Developer Kingsbarn in talks with US Park Service over 700-foot Yosemite land transfer

September 4, 2026 at 12:00 PM2 min

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Kingsbarn Realty Capital is negotiating with the National Park Service to acquire about 700 feet of Yosemite National Park land to build a road to its 83-acre Hazel Green Ranch. The Department of Interior said no final decision has been made and any proposal would undergo environmental review and public notification. The talks come as Yosemite battles wildfires that have shut Highway 140.

Key Facts

Kingsbarn Realty Capital owns an 83-acre parcel called Hazel Green Ranch along the western edge of Yosemite National Park.
The developer has been in discussions with the National Park Service for nearly a year to gain access from the property to Big Oak Flat Road, a few hundred feet away.
The Department of Interior said there has been 'no political pressure to reach a predetermined outcome' and that 'no final decisions have been made.'
Yosemite National Park is battling wildfires that have shut down Highway 140.
The Grand Canyon saw floods in the past week that damaged nearly 40% of its sole water pipeline and sparked search and rescue missions.

The Proposed Land Transfer

Kingsbarn Realty Capital is negotiating with the National Park Service to acquire about 700 feet of Yosemite National Park land. The developer wants the land to build a road connecting its 83-acre Hazel Green Ranch to Big Oak Flat Road, bypassing 11 miles of forestry roads through Stanislaus National Forest. Hazel Green Ranch served as a stagecoach route into Yosemite from the late 1800s into the early twentieth century. The Department of Interior said any land exchange would be subject to federal laws, environmental review, and public notification processes.

National Parks Under Pressure

Yosemite National Park is battling wildfires that have forced the closure of Highway 140. The Grand Canyon experienced floods in the past week that damaged nearly 40% of its sole water pipeline and triggered search and rescue missions. The Grand Canyon also saw wildfires on its northern edge in 2025, making the floods the second natural disaster to hit the park in the past year.