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Yosemite National Park land exchange proposal

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-31 20:03 UTC → 2026-09-03 02:53 UTC · added removed

The Trump administration is negotiating a land exchange involving a portion of Yosemite National Park and Kingsbarn Realty Capital, a Nevada-based real estate firm. The proposal would grant the company a roughly quarter-mile strip of land or an easement to construct a private access road. This road would connect an 83-acre undeveloped parcel owned by the firm to a major thoroughfare inside the park, providing direct access to ancient sequoia groves. In exchange, the federal government would receive land of equal value elsewhere in California. The Department of the Interior has confirmed that negotiations have taken place but maintains that no final decision has been reached and that all federal laws and environmental reviews must be followed. The proposal has faced significant opposition from environmental advocates, former park officials, and California lawmakers. Critics have characterized the move as an “illegal attack on public lands,” noting that previous administrations rejected similar proposals for this specific property. Senator Alex Padilla argued that national parks should not be subject to political connections, asserting that projects must be selected based on merit. Recently, a coalition of 61 California lawmakers urged Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to reject the plan. The lawmakers are specifically opposing the acquisition of 1.1 acres of federal land to facilitate a road less than half a mile long for the firm’s Hazel Green property. Lanny J. Davis, the attorney representing Kingsbarn, defended the proposal, stating the access road would improve safety and reduce vehicle emissions by preventing drivers from using longer, unpaved forest roads.

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  1. 2026-09-03 02:53 UTC Yosemite National Park land exchange proposal
  2. 2026-08-31 20:03 UTC Yosemite National Park land exchange proposal

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