What is the Agents of Discovery App?

Kristie Ehrhardt • June 23, 2021

The Agents of Discovery application is a free downloadable app that gives users a fun and interactive way to explore the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument! It was developed as an interactive tool to encourage the public, kids and adults, to explore natural areas around them. There are over 70 missions available to play within California alone, including three located within the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument boundaries! The application uses augmented virtual reality in combination with an educational gaming platform that encourages kids and adults to discover nature through completing “missions” using the environment around you. You can download the app on almost any mobile device and once it is, you don’t need to have cell service or Wi-Fi to be able to use it.


The three missions in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument include Cowboy Camp, Cache Creek Natural Area and the Upper Lake Ranger Station. Users of the app assume the role of a secret agent on a mission while picking up clues and solving mysteries using the natural world around them. But, please remember to stay on the trail and always be aware of your surroundings, especially while you’re using the app. And, if you’re stuck indoors, there are other missions available that you can play and explore from home.


Your agent will guide you through each mission and to find a challenge, follow the arrows on your screen. The challenge markers will change color as your get closer to them. If you need help, your agent will be able to give you clues. Prizes are awarded as the secret agents complete the educational missions. The app uses technology, something that a lot of people are comfortable with; to inspire them to explore nature, something that they may not be as comfortable with. There are missions that help you explore and learn, missions that teach about fire safety and missions that teach about conservation. Even celebrities like Betty White and Al Roker promote fire safety by tweeting about the Smokey the Bear Mission. The Agents of Discovery website also lists missions all over the word including others in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, India, Australia and the Cook Islands.


To learn more about the application itself, please visit the Agents of Discovery website, and to learn more about using the app within the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, click here.


If you have questions about Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument that you would like us to address, please email them to Nate Lillge (nlillge@tuleyome.org) or Kristie Ehrhardt (kehrhardt@tuleyome.org). More information can be found at www.BerryessaSnowMountain.org.

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