Trump administration weighs Yosemite land swap with private developer

The Trump administration is considering a land swap that could exchange a small piece of Yosemite National Park, or an interest in it, to a private developer seeking a new access road, the Interior Department and the company’s lawyer confirmed.

The National Park Service has been in discussions with Nevada-based Kingsbarn Realty Capital about a land swap so that the developer can build an access road that’s “under a mile” to connect to Yosemite’s entrance, Lanny Davis, an attorney for Kingsbarn, said in a statement.

Kingsbarn owns an 83-acre parcel historically known as Hazel Green Ranch near Yosemite’s western boundary. As part of the deal, Kingsbarn would purchase land of equal value elsewhere in California and hand it over to the park service, according to documents obtained by NOTUS, which first reported the move.

A spokesperson for the Interior Department said in a statement that no final decision has been made.

“Any land exchange or access proposal involving National Park Service lands would be subject to all applicable federal laws, regulations and Departmental policies, including required environmental review and public notification processes,” the spokesperson said.

They added that if a proposal advances, the department will “follow established procedures” to ensure there’s transparency and public involvement “consistent with federal law.”

Davis said the shorter access route would reduce driving and vehicle emissions, framing the proposal as environmentally beneficial.

The Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy group, rebuked the plan, calling it a “corrupt back-room deal” that would break with a longstanding commitment to “protect Yosemite for the public good” by handing over national park land to a developer.

The National Parks Conservation Association said the proposal “attempts to dismantle America’s conservation legacy.”

“This is an attack on the American people that own this national park,” the group said in a statement. “It would also be unlawful, and a court previously rejected a road development proposal.”

The property’s former owner previously went to court seeking easement rights over roads leading toward Yosemite. A federal appeals court in 2012 affirmed dismissal of those claims.

Land exchanges are common elsewhere in the federal government, but exchanging National Park Service land for private development access is unusual, NOTUS reported, citing a former park service official. The Trump administration’s legal justification for the exchange remains unclear.

Jeff Pori, the CEO of Kingsbarn, made regular, mostly small-dollar donations to President Donald Trump’s campaign committee between 2024 and 2025 and, according to NOTUS, has no history of donating to national political campaigns before October 2024.

CNBC has found no evidence that Pori’s political contributions influenced the administration’s consideration of the proposal.