Government Shutdown Turns Yosemite Into Playground for Squatters and BASE Jumpers
Conservation activists are upset that Secretary of the Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum is keeping the parks open, because President Donald Trump was not petty enough to close them.
As the ongoing federal government shutdown continues, reports are steaming in from the the country’s National Park System that people are taking advantage of nature and access to normally heavily restricted areas requiring permits.
For example, Yosemite National Park has seen a marked surge in illegal activity as enforcement capacity dropped sharply amid staff furloughs. Video and social media accounts describe a chaotic situation involving unauthorized BASE jumping, illegal camping, and unpermitted climbing on iconic park features such as El Capitan and Half Dome.
“It’s like the Wild Wild West,” said John DeGrazio, founder of the tour company YExplore Yosemite Adventures.
BASE jumping from the park’s majestic granite monoliths and illegal climbs up Half Dome’s famous cables aren’t anything new. The jumps have been happening since the 1960s, and in his more than 200 times summiting Half Dome, DeGrazio has regularly encountered hikers without permits who are hoping to score somebody’s extra along the trail.
“This is different,” DeGrazio said after viewing a brazen post in the Aspiring Half Dome Hikers Facebook group about an illegal ascent. “These people are counting on no enforcement because of the shutdown.”
A park employee, who spoke with SFGATE on the condition of anonymity to protect their job (which was granted in accordance with Hearst’s ethics policy), said they know of only one wilderness ranger working the entire park. And technically, that person is not even a ranger, the employee said, but a volunteer.
Squatters, base jumpers invade Yosemite during federal shutdown: ‘Like the Wild Wild West’ https://t.co/wIyBbmgpze pic.twitter.com/PTDM2qGvZd
— New York Post (@nypost) October 14, 2025
No word if the volunteer was transgender. But, I digress.
There are also reports of squatting. The National Park Service denies there is a staffing issue.
Squatters have moved into Yosemite National Park’s campgrounds and rule-breakers are pushing boundaries as ranger patrols are stretched thin during the prolonged federal shutdown, according to a park employee who described growing disorder inside the park.
…”The National Park Service can confirm that the park remains appropriately staffed to ensure visitor safety and resource protection during the lapse in appropriations,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “Law enforcement rangers and campground personnel continue to monitor visitor use, respond to incidents, and enforce park regulations.”
The department added that “reports suggesting that campgrounds are unmonitored or that widespread squatting is occurring are inaccurate.”
“Suggesting there is only one ranger is ludicrous,” officials said. “While we have sighted several individuals for camping in non-designated sites, it has been adequately addressed and those camp sites have been removed.”
Squatters and illegal base jumpers are invading Yosemite amid federal shutdown! If you want to learn more and hear some of the public reactions to this trend, tune into #TahoeTonight streaming on #outsidelaketahoetv at 6pm, 8pm & 11pm!
👉 https://t.co/zr2faZ3JUo pic.twitter.com/rTwnu3jwdK— Outside Lake Tahoe (@LakeTahoeTV) October 12, 2025
Conservation activists are upset that Secretary of the Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum is keeping the parks open, because President Donald Trump was not petty enough to close them.
Statement by Theresa Pierno, President and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA):
“It’s day six of the government shutdown, and our national parks are already feeling the strain. Nearly two-thirds of park staff are furloughed, leaving only a skeleton crew to protect resources and keep visitors safe. Yet, Secretary Burgum insists on keeping gates open.
“What we saw in some of our national parks this weekend is a warning of what’s to come. At Great Falls, visitors parked illegally and climbed around barricades to get in. And at Gateway, crowds packed the beach, parking wherever they could with no staff to manage access, creating real safety risks.
But if you decide to go and take advantage of this permit-free situation, make sure you bring enough toilet paper.
Joshua Tree National Park will remain open, with law enforcement and maintenance staff on hand. But as the shutdown goes on, it’s unclear how long the park will be staffed. During the last shutdown in late 2018 and early 2019, the park struggled with vandalism, trash and overall, a lot of destruction. “The visitors centers are closed,” said John Lauretig, executive director of the nonprofit Friends of Joshua Tree National Park said at the time. “All the bathrooms are still open, but they’re not being maintained right now by the Park Service. So the local community has rallied together and started cleaning the bathrooms and restocking the toilet paper.”
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Comments
Oh noes! The park is being taken over by BASE jumpers loving their new found freedoms!
Shutdown: 97
Democrats: 0
Its a crime to use our land for enjoyment but ok to rush 40 million illegals to over run our whole system.. Ya we bassakwards now folks.
I am mystified.
Virtually every national and most state parks has one or more volunteer campground hosts at every campground. Also, many visitor center positions are volunteer. These spots are competed for fiercely in the most desirable locations like Yellowstone and Yosemite.
In return for a free campsite and hookups during the period of commitment (usually 3-6 months), the volunteers pledge 20 or 24 hours a week to clean-up duties and campsite monitoring.
There is no reason why the shutdown would affect these volunteer positions and duties, which are NEVER performed by rangers in the larger parks.
You can’t mean the anti-Trump media is (gasp) lying to us, right? That could never happen.
I am a volunteer at Lake Mead NRA running a patrol boat on the lake. I don’t know the details why, but we are not allowed to do anything during the shutdown. We can’t even wear our volunteer shirts. We’re considered non-essential. There is minimum manning of essential such as LE Rangers, but that’s it.
No money for fuel and equipment upkeep, maybe?
Could you explain that a little more? Do you pay for your own fuel? Is it a problem that if you arrest someone or catch someone doing something illegal there will be no federal officers to take charge?
Trump is keeping the law enforcement on the job as essential, so this shouldn’t be a problem. Only the visitor centers, sentry boxes, trash service, etc. are shut down.
Creating anarchy out of thin air is what Democrats do best.
Hoping a comic artist will draw a base-jumper launching from the top of Lincoln’s head on Rushmore with his eyes looking up in startled repose.
I’m finding it difficult to gin up much outrage over Americans out enjoying our National Parks. Is there the possibility that they’ll damage something? Sure. Not the end of the world.
The parks aren’t yours. They are the diehard anti human crowds who would love nothing more than to shut all of them to any intrusion outside of backpacking in and even that would be severely curtailed.
“…because President Donald Trump was not petty enough to close them.”
Hey. Remember back during the gubmint shutdown of 2014 when spitehouse resident barry obama roped off park benches and barricaded scenic over looks? Good times.
Meanwhile, in 2025, my wife and I just returned home from Virginia, etc. where we toured numerous civil war battllefield parks and memorials maintained by the NPS (Richmond, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, etc.) All visitor centers were closed, but all outdoor areas were open with many visitors walking the trails and viewing exhibits.
Gettysburg is also NPS, but is fully open to all because it is funded by a private endowment.
Good times.
“barry obama roped off park benches”
He said he only did that so homeless squirrels couldn’t sleep on them.
Dear Lord I hope they didn’t furlough the guy with the latrine keys again.
At Organ Pipe, the latrines ere in 100% working order. But I wouldn’t bet on them getting cleaned or the trash baskets getting emptied.
“It’s like the Wild Wild West,” said John DeGrazio”
Duh.
Because exactly what part of New Jersey is Yosemite in, anyhow?
“BASE jumping from the park’s majestic granite monoliths and illegal climbs up Half Dome’s famous cables aren’t anything new. The jumps have been happening since the 1960s, and in his more than 200 times summiting Half Dome”
Corporations spend millions on surveys to identify unfilled customer demand for products and services. NPS is now getting all that value entirely for free.
It is outrageous that people are enjoying public parks while 47 senators are holding their breaths instead of doing their jobs. I can only imagine the terrible effects of the joy and freedom that people feel with the release of restrictions meant to forestall just such enjoyment. It just might be life altering.
Well if you’re going out there make sure to have someone along and let those at home know your whereabouts. There won’t be any park rangers to help you, no helicopter deployment to get you off of El Cap.
I don’t know why you want to bad mouth that volunteer. Those people love the park and are very much into the whole scene.