The ripoff is the reservation fee. If you need money for the state, just charge more for the campsite, that doesn't bother me. Making me pay to make a reservation for what is essentially a walk up site is frustrating for the camper, just build that fee into the camping fee.
I guess the other way of looking at the reservation fee is kinda like the $1 toll on the bridges over to Santa Rosa Island at Pensacola, FL. It keeps a surprising amount of the rif-raf off the island, who don't want to pay a buck to come over and make trouble or trash the place. The reservation fee kinda assures the state that you REALLY want to come and stay at that park. But for a walkup it still stinks.
I work for an airline, and customers hate the fees for baggage, but in our situation, the market is competitive and you gotta make it look cheap to the consumer. In the camping business its different, just charge what you gotta charge and get it over with, don't nickel and dime me.
I'm not complaining about the park fees, we have virtually the same thing here in Georgia. I bought a park pass (senior version) for $35 and got a night free (they punch the pass when you use it). The site was $32, so for three dollars, I get a "pass" into every Georgia state park for free until next August.
Charles
