lily70•24d ago

That $30 'hike and camp' booking site left me stranded near Sedona

I booked a supposed budget campsite through one of those discount last-minute apps, and when I got there the coordinates led to a washed-out dirt road with no signs... no water, no fire ring, nothing. I ended up paying $60 for a motel in town because it was getting dark. Has anyone else had a booking site totally fail on the location details like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliot_patel24d agoMost Upvoted

Did you check if that site actually verifies the locations or just scrapes data from somewhere? I read an article about how these apps use old map data that never gets updated.

nora_park23d ago

OH MAN, you just reminded me of this time I tried to find a "hidden gem" hiking trail using one of those apps. The directions took me to what used to be a trailhead... like, ten years ago. Now it's just someone's gated driveway with a big "NO TRESPASSING" sign. I sat there for twenty minutes trying to figure out if I was in the right spot, checking the coordinates over and over. The app still shows that trail as active too, probably never gets updated. Makes you wonder how many motels and gas stations are listed on those sites that just don't exist anymore or moved miles away.

rubysingh23d ago

SIXTY BUCKS for a motel because their coordinates were off? That's CRAZY. I can't believe they'd just send people to a washed out road like that with zero warning.