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[El Portal Development Concept Graphic]

El Portal

The El Portal administrative side, authorized by Congress in 1958, will become park headquarters and the major park administrative site. This valley, straddling the Merced River downstream from Yosemite Valley, has limited land suitable for development and will require innovative design techniques to create a support operation and residential community.

Visitors coming from the west along California Highway 140 enter the park at El Portal, and it is the park's primary winter access route. Interpretation will focus on providing information about resources and visitor opportunities in the park and surrounding areas.

El Portal

Visitor Use Goals

  • Provide orientation and information/reservation system
    for overnight accommodations and campgrounds

  • Provide a variety of commercial services for visitors and residents

  • Provide experimental remote staging area for Valley day visitors

    Visitor Use Actions

  • Provide an information/reservation station and develop
    a community museum at the Bagby Station

  • Provide a commercial facilities area for services, including automobile service,
    restaurants, grocery store, clothing and gift sales, bank, beauty and barber shop

  • Provide up to a 150-car day parking area and bus service into the Valley

  • Reserve space for possible expansion of staging area

    Park Operations Goals

  • Create a model community for parkwide management functions, services, and housing in terms of livability, efficient land use, minimal impacts on the landscape, residential amenities, efficient use of energy, aesthetics, recycling, water conservation, and significant cultural resources

  • Engage in cooperative planning with Parkline businesses and Mariposa County

  • Avoid floodplain and geologic hazards

    Park Operations Actions

  • Implement a comprehensive plan for El Portal with provisions
    for the following facilities and services:

  • Expand elementary school as needed

  • Convert domestic water system supply to an underground source

  • Provide adequate water storage

  • Complete final phase of wastewater treatment system

  • Provide long-term leases for El Portal homeowners

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    Copy on this page is from
    pages 47-48 of the GMP.