Campsite scalping

[calicamper]

Huge bummer...we went backpacking in Sequoia National Park last weekend; tried to get a wilderness permit for inside the park. No staffed ranger station, all permits and camping reservations now through Reservation.gov. Started going through the process of trying to navigate the site and got discouraged. Googled the issue and popped up that people are using paid BOTs/ programs to get reservations for camping/concerts/wilderness etc. I'm at a loss that our public access to public lands has been coopted by private companies and computer hacking. We ended up doing a route through National Forest lands instead.

Yep!!!

 

[Todd780]

Vacation with kids doesn’t work with roll of the dice “we might get a spot” approach. I have two weeks in the summer where kids sports schedule and work make a trip most practical. Its not being gambled on First Come first serve which in my region gets snatched up by available friends and family days ahead of the actual trip. So its not first come first serve its more like who can pay a nanny or college kid to go camping for a few nights and hold a camp spot. ?

Yep, we risked it and went to first come first serve years ago....for weekend trips... near the city... We managed to get spots but, I wouldn't try that now.

Especially hours out of town. Now, we are allowed to book 90 days in advance. So that's what we do. 90 days prior to our trips we are online booking.

Maybe in a year or two when thing open again some of the craziness will die down.

 

[WeLikeCamping]

I hate making reservations, and keep in mind we are talking campgrounds here. I've never had a good experience at a campground. I'll go dispersed until I cannot.

 

[gkieser92]

Yeah, I could see that happening. Families desperate to go out so, bought over priced reservations then someone wants to kick them out...

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Especially when the "enforcer" is a retiree Camp Host or a 19 year old college kid. There's virtually no legit LE presence in most campgrounds and local sheriffs or state police are not going to be excited to devote manpower to campsite reservation enforcement.

 

[Todd780]

Especially when the "enforcer" is a retiree Camp Host or a 19 year old college kid. There's virtually no legit LE presence in most campgrounds and local sheriffs or state police are not going to be excited to devote manpower to campsite reservation enforcement.

Yep. The 'enforcer' will just get the 'I paid more than anyone else to be here' bit....

 

[Regcabguy]

Maybe get more restrictive on reservations. Require names and license plate numbers when the reservation is booked and don't allow changes. If the plate doesn't match but the name does with a good explanation, (car trouble ect.) Allow the ranger on site to use best judgment. If names don't match either, kick them out and ban the account that made the reservations to begin with.

That's what California does. If we couldn't make it due to health or personal problems we couldn't sell them without the people taking our truck. To date they don't ask for ID.

 

[Porkchopexpress]

Especially when the "enforcer" is a retiree Camp Host or a 19 year old college kid. There's virtually no legit LE presence in most campgrounds and local sheriffs or state police are not going to be excited to devote manpower to campsite reservation enforcement.

Maybe the "enforcer" just takes a photo of the violation and advises them that if they don't leave they will be banned for 5 years? If you are the type of person who would refuse to leave when being kicked out, would you even leave when the next reservation shows up? What is to stop some of these "van lifers" from just setting up a semi permanent camp? Police can't even get homeless people off Venice Beach, what's a park ranger going to do?

 

[billiebob]

Been a problem forever. In the 1960s, a camping boom period before reservations were even possible everything was first come, first serve. Redstreak Campground at Raduim Hotsprings had 1oo campers lined up by 10am.

Lake O'Hara, hike in or bus in only takes reservations starting April 1st, They sell out the season in a day.

The guys selling the sites could care less if you are a camper, their job is "Git 'er done" sold out in a day is back slaps all around.

If you open reservations, someone will figure out how to book them all and resell them.

I agree, cancel the reservation system. Make it all first come first served, If you can't handle it, go for a cruise.

 

[billiebob]

Vacation with kids doesn’t work with roll of the dice “we might get a spot” approach. I have two weeks in the summer where kids sports schedule and work make a trip most practical. Its not being gambled on First Come first serve which in my region gets snatched up by available friends and family days ahead of the actual trip. So its not first come first serve its more like who can pay a nanny or college kid to go camping for a few nights and hold a camp spot. ?

****************, I was that kid, not an issue, Be there early or stay home.
ps, if it was first come first served, the idiots booking a late check in would do something else.
We grew up that way, be in the line at 10am, you get a site by noon.

How many guys with nannies go camping lol.

But todays reservation system caters to the guys with money.

 

[calicamper]

****************, I was that kid, not an issue, Be there early or stay home.
ps, if it was first come first served, the idiots booking a late check in would do something else.
We grew up that way, be in the line at 10am, you get a site by noon.

Today in my region you send the neighbors college kid 4 days ahead of your desired arrival with a trunk full of beer as payment to secure a site. If they fail you skip the trip and they got a fun beer bender in the woods for free.

 

[billiebob]

Today in my region you send the neighbors college kid 4 days ahead of your desired arrival with a trunk full of beer as payment to secure a site. If they fail you skip the trip and they got a fun beer bender in the woods for free.

wow, and I thought guns and politics were your real problems.
But I thought the thread topic was robo calls booking all the sites.

 

[calicamper]

wow, and I thought guns and politics were your real problems.
But I thought the thread topic was robo calls booking all the sites.

First come first serve is not the solution ?
Best fix I’ve come across is the old fashion telephone call to a real person at the campground with a reservation book?. Cant game that.

 

[Alloy]

Here in BC Canada they don't want any FCFS sites.
1.) The gov keeps the money when people make a reservation and don't show up.
2.) FCFS sites can't resold by the RV rental companies to the tourist

One of the companies I used to buy RV parts from no longer sell parts because they have 1,500 rental RVs to service. They turn over something like 150 RVs in a day.

 

[Alloy]

First come first serve is not the solution ?
Best fix I’ve come across is the old fashion telephone call to a real person at the campground with a reservation book?. Cant game that.

I refuse to call the reservation number here. Last time I didn't get a reservation......the 3rd person I spoke to knew what they were doing but everything was booked by then.

 

[calicamper]

Maybe the "enforcer" just takes a photo of the violation and advises them that if they don't leave they will be banned for 5 years? If you are the type of person who would refuse to leave when being kicked out, would you even leave when the next reservation shows up? What is to stop some of these "van lifers" from just setting up a semi permanent camp? Police can't even get homeless people off Venice Beach, what's a park ranger going to do?

Tow companies clear illegally parked cars pretty damn fast.