Privacy Policy
Last updated: July 2026
Park Finder (“the Site”) is a free, unofficial tool for exploring state parks. This policy explains what information the Site handles. It is provided for transparency and is not legal advice.
Information we collect
The Site has no user accounts and runs entirely in your browser. We do not operate a server that stores your personal data. Specifically:
- Location you enter or share. If you type a city/ZIP or use “current
location,” that location is used to sort parks by distance. It is stored only in your
own browser (via
localStorage) so the Site remembers it on your next visit. You can clear it at any time by clearing the location field or your browser storage. - Geocoding queries. To turn a place name into coordinates, your search text is sent to Nominatim (OpenStreetMap). Their use is governed by their own privacy policy.
- Map tiles. The map loads tiles from OpenFreeMap and OpenStreetMap, which may receive your IP address as part of normal web requests.
Cookies and analytics
The Site uses local browser storage for your saved location and offline caching, and does not set advertising cookies.
We use Cloudflare Web Analytics to count page views and see which pages are useful. It is privacy-first: it sets no cookies, uses no client-side state or fingerprinting to identify you, and does not track you across other sites. We see aggregate figures only — never an individual visitor's browsing history.
Cloudflare, which serves and protects the Site, may set a strictly necessary security
cookie (such as cf_clearance or __cf_bm) when it needs to check that
a request is not automated. Those are set by the security layer rather than by us, are used
only to distinguish real visitors from bots, and carry no advertising or cross-site tracking
function. Because they are strictly necessary to deliver the Site, they do not require a
consent banner.
If we add advertising or any tracking that does use cookies in the future, this policy will be updated and, where required by law, you will be asked for consent before any non-essential cookies or tracking are used.
Advertising and affiliate links (future)
We may add display advertising and affiliate links to support the Site. If we do:
- Advertising partners may use cookies or similar technologies to serve and measure ads. Where required (e.g. in the EEA/UK), a consent banner will let you accept or reject personalized advertising.
- Some outbound links may be affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. See our disclosures.
Voluntary support (tip jar)
The Site may link out to a third-party tip-jar page (Ko-fi) if you choose to support it. That link is a plain outbound link — no third-party script, widget, or cookie is loaded on this Site, so simply visiting or ignoring it collects nothing. If you follow the link and contribute, everything after that happens on the third party’s own site under their privacy policy and their payment provider’s: they handle your payment details, and we never receive or store them. We may see the name or message you choose to make public alongside a contribution, and nothing more. See our terms.
Children’s privacy
The Site is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Your choices
- You can use the Site without entering or sharing a location.
- You can clear your saved location and cached data through your browser settings.
- You can decline location access when your browser prompts you.
Changes
We may update this policy as the Site evolves. Material changes will be reflected in the “Last updated” date above.
Contact
Have questions about this policy? A contact address will be published here before the Site’s public launch.
Park Finder is an independent, unofficial project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any state parks agency.