Is Recreation.gov offline?

[Mike Lewis]

In recent days I have tried several times to make reservations in Lassen Volcanic National Park via the Recreation.gov website. I get through the process then see the 15 minute timer has reset to "00:00". Then I get a message that I have no sites reserved. I have tried with four different browsers. I have also tried with their app-- it doesn't like my credit card for some reason though I use it all the time. Has anyone else had problems?

[Mike G]

I used the site 10 days ago and it worked fine, but anything can happen to a website at any time.

[WillyB]

Not sure.. But that website is awful.

I’ve only booked 4 locations so far and I had multiple errors each time.

[YakRV]

Sounds like you’ve been on more recently than us, Mike, but we made reservations at Platte River Campground (Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan) two weeks ago and had no problems.

Generally speaking, other than having to reserve some campgrounds far in advance because of heavy demand (i.e., 12 months ahead for Yellowstone), we’ve had no problems reserving sites on recreation.gov.

[jerryc]

I just reserved a site in a CoE park in Texas a short while ago. Used the Rec.Gov app on my phone. No problem, whatsoever.

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by jerryc

I just reserved a site in a CoE park in Texas a short while ago. Used the Rec.Gov app on my phone. No problem, whatsoever.

So I tried again using the recreation.gov phone app on my iPhone. I tried twice with two different credit cards and it still didn't like my payment method. What the heck!

[UncleTim]

Originally Posted by WillyB

Not sure.. But that website is awful.

I’ve only booked 4 locations so far and I had multiple errors each time.

Webmaster of 30 years here. I could not agree more. Recreation.gov simply put, "SUCKS"!

Really!

I actually think they should just start over.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by UncleTim

Webmaster of 30 years here. I could not agree more. Recreation.gov simply put, "SUCKS"!

Really!

I actually think they should just start over.

They did. That is part of the problem. A different low bidder got the contract a couple of years back and the old company that ran it wouldn't give them the maps or campground descriptions, not that I blame them.

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by YakRV

Sounds like you’ve been on more recently than us, Mike, but we made reservations at Platte River Campground (Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan) two weeks ago and had no problems.

Generally speaking, other than having to reserve some campgrounds far in advance because of heavy demand (i.e., 12 months ahead for Yellowstone), we’ve had no problems reserving sites on recreation.gov.

I'll be at D.H. Day the nights of June 19 & 20, and at Platte River for June 21. When are you going?

[YakRV]

Originally Posted by Mike G

I'll be at D.H. Day the nights of June 19 & 20, and at Platte River for June 21. When are you going?

Hi, Mike. We’ll be at Platte River CG from July 4th through the 7th. Back end of a trip we’re taking up to the Mackinac Island area. Enjoy your stay there, and tell them to keep the lights on for us.

[Mike Lewis]

I'm getting different failures from the website, app, and phone service:

- the website won't keep anything in my cart to check out. "Your cart is empty, make a reservation now." I had just spent several minutes reserving a site and now it's gone.

- the app won't accept payment. I've tried both Apple Pay and entering my credit card directly.

- the phone service won't answer. "Your wait time is less than five minutes". 25 minutes later- nada.

That is my rant for the day.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I just went through reserving a site at Pinnacles Campground, and am at the 'proceed to payment' phase now, i'm canceling out of course. seems to be working fine for me.

[joebuoy]

Web page with Firefox seems to work correctly, but I'm unable to login to the app on my Android phone.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by joebuoy

Web page with Firefox seems to work correctly, but I'm unable to login to the app on my Android phone.

I just installed the Android app on my phone and it let me log in and find and reserve a site. I did not check out, but it sure seems to work.

[Mike Lewis]

I just tried again, this time to make a reservation at Joshua Tree NP for early next February. FWIW I used the Opera browser this time, though this doesn't seem to matter. I went through the process, clicked on "Proceed to Payment", then got a screen that said "You have no reservations!" This is the same error I've been getting using the Firefox browser and Safari. Pfft!

[John in Santa Cruz]

are you blocking cookies ? do you have something like ublock origin active ?

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

are you blocking cookies ? do you have something like ublock origin active ?

I do in the Firefox browser but not in Opera or Safari.

[Mike Lewis]

I shut down the computer. I rebooted it then opened only the Opera browser. I went through the process to reserve a spot and when I clicked on "Proceed to Payment" I got the "Your Cart is Empty!" message I got before. So I guess the Firefox add-ons isn't the problem. I was hoping it was.

[Donna D.]

I get all kinds of weird stuff that happens occasionally. USUALLY if I turn on the VPN and refresh, all that stuff goes away. I know, I know, no one wants to be tracked, but it seems to be a necessary evil with SOME websites. You just have to decide if it's worth it. NordVPN is easy for me to toggle on and off...

[Mike Lewis]

I am not currently running a VPN but I am considering it.


I just tried the recreation.gov app on the iPhone and it wouldn't accept my payment, the same problem I had before with the app.