAUQUA BIRD TREE AND GARDEN CLUB INC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1658590688) |

## What reviewers say

### NY State Parks Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ny-state-parks-explorer/id1496803341)

Discover over 250 New York State parks, historic sites, and natural attractions. Plan your visits with enhanced trail mapping, essential information, and real-time alerts. Find new adventures, book camping, and explore diverse regions with ease.

**Highlights:** Discover parks and historic sites, Enhanced trail mapping, Park information (hours, fees, directions), Digital Empire Pass integration, Online camping reservations, Real-time alerts and updates, Interactive map with location services

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🗺️ Great map feature for Harriman
- 💡 Informative park information
- 👍 Helpful for planning visits
- ✅ Works well for some users
- 🌟 Good for discovering new places

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes on launch
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Endless loading screen
- 🐛 Unable to access pass
- 🐛 "App is updating" message persists

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes on launch
- App crashes on launch
- App stuck on 'Fetching Latest Data'
- Description gave wrong location and time
- App force closes on notifications page

**Requested features**

- Make maps for Adirondacks
- Add passes to Apple Wallet
- Include DEC parks and campgrounds
- Add a 'check in' feature
- Allow users to submit local suggestions


### exploreCHQ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explorechq/id1658590686)

Discover the natural beauty of the Chautauqua Institution campus with this self-guided touring app. Explore thousands of trees, hundreds of gardens, and the thriving lakeshore habitat alongside its renowned cultural activities.

**Highlights:** Self-guided campus tours, Discover trees and gardens, Explore lakeshore habitat, Information on local flora and fauna, Highlights cultural activities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NY State Parks Explorer free?

NY State Parks Explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is exploreCHQ free?

exploreCHQ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, NY State Parks Explorer or exploreCHQ?

exploreCHQ is rated higher. NY State Parks Explorer averages 3.6 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while exploreCHQ averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do NY State Parks Explorer or exploreCHQ have ads?

Neither NY State Parks Explorer nor exploreCHQ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NY State Parks Explorer or exploreCHQ?

NY State Parks Explorer ships an update every 2 months, and exploreCHQ every 2 months. Most recently, NY State Parks Explorer was updated on October 24, 2026 and exploreCHQ on October 19, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*