February is a busy month at Yosemite National Park, especially due to the “firefall,” a natural event where water appears to glow like molten lava as it cascades down El Capitan’s Horsetail Fall. Visitors flock from all over the world to witness this spectacle, often reserving tickets and parking spots a year in advance.
However, on February 22, visitors saw more than just the firefall. An upside-down American flag was displayed over El Capitan, reportedly hung by Yosemite employees in protest of recent downsizing as part of the Trump administration’s cost-cutting efforts. An upside-down American flag traditionally symbolizes distress.
Gavin Carpenter, a Yosemite maintenance mechanic, explained that he provided the flag and assisted in hanging it. He stated that the goal was to raise awareness about the declining state of national parks, which he believes are essential to American heritage. He expressed concerns about the sustainability of maintaining the parks without adequate staff.
In 2023, Yosemite was the sixth most-visited national park in the U.S., drawing 3.89 million visitors. The park, located in California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range, is home to unique wildlife, including the endangered California condor, and giant sequoias, the largest trees in the world.
National Park Service workers across the country have expressed worries about the impact of the recent federal firings, including Brian Gibbs, an Iowa park ranger. He shared his shock at being locked out of his email, only to learn he had been terminated, and publicly expressed his heartbreak in a post that has been widely shared.
