Project goal: Install an automatic gate system on the Mariposa Grove Road to allow people with disabilities to access ADA parking spaces more easily.

Why this work matters: As part of the recently completed Mariposa Grove restoration project, which included revitalizing giant sequoia habitat and revamping the trail system, the park implemented a free shuttle service linking the new Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza and parking area, near Yosemite’s South Entrance, and the Arrival Plaza, at the lower edge of the grove. The shuttle system is designed to help people access the trees while minimizing vehicle traffic near the sequoias.

Instead of taking the shuttle, visitors with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) placards can drive up the gated Mariposa Grove Road to use the designated ADA parking spaces at the Arrival Plaza and near the Grizzly Giant. This grant funded the installation of an automatic gate system that allows people with disabilities to use the road and enjoy the grove’s new accessible trails without having to contact a ranger for assistance.

Project partner: Yosemite National Park.

Ansley Singer

Management Analyst, Yosemite National Park

Project Notes

"In order for the park to fully meet the Record of Decision actions of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias pertaining to visitor and Americans with Disablities Act (ADA) access outside the hours of shuttle bus operations, an automatic gate system activated by entry of a code on a keypad will be installed at the bottom of the Grove Road where manual gates are currently located."