This topic has probably been discussed before. I'm new and would like to see if anyone else out there is seeing the same thing as I am, or am I nuts.

I have pretty much given up trying to stay in any of our state parks. The reservation system seems to demand that you get up early, a specifiied number of weeks ahead of your planned trip and wait on the phone line. Maybe, you'll get lucky.

I have even read that some reservers claim multiple spots although they have no immediate plan for those spots. In this case they were offering them to anyone who would pay for them at another web site. Is scalping campground reservations illegal?

If you are to show up at a campground the park almost always has a "campground full" sign. If you look around there are multiple empty spots and they stay that way for days. Just last week I counted 14 empthy sites at the Half Moon Bay State Park. The "Campground Full" sign was out. Shurely they couldn't all be motorhomes off wandering around the country until nightfall.

Here's what I think might be happening. Lots of spots are being reserved and not used. For what ever reason these spots are being paid for but no one shows up. They are so cheap that many times the reservist neglects canceling when they detirmine that they are not going to go on the trip.

I feel that this is a serious problem that needs attention. Anybody else have an opinion or observation?

You're right on all counts. We live not too far from Bolsa Chica SB and would love to go down there, but according to the website, the next available space on a weekend is in November. But whenever we go there just to use the beach, there are plenty of empty sites.

If you want to get a beach site during the summer, better start looking ahead to '08.

Wow. I read your comment and thought... "Naw, that couldn't be happening, could it?"

A couple minutes later, I found three postings on eBay for Yosemite campsites available in August. The "Buy It Now" price for four nights was $169 or $250, depending on which week you wanted. These were all offered by the same "seller" who stated "Once the site is purchased, the information will be changed (by me, using the on-line registration forum [sic] ) to reflect your name and personal information as the new holder of the site."

These sites only cost $20 a day when reserved through Recreation.gov. According to the good-hearted seller, "I've done all the work already and the site is paid for. You are paying me for all my time and stress to get this great location. You just click and GO HAVE FUN!!" [My emphasis added]

Give me a break.

If this isn't illegal, it should be.

Disgusting...

Hear are some ebay listings.....

Michigan

Yosemiti

Sing4mi,

Are you the one who made the comment about the balls of the seller for the Yosemite site, if so, OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This should be against the law. To bad there's not a way to string the seller out long enough for them to have to eat it. Seems like there should be somewhere this could be reported to.

Just my opinion,

I'm not aware of a coment relating to "balls", However I think a lot of this is going on wether the camsite reservations are sold, traded or whatever. Something is resulting in a lot of sites going unused.

Go to the link you left and look at questions for the seller. It's excellent!!!

Rodman

Think about this too.

At $15-20 per site, it's not unimaginable that some one could buy one site and the 2 neighboring sites and have a CA beach site with no neighbors for $45 !

If you're not cheating, you're not trying....

[quote name='KRVer' date='Jun 26 2007, 08:17 PM' post='7450']
[quote name='sing4mi' post='7444' date='Jun 26 2007, 11:39 AM']

These were all offered by the same "seller" who stated "Once the site is purchased, the information will be changed (by me, using the on-line registration forum [sic] ) to reflect your name and personal information as the new holder of the site."

[/quote]

Didn't know that was possible. I haven't seen the ability to change the names on reservations. That might be a scam as well. You buy "your" site for $200 and show up in Yosemite and guess what? Your name ain't on the reservation and good luck getting your money back.

I believe there is a "Transfer/Cancel" reservations option. I've actually written to ReserveAmerica to see if they have anything to say about this.

I'll keep you posted...

FWIW, got an answer from Recreation.gov -- they wrote:

"We are aware of customers "reselling" their reservations and we have reported to the head of the NPS and thank you for bringing it to our attention."

Whether or not anything will be done about this has yet to be seen.

Nice job.