Project overview: Keep Yosemite’s 1,800+ campsites — which are in near-constant use from April through October — clean, safe, and welcoming with the purchase of a new pull-along trailer specifically designated for collecting ash and debris from fire rings.

How your support helps: The 1,800+ campsites in Yosemite National Park are almost fully booked each year from April to October. This near-constant use generates significant amounts of ash and debris in fire rings throughout the park, and though many of us don’t think about it, someone has to clean it up! 

In 2024 and 2025, more than 2,400 volunteer hours were contributed by 250+ volunteers to clean 674 fire pits, complete 12 campground loops, and haul out eight trailer loads of ash, litter, and other waste. These volunteers are critical to keeping campsites clean and safe, but their work depends heavily on reliable infrastructure — namely, a utility trailer for ash collection and removal. 

The current ash-removal trailer is failing. The hydraulic lift is inoperable, battery connections are loose, the tailgate and tarp are extensively damaged, and the support leg is warped. In these conditions, the trailer is likely to completely break down in 2026 — interrupting volunteer-led cleanup projects, severely limiting ash removal, and posing severe environmental risks and visitor safety concerns. 

This year: In 2026, the National Park Service hopes to purchase a new, pull-along utility trailer for ash collection and removal. With your support, the trailer will allow volunteers and staff to consolidate ash from multiple fire pits and reduce the number of trips needed to disposal areas. This dedicated trailer is expected to directly enhance the impact of our volunteer stewardship programs, increase cleanup coverage, and ensure that Yosemite’s campgrounds remain clean, safe, and welcoming for the millions of visitors who depend on them each year.

Project partner: Yosemite National Park