Trump administration grant funds major repairs at Yosemite National Park

Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are undergoing major facility upgrades with the help of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants.

The Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, established in 2020 following President Donald Trump’s signing of the Great American Outdoors Act, provides $6.5 billion for national parks across the country over five years to address deferred maintenance and facility improvements.

As the grant’s fifth fiscal year comes to a close, Yosemite National Park was allocated a total of nearly $447 million in grants, making it the second-largest beneficiary after Yellowstone National Park. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks received $108 million in funds, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Some of the projects that received funding first have been completed or are nearing completion, such as the water system restoration project at Bridalveil Creek Campground in Yosemite, and the repair of the road to Glacier Point. Meanwhile, several projects have recently been added to the park’s list, including the $239 million replacement of the El Portal Wastewater Treatment Plant, which just began the procurement process this summer.

Noah Lumsden, construction program analyst at the National Park Service, said the primary criteria for project selection are addressing deferred maintenance and finishing existing constructions. Other top considerations include funding availability, project feasibility, ADA compliance, and high-use facilities to maximize the service to a greater population.

Data from the National Park Service shows more than four million visitors each year enjoy the mountains and waterfalls at Yosemite, and a total of roughly two million visitors travel annually to Sequoia and Kings Canyon.

At Sequoia, the Lodgepole Campground hosts over 60,000 annual visitors and connects them to Giant Forest, the state’s largest and unlogged giant sequoia grove. However, the water main serving this campground was well past its operational life cycle. Replacing this water infrastructure would prevent any major disruption and public health hazard, said Lumsden.

Yosemite’s Glacier Point Road is one of the park’s most iconic roads, though the 10-mile stretch of the road had been deteriorated and suffered from failed drainage structures and safety hazards, said Lumsden. A $37.1 million project has improved the road’s pavement and drainage, stabilizing eroded slopes and increasing safety for both visitors and staff, and formalized parking areas and pullouts, he said.

Another example, the El Portal Wastewater Treatment Plant is a critical infrastructure to the park and has been a long-standing deferred maintenance need, Lumsden said. Serving as the sole wastewater treatment system for Yosemite Valley, El Portal, and nearby communities, the 45-year-old system is nearing the end of its operational life, and its failure would significantly impact public health and result in wide environmental consequences, including potential sewage overflows into the Merced River.

The $239 million project represents the largest investment of this federal grant among all national parks’ maintenance in fiscal year 2025, according to the fund’s project list.

The new, modernized plant will provide safe, reliable wastewater treatment for the entire Yosemite Valley and the El Portal area, ensuring the park can continue to function effectively for decades to come, Lumsden said.

The project is scheduled for completion in 2029, according to a Yosemite news release.

Here is a list of the current and upcoming constructions:

Yosemite National Park

Rehabilitate Ahwahnee Hotel and Correct Critical Safety Hazards

• Under construction, $36,298,000

• Rehabilitate the historic hotel while enhancing structural seismic safety and code compliance.

Rehabilitate El Portal Wastewater Treatment Facility and Administrative Camp

• In procurement, $239,759,000

• The project rehabilitates existing processes proper repairs, provides new construction of process units where condition is too deteriorated to repair. The goal is to extend the system’s operational life for another 50 years.

Replace Meadows Wastewater Plant

• This project will demolish a 50-year-old extended aeration wastewater treatment plant, replacing mains, building a new treated effluent disposal system and adding a recreational vehicle waste disposal station.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Rehabilitate Park Wastewater Treatment Facilities

• Under construction, $14,515,000

• Rehabilitate and replace critical components of two wastewater systems.

Rehabilitate Water Utility Infrastructure and Upgrade Access to Campgrounds

• This project will rehabilitate water systems and other utility infrastructure, and make repairs to the Sunset, Azalea, and Crystal Spring Campgrounds.

Rehabilitate Grant Grove Historic Cabins and Shower House and Lodgepole Market

• This project will rehabilitate Lodgepole Market, Grant Grove historic cabins, and the shower house building to address deferred maintenance and deficiencies.

Rehabilitate and Replace Lodgepole Housing—Phase I

• The project will renovate housing units for seasonal and permanent staff. The replacement may include a mix of single-family, duplex, and multi-unit facilities.