There's a report the administration is looking at giving a private developer an easement through about a quarter-mile of Yosemite so they can build a private road to 83 acres they own next to the park. The plan would be a land-for-land swap — park officials would trade equal-value land elsewhere in California — and Interior says no final decisions have been made and any deal would need legal and environmental review. I think that idea walks right over 150 years of precedent that says national parks are supposed to be public trust, not fancy driveways for rich folks who want a glamping cul-de-sac. Naturally my brain immediately goes to valet parking at Half Dome and a $32 trail-mix flight — cuz of course. I do a dumb Teddy Roosevelt ghost test in my head: would he come back and yell "nope"? Spoiler: probably. Also, we busted out the ghost-of-John-Denver bit because if we're gonna protest, might as well have a toe-tapping protest anthem about private roads through sequoias.

Takeaways:

• I'm furious-sorta: the government might let a developer build a private road through Yosemite, trading park land for 'equal value' parcels — and that idea feels totally wrong.
• We joke about luxury glamping and trailhead kombucha bars, but seriously, Yosemite is public trust, not a billionaire's driveway.
• Interior says no final decision yet and any swap would face federal law and environmental review, which could block it.
• I did a goofy bit — the ghost of John Denver protesting private roads — and it's our playful protest anthem.
• We argued the national parks belong to everyone, and giving up Yosemite land would break 150 years of precedent.

Good morning.

Haystack here.

There is a report out that the administration has been looking at a deal to give a private developer access through part of Yosemite National Park.

Now, this idea involves about a quarter mile strip of Yosemite land, possibly just an easement, that would help a developer to build a private road to the 83 acres that it owns next to the park.

Officials are proposing that the Park Service would give up land or interest in land for an easement and return.

In return, they would get land of equal value somewhere in California.

That yet to be determined.

Now, if this deal goes through, the administration will be breaking with 150 years of American precedent at the birthplace of the National Park System.

The federal government has historically strived to expand crown jewel national parks, not give up land within them.

The idea for the national parks started with Yosemite, with Abraham Lincoln's preservation of Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa grove of giant sequoias.

And the Interior Department says no final decisions been made.

And they say no political pressure is involved.

And they say that any deal would have to follow federal law and environmental review.

That's a fair caveat, sure, but emotionally, this is still pretty radioactive.

The national parks are one of the few things that most Americans still mostly agree on.

And Yosemite is not just some empty lot behind Dollar General.

It's Yosemite, it's Half Dome, El Capitan, giant sequoias, family road trips, overpriced gift shop sweatshirts, the idea of standing somewhere beautiful enough to make everybody shut up for just a few seconds.

So when people hear the phrase private developer and rode through Yosemite, they don't think efficient land exchange.

They think, oh great, here comes luxury glamping with a valet and a $32 trail mix flight.

Now, maybe the deal is legal, maybe it's not.

Maybe it dies in review, maybe it goes nowhere.

But it has struck a nerve because national parks feel like public trust, not a shortcut for some rich people's real estate.

The whole land swap idea sounds reasonable at first, but then you go, are we swapping irreplaceable Yosemite land for, I don't know, something in California called parcel be near a vape shop?

Maybe, maybe, maybe so.

But rich people have private jets and private islands and private schools.

Can they not just leave the public rocks alone?

Every national park deal, I think, should have one simple test.

Would Teddy Roosevelt come back as a ghost and yell, actually, now that I think about it, maybe another ghost should come back and release an album to raise awareness and funds to protect the national parks.

For generations, America's parks have belonged to all of us.

The mountains, the rivers, the trees.

But now, as private developers look at public land and whisper, that would make a great driveway.

One voice returns from beyond the great campfire in the sky, introducing the ghost of John Denver's greatest hits, Private Road.

In the grove in Yosemite.

They don't belong.

National parks don't give up land to these roads.

Private Road.

And the ballot with concerns about luxury zoning, sunshine.

On their easements makes me angry.

Plus you'll get another toe tapping instant protest classic.

Well, the guy from private jets and the guy from private islands and I think we should all get together and fight them.

Seems obvious the park service should deny them.

We don't want no other boys, no, no.

Order the ghost of John Denver's greatest hits today and help protect the parks from becoming luxury glamping cul de sacs with trailhead kombucha bars.

This album is not available in stores because technically neither is a quarter mile of Yosemite.

Get back on in jet plane.

We don't want you coming back again.

Please hurry up and go.

The ghost of John Denver's greatest hits Public Land Privateers acoustic guitars Sam.