It’s outrageous.
A quick walk through the campground at Hetch Hetchy last weekend showed no one camping at any of the 21 sites. Zero. Nobody.
Group Campsite A – a little shade would be nice for starters.
Meanwhile, a fair crowd of elite San Franciscans was staying at the Chalet overlooking the reservoir and nearby cabins. Many of who were laughing and drinking coffee waiting for the sun to rise over the spectacular canyon walls.
The Chalet was built in the 1930s, hoping Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt would stay on their visit to Yosemite. Perhaps it could better serve the public as a National Park Service visitor center.
The men laughing and drinking coffee outside the bunkhouse were a stark contrast to the empty campsite. Why can’t all park visitors have the same opportunities?
Definitely not the scenario Congress expected when it passed the Raker Act in 1913 allowing San Francisco to build a dam in the valley. See Keeping Promises: Providing Public Access to Hetch Hetchy Valley, Yosemite National Park for background.
There are a number of reasons why the campground is empty:
- Camping is only allowed if you are leaving for or returning from a backpacking trip.
- There is no potable water available at the campground.
- While the views are nice, there is little shade at the campground.
Next year, when San Francisco provides potable water to the campground (114 years after being required to do so by the Raker Act), the National Park Service should allow all visitors to use the campground. We also encourage NPS to solicit public funds to upgrade the campground to the same standards as campgrounds elsewhere in Yosemite.
It’s also clear Congress never intended that San Francisco ought to be allowed recreational use of cabins at Hetch Hetchy. (The Raker Act states any buildings must be associated with construction and operation of the dam. A quick perusal of the publicly available guests lists shows most visitors are there as privileged tourists.)
Of course, we believe the reservoir has no place at Hetch Hetchy. Relocating the reservoir, however, will likely require an act of Congress – hopefully in cooperation with San Francisco. Until that takes place, the least the National Park Service can do is provide improved and equal access to Hetch Hetchy for all visitors.