Our Work: Trail Access and Repair
Yosemite's 1,200 square miles are criss-crossed by 800 miles of trails. Maintained trails are the primary means of minimizing human impact on the wilderness. Visitors and pack animals travel on Yosemite's trails, along waterfalls and through wetlands. Properly maintained trails protect the adjacent environment by directing hikers and walkers safely through fragile areas and by preventing erosion. When trails are in good condition and clearly marked, visitors and the environment benefit.
Current Projects
FUNDING NEEDED: $1,086,575
California Conservation Corps Crew (CCC)
Yosemite has almost 800 miles of trails and they are the only way to access most of the Park’s 1,200 square miles. This grant will support a trail crew to work from early April through late September performing comprehensive trail maintenance and repairs on priority “front-country” trails in the Valley or near Wawona before moving into the Merced River watershed to work on backcountry trails. CCC members, in their late teens and early 20s, will be trained in proper trail repair techniques as well as environmental stewardship, enhancing their lifelong connections with nature and Yosemite.
Legendary Valley Trails
Most of the Yosemite Valley Trail system was established and in use well before 1900, making it both a valuable historic resource as well as a modern necessity to protect sensitive habitat. This Yosemite Fund project will continue ongoing trail restoration work including extensive rock work on the Four Mile Trail and the trail to Upper Yosemite Falls. These repairs will allow visitors to continue to enjoy the Park's natural and cultural resources safely as well as continue to provide access throughout the Valley trail system.Youth Conservation Corps Program (YCC)
The Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) has been bringing young people to work on Yosemite National Park restoration projects for over 30 years. The Yosemite Fund will sponsor the entire YCC program in 2010 to work on critical restoration and maintenance projects. The eight week residential program includes projects such as repairing and restoring trails and campgrounds, building fences, thinning timber stands, and other services needed by the Park in order to maintain the standards of excellence visitors have come to expect from Yosemite. An added benefit of the YCC program is the lifelong connection to the outdoors and national parks it fosters in the young participants.