Append

Amendments t

General Management 

Appendix A 


Specific Amendments to the 1980 General Management Plan 


Resulting from the Restoration of the 


Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias EIS 


The 1980 General Management Plan for Yosemite National Park (GMP), as amended by the 1992 

Concession Services Plan, is the overall management document for Yosemite National Park. The 

GMP directs the National Park Service (NPS) to “Retain [the Mariposa Grove] as the primary 

location within the park for visitor enjoyment and interpretation of the giant sequoia; Provide only 

visitor facilities consistent with preservation of the unique ecosystem; remove all other facilities not 

necessary for visitor enjoyment of the resource.” While these management goals will be achieved 

with this project, minor changes to the Developed Area Plan from the GMP and other specific 

actions proposed in the GMP would occur. 

Actions that are consistent with the GMP include: accommodate the physically disabled, repair and 

reconstruct trails, remove the 115-car parking lot, convert the existing bus parking area to shuttle 

turn-around and off-season parking for the Grove, remove the gift shop, and upgrade physical 

facilities (toilets). Actions that amend the GMP in the Restoration of the Mariposa Grove of Giant 

Sequoias/Final Environmental Impact Statement (Mariposa Grove FEIS) are as follows: 

	 The GMP directs the NPS to provide adequate wastewater treatment and dispose waste 

outside the Mariposa Grove. Under the Mariposa Grove FEIS, the NPS would continue to 

provide vault toilets in the lower Grove area and truck waste outside the Grove, or replace 

the existing vault toilets with flush toilets. Waste from flush toilets would be treated in the 

Mariposa Grove through a leach field system within the Grove, if feasible. Removing waste 

entirely from the Grove, as directed in the GMP, would require adding a sewage line from 

the Grove to the South Entrance, and likely construction of a sewage treatment facility at the 

South Entrance, at a high cost (see Chapter 1, Issues Considered but Dismissed). Although 

the funds required for a sewer line are not available at this time, it is still considered a 

possibility along with a septic system and the use of vault toilets in some locations where 

physical constraints to a septic system exist. 

	 The GMP directs the NPS to retain and rehabilitate the museum and comfort station. The 

museum building would remain, and its use as a primary interpretive facility would be moved 

to the new hub location under each action alternative. The museum building may be 

repurposed as a group hiker’s shelter, meeting room, or other compatible use. 

	 The GMP directs the NPS to convert the Wawona Point Road to a trail. Under the Mariposa 

Grove FEIS, the road would be converted into a hardened trail that would allow for 

occasional maintenance traffic, as it is not feasible to move the communication network at 

Wawona Point at this time. The NPS would remove the Wawona Point Road if technology 

improves and the equipment can be removed (see Chapter 2, Alternatives Considered but 

Dismissed). 

	 The GMP directs the NPS to extend the tram system from the South Entrance through 

Mariposa Grove. The existing tram service through the Grove would be discontinued under 

Alternatives 2 and 3 to protect and enhance the ecological health of the giant sequoias and to 

improve the visitor experience of those walking in the Grove. 

A-1 
Appendix A: Amendments to the GMP 

Therefore, the General Management Plan: Visitor Use/Park Operations/Development Plan would be 

amended as follows if the preferred alternative (Alternative 2) is selected: 

1980 GMP Section 

and Page # 1980 GMP Text 2013 Amended GMP Text 

2013 Restoration of 

Mariposa Grove FEIS 

Reference 

Developed Area PlansSouth Entrance 

Page 59 

Goals 

Visitor Use 

Provide park orientation and 

information/reservation system for 

overnight accommodations and 

campgrounds 

Provide staging facilities for Mariposa 

Grove 

Provide adequate road to Mariposa 

Grove for bus access 

Actions 

Visitor Use 

Construct an information/reservation 

kiosk and 50-car parking area at 

south entrance 

Construct a parking area to 

accommodate 200 autos, 5 buses, 

tram terminal, and comfort station 

Provide bus service to Mariposa 

Grove 

Goals 

Visitor Use 

Provide park orientation and 

information/reservation system for 

overnight accommodations and 

campgrounds 

Provide staging facilities for Mariposa 

Grove 

Provide adequate road to Mariposa 

Grove for bus shuttle access 

Actions 

Visitor Use 

Construct an information/reservation 

kiosk and 50-car parking area at 

south entrance 

Construct a parking area to 

accommodate 200 295 vehicles, 5 3 

commercial buses, tram shuttle 

boarding and tour bus transfer area, 

terminal, and comfort station 

Provide bus shuttle service to 

Mariposa Grove 

Chapter 2, Alternatives 

Alternative 2: South 

Entrance Hub 

(Preferred Alternative) 

Section 

Developed Area PlansMariposa Grove 

Page 59 

The awesome beauty and quiet of 

the grove are being protected by only 

allowing visitors to walk through the 

grove or ride a tram system with an 

interpreter. 

The awesome beauty and quiet of 

the Grove are being protected by 

only allowing visitors to walk through 

the Grove, with special provisions 

made for visitors with physical 

disabilities or ride a tram system with 

an interpreter. 

Chapter 2, Alternatives 

Alternative 2: South 

Entrance Hub 

(Preferred Alternative) 

Section 

Developed Area PlansMariposa Grove 

Page 60 

Actions 

Visitor Use 

Extend the tram system from South 

Entrance through Mariposa Grove; 

prohibit commercial tour buses; 

accommodate the physically disabled 

Actions 

Visitor Use 

Extend the tram system Provide 

shuttle service from South Entrance 

to the lower through Mariposa 

Grove; restrict commercial tour bus 

access to the lower Grove area; 

accommodate the physically disabled 

Convert Wawona Point Road to a 

trail 

Repair and reconstruct trails through 

tree grove 

Remove 115 car parking area 

Convert existing bus parking area to 

off-season parking (25-50 vehicles) 

Retain and rehabilitate museum 

building and comfort station 

Remove gift shop 

Chapter 2, Alternatives 

Alternative 2: South 

Entrance Hub 

(Preferred Alternative) 

Section 

Developed Area PlansMariposa Grove 

Page 61 

South Entrance/Mariposa Grove 

Development Concept Map 

Remove and replace with Figure 2-5 

– Alternative 2: South Entrance Hub 

(Preferred Alternative) 

Chapter 2, Alternatives 

Alternative 2: South 

Entrance Hub 

(Preferred Alternative) 

Section 

A-2