Yosemite Land Swap Proposal Draws Criticism

The Trump administration is pursuing an unprecedented proposal to transfer a small parcel of land within Yosemite National Park to a private developer, a move that has sparked criticism from conservationists and former park officials. The plan, first reported by NOTUS, involves the National Park Service potentially ceding a roughly quarter-mile strip of parkland to Kingsbarn Realty Capital, a Nevada-based real estate investment company. In exchange, the federal government would receive land of equivalent value elsewhere in California.

Kingsbarn owns an 83-acre undeveloped property adjacent to the park's western boundary. The company seeks to build a private road connecting its land to a main road inside Yosemite, which would provide direct access toward the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias and Yosemite Valley. Currently, the trip from the property to the valley requires a winding drive of approximately 90 minutes. The proposed road would dramatically shorten this journey and could significantly increase the commercial value of the private land, which could potentially be developed into a hotel, resort, or private residence.

According to sources familiar with the discussions, the...