People tend to think of outdoor activities as a time to get back to nature-no computers, no electricity, no cell phones. But these days, a few high-tech gadgets can help make your time “roughing it” go a little more smoothly.

A major breakthrough in this department is that gadget of gadgets, the iPhone. With the right data plan, any modern smart phone can be turned into a GPS unit, which can be an invaluable tool when out camping or hiking. But the iPhone (and, to a growing extent, iPhone clones) opens up a world of outdoorsy apps to tempt even the most technophobic.

Enjoy hiking? Download the “Trails” app, which uses the iPhone’s GPS capabilities to not only tell you where you are and show you which trails lead from your starting point, but also plot your entire hike as you hike it, telling you afterward how far you went and to what elevation you ascended. Or, check out “Knot Time” if you’re one of those people who can never remember if the rabbit goes over or under the tree in a bowline. Other apps can tell you what kind of creature made those pawprints on the trail or whether that mushroom you spotted is poisonous. It’s like having 20 field guides in one handheld device. (Just make sure to download these apps before you lose your signal.)

Are you more into surfing? There are a host of apps that offer up-to-the-second surf reports. Boating? Different apps are out there to let you know about river conditions for kayaking or sea conditions for sailing. Just love to stroll through those warm summer nights gazing at the stars? Yep, you guessed it, there are astronomy apps galore.

Of course, the problem with all this handy high-tech gadgetry is that it tends to drain your smart phone’s battery drier than the Sahara in a few hours. Fortunately, solar-panel technology has kept up with the times. Once reserved for massive, roof-mounted rectangles, solar panels today can be as small as a child’s outspread hand and lightweight enough to hook onto the top of a backpack to charge as you hike. True, you’re not going to get enough juice out of one of these to start up that Yellowstone National Disco you’ve always dreamed of, but after a few hours of direct sunlight, you should at least be able to make an emergency phone call if you need to.

If you’re camping instead of backpacking (and therefore don’t need to haul all your stuff on your back), your solar-powered options are even greater. Solar-powered water bags that can be used to provide hot showers are inexpensive and easy to use (so long as you have a tree branch to hang them from). Solar-powered radios are a great way to stay informed-and many of them include a jack for plugging in cell phones or traditional electronics, so you can power them off the radio’s stored electricity. That’s right, in our modern era, you can enjoy your time getting back to nature-without losing touch with the world!