The Trump administration is reviewing a proposal to swap a small piece of Yosemite National Park for a private access road. Nevada-based Kingsbarn Realty Capital wants to build a road under a mile long to connect its 83-acre Hazel Green Ranch to Yosemite’s entrance. In exchange, the developer would transfer land of equal value elsewhere in California to the park service, according to documents obtained by NOTUS.
Interior Department officials say no decision has been made and any deal would require federal reviews, environmental assessments, and public input. Kingsbarn’s lawyer argues the shorter route would cut driving time and emissions, calling it an environmental win. Conservation groups strongly oppose the plan, calling it an illegal land grab that violates the park’s protected status.
The proposal follows a 2012 federal appeals court ruling that blocked a similar effort by the ranch’s former owner to secure road access. Kingsbarn’s CEO donated to Donald Trump’s campaign in 2024 and 2025, but CNBC found no evidence linking the gifts to the administration’s consideration of the deal.
