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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.
“There are lots of squatters in the campgrounds,” the employee told SFGATE. “There are lots of people that truly believe they can do whatever they want because of the lack of rangers. They’ve told us.”
The employee said only one wilderness ranger is currently working the entire park — and that person is technically a volunteer, not a National Park Service (NPS) employee.
The Department of the Interior, which oversees the NPS, confirmed to Fox News Digital that it is “aware of reports” of escalating violations and is investigating.
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“We are aware of reports of BASE jumping in Yosemite and investigate all reports,” a department spokesperson said. “BASE jumping is illegal in all national parks, including Yosemite, due to the significant safety risks it poses to participants, the public and first responders.”
Despite the shutdown, the department said the National Park Service “will continue to keep parks as accessible as possible during the lapse in appropriations.”
“Critical functions that protect life, property and public health will remain in place,” the statement continued. “Law enforcement officers remain on duty and will respond to violations, trespassing or resource damage.”
The enforcement gap has coincided with a visible rise in risk-taking behavior.
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Videos and images circulating on social media show BASE jumpers leaping from El Capitan, unauthorized campers occupying closed campgrounds, and climbers scaling Half Dome’s cables without permits — all in violation of park regulations.
Though Yosemite was once a hub for the sport in the 1970s, BASE jumping has been banned in national parks since the 1980s.
BASE, an acronym for Building, Antenna, Span and Earth, is described by the department as “the recreational sport of jumping from fixed objects, including artificial structures and natural features, using a parachute to descend to the ground.”
Officials note that violators face fines up to $5,000 or jail time under federal regulations. Enthusiasts have continued to participate in secret over the years, typically jumping at dawn or dusk to avoid detection.
An eyewitness has documented the illegal activity since the shutdown began.
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“You hear them before you see them,” Charles Winstead, who witnessed a dozen illegal BASE jumps in the park last week, told the San Francisco Chronicle. “Then the parachute pops and there’s no more noise.”
Winstead shared a video on Instagram capturing one of the BASE jumpers, noting it was the second group he had witnessed that day.
“More base jumpers! Definitely feeling some freedom to flout the rules due to the shut down. Second group today,” the caption read.
Conservation advocates say these incidents are part of a larger pattern of disorder when national parks operate without proper staffing. During the 2018–2019 shutdown, Yosemite and other parks suffered vandalism, illegal off-roading, and waste accumulation that took months to repair, according to park advocates.
“This is exactly what we warned about. And this is why national parks need to be closed until the government re-opens,” Emily Thompson, executive director of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, said in a statement on Friday. “This shutdown is making an already bad situation at national parks and public lands far worse. And the longer this goes, the worse it is going to get. The situation is dangerous and reckless for our parks, public lands and the visitors who love them.”
The coalition, which consists of more than 40 former NPS leaders, had previously urged Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to close all 433 national park sites if government funding lapsed, citing ongoing staffing shortages.
“Leaving national parks open without National Park staff to help protect visitors and resources is not only irresponsible—it’s dangerous. We don’t leave museums open without curators, or airports without air traffic controllers and we should not leave our National Parks open without NPS employees,” Thompson wrote.
According to the National Parks Conservation Association, nearly 25% of the Park Service’s permanent staff has been lost since January, leaving many parks, including Yosemite, without enough personnel to ensure visitor safety or respond quickly to emergencies.
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At the same time, the Department of the Interior has emphasized maintaining access where possible.
The department’s September 2025 contingency plan states that during a funding lapse, essential functions such as law enforcement and emergency response continue, and that most park areas “will generally remain accessible” with limited services.
Earlier this year, Burgum echoed that approach, directing that national parks “remain open and accessible,” underscoring a commitment to ensure “all Americans have the opportunity to visit and enjoy our Nation’s most treasured places,” even with staffing constraints.
Fox News Digital reached out to Yosemite National Park officials for comment.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
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