President Donald Trump and his administration are reportedly pressing federal officials to advance an unprecedented land exchange that could place part of Yosemite National Park under the control of private developers.
NOTUS reporter Anna Kramer detailed the proposed deal Friday, describing mounting tensions over the unusual arrangement and the pressure being placed on National Park Service officials.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and his department are reportedly supporting the plan and urging the National Park Service to move more quickly on it.
The effort comes after Burgum said during his confirmation hearing last year that the federal government must “support and protect every single inch” of the country’s national parks.
A former National Park Service official described the proposal as an “unusual case” and said the level of secrecy surrounding the possible exchange was unprecedented.
“They want us to be responsive to the property owner and their lobbyists or people, and they want us to work with these folks,” one person familiar with the matter told NOTUS.
The outlet also reviewed agency documents connected to the proposed deal.
Another person familiar with the negotiations said the pressure surrounding the project was far outside the norm.
“The political pressure being brought to bear is very unusual,” the person said.
The plan has reportedly been under consideration for more than a year. It could involve transferring a quarter-mile strip of Yosemite National Park to a company operated by Kingsbarn Realty Capital.
The company reportedly purchased 83 acres near Yosemite in 2024. The proposed land exchange would allow the developer to construct a road running directly from that property to the national park’s famous ancient sequoia groves.
National Park Service employees in both California and Washington, D.C., are reportedly working on the proposal.
Under the possible arrangement, the federal government could receive land elsewhere in California that is equal in value to the Yosemite property transferred to the developer.
The report did not indicate that the proposed exchange has received final approval.
A National Park Service spokesperson said the agency has not made any final decisions about the project and stressed that any action would be required to comply with applicable laws.
“If a proposal advances, the Department would follow established procedures to ensure appropriate coordination, transparency, and public involvement, consistent with federal law,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The reported push has drawn attention because of both the rare nature of the proposal and the involvement of senior Interior Department officials.
While the administration is reportedly urging the National Park Service to move faster, the agency’s statement emphasized that the project remains under consideration. Any proposal that advances would still have to proceed through established federal procedures, including requirements related to transparency, coordination and public participation.
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