Scalpers Flip Yosemite Camp Sites

Tuesday, 19 April 2011 | by Pat's Picks

When tickets to see your favorite band sell out, scalpers offer another glimmer of hope. So it makes sense that when your favorite camping site is booked, scalpers might sniff an opportunity. Camping permits at Yosemite are so in demand, says the Sacramento Bee, that scalpers are reselling the $20 reservations for as much as $150 on Craigslist. Also a hot commodity? Hiking permits for the park’s Half Dome, which are basically free (there’s a $1.50 handling fee) when issued by the Park Service. The problem is so rampant that the Park Service is taking steps to shut down the scalpers. According to the Bee, “park officials are reluctant to provide details of their investigation into reservation-flipping but say they are aggressively trying to identify perpetrators.” Luckily, they have some help. The Bee says reselling National Park Space rubs more than a few people the wrong way, and has led to a very vocal “anti-scalping brigade” that trawls Craigslist for offenders.