They aren't called Beltway Bandits for nothing, and Booz-Allen is one of the top firms in that arena. Their bread and butter is milking federal contracts for every penny they can.

Delaware north is another one of these corrupt companies milking taxpayers. They’re not as bad I don’t think but still…

I do. If public funds used to acquire public land aren't enough to make it accessible to the public, that's fine. Just seal it off and cart anyone on it off to jail. It shouldn't be a playground for the rich, partially funded by the taxpayer.

I think we're a long way from that right now.

There are literally millions of places you can camp and recreated for free on public lands in the United States. When the fees do exist, they're for particularly popular areas (National Parks) or cost-intensive uses (campgrounds where you can plug in your RV or take a hot shower).

Campground fees of between $5-30/night are hardly making public lands a "playground for the rich." Same for the $80 (cheaper for seniors, and free for the disabled or veterans) annual pass that'll get you and your family into every National Park into the country, as well as any other federally managed public lands that charge an entry fee.

There are certainly important issues[1] about equity in access to public lands, but we're pretty far from your "plaground for the rich" scenario.

[1] https://www.tpl.org/our-mission/equity

You're talking about national parks, I'm concerned about Army Corps of Engineering areas designated for recreation. There is no way to guarantee access at this point. You have to buy the pass from recreation.gov, then show up, then find out the park is 'full'. I have no idea what this means, there are no published limits, and I am still a valid pass holder.

The website is basically a scam because you can't enter if you don't have a pass. But buying a pass doesn't guarantee access. I can't make a reservation either, I have to get there in line (after buying the pass online) and hope I can get early enough before the park is 'full'. This basically means the park is off limits.

Yep I just skip the campgrounds, and drive up some gravel roads until I find a good spot. Most of the time nobody else is around. The campsites are bigger, and you're way more out in the wilderness. You don't really even have to go that far most of the time... Hell I have found amazing isolated campsites only a few miles off I-90 just outside Seattle.

The nice thing about fees is that if the website doesn't work, then Booz Allen doesn't make any money. I know one local campsite that doesn't use recreation.gov; you have to call them to make a reservation. Often nobody picks up the phone. Another one you have to email them, and they might get back to you weeks later. Please, let Booz Allen have my $6 fee, in return for actually running a reservation service.

Agreed. In particular the fees paid to Booz Allen should be disclosed.

Looking back earlier this year I paid $40 for two cave tours of a national park through the site. There are no listed fees. It is a reasonable price for the tour and the site was pretty easy to use, but now I am curious what the cut is for the park. Definitely am not against a private company getting paid to manage reservations but seems reasonable that the info is disclosed.