With hopes of bringing an end to the scalping of campsites, Yosemite National Park officials will require that visitors show some identification to claim their campsites, and won't allow reservations to be transferred to anyone else.
Campsite scalping has been a growing problem in Yosemite in recent years, with reserved sites being offered for sale on Craigslist. The other day park officials announced three changes to bring this practice to a halt:
* All visitors checking into a campsite will have to show identification upon arrival at the Campground Reservation Office. Currently, campers do not need to present any form of identification to secure their reserved campsite. However, this new identification policy is being implemented to ensure that the person who arrives at the campground office is the same person who made the campground reservation.
* Campground reservation holders will no longer be able to change the name of the person on the campground reservation. Previously, the original name on the reservation could be changed online on the reservation contractor's website. This would not change any components of the existing reservation. However, this change precludes the ability to change the name on a reservation once the reservation is made. There is a $10 cancellation fee for any reservation that is cancelled. Further, the same reservation under a different name is not guaranteed.
* The final change to the campground reservation system will be implemented later this summer. This alteration will change the way in which cancelled reservations are released back into the system. Currently, once a reservation is cancelled, the campsite is put back online to be purchased. However, under the newly implemented system, the campsites that become available can only be reserved by calling the campground reservation phone number. There is no date available for this change.
All campsites reserved in Yosemite National Park are reserved through a contractor, Active Works. The website is www.recreation.gov . They can also be reached at 1-877-444-6777. The park is implementing these changes to ensure equity and fairness for visitors wishing to make a campsite reservation within Yosemite National Park.
Comments
And here we are in 2020 and this is still going on. There is no way it isnt, the venue just moved elsewhere than craigalist.
We received a Confirmation (#1324ML) for a reservation at Yosemite Valley Lodge for July 1, 2020 at a nightly rate of $314.45, plus a 10% required reservation fee of $31.45 to a company called National Park Reservations.
On June 26, 2020 we received a pre-recorded voice message from Yosemite Hospitality advising us that our July 1st reservation was canceled due to a required Covid 19 lodge room sanitation / cleaning. We were further advised that we would receive a refund of our deposit. We did not, however, receive a refund of $31.45, from National Park Resevations who informed us that this fee was non-refundable. We filed a verbal complant with the National Park Reservations at 1-866-875-8456 and was advised that they would not refund said fee because of the Yosemite Hospitality cancelation.
We consider the non-refundable action of National Park Reservations to be unfair and a very bad example of sound business pratice especially during this pademic. Furthermore, we respectfully request that that the National Parks Management, its supports and the National Parks Conservation Association (that we help support) examine said unfair business pratices.
Mr. Maren,
I'm afraid National Park Reservations is a private, for-profit company that neither the National Park Service nor NPCA have any sway over. Unfortunately, they do note on their website that the 10 percent add-on fee is non-refundable. Next time you make a lodging reservation in a park, you might try to reserve directly through the specific park concessionaire, as they often will refund your fee in full if canceled within three days of arrival.
There must be another option to transfer reservations to a friend, relative or a coworker.
I have resrved 3 days and I cannot go because my son has a summer class that willl not allow us to camp. I would love to transfer it to a friend or relative.
Please, come up with a way to transfer reservations witht these criterias.
Thank you,