Bots Hijack Federal Park Reservation System, Creating Underground Market

Recreation.gov, which manages campground reservations and permits for national parks across the U.S., faces systematic bot infiltration that defeats its core mission of equitable access to public lands. Automated scripts secure coveted camping spots and permits within seconds of release, creating a secondary resale market. The problem mirrors concert ticketing disruptions from two decades past—a reminder that consolidating scarce resources onto a single digital platform can amplify rather than solve allocation challenges.