Why the American flag is being hung upside down at Yosemite National Park

Visitors to Yosemite National Park this weekend were met with an unusual sight atop the iconic El Capitan summit: an American flag flown upside down — a universal distress signal.

But this wasn’t a human error or careless mistake. It was a bold protest against recent job cuts at the National Park Service under the Trump administration.

The striking display, positioned on the towering 3,000-foot granite formation in Mariposa County, California, was put up by Yosemite employees on Saturday evening.

Under the U.S. Flag Code, the national flag should never be displayed with the union down — “except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property”.

A Statement in the Sky
Speaking to The San Francisco Chronicle, Yosemite maintenance mechanic Gavin Carpenter – who provided the flag for the demonstration – made the message clear: “We’re bringing attention to what’s happening to the parks, which are every American’s properties.

“It’s super important we take care of them, and we’re losing people here, and it’s not sustainable if we want to keep the parks open.”

The protest came at a moment when all eyes were already on Yosemite.

February is prime time for the park’s rare “firefall” phenomenon, when the setting sun hits Horsetail Falls just right, making the water glow like molten lava. You can see the spectacular sight below:

Crowds of photographers and tourists, eager to capture the spectacle, also captured images of the upside-down flag.

Photographer Brittany Colt, who shared the image online, described the deep impact of the job cuts on national parks. “This hit so close to home for me,” she wrote. “I witnessed several of my friends lose their jobs overnight while leaving our public lands vulnerable.

“These people had very valuable jobs, such as Search and Rescue and keeping the restrooms and park clean for visitors. If we lose the public servants, the park experience will get only harder and potentially more dangerous for visitors.”

Social Media Reacts

In response to the images circulating online, social media users have voiced their thoughts at the unique protest.

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“Wow! Yosemite National Park workers protested the federal firings by hanging an upside-down American flag off the side of El Capitan as a symbol of national distress,” one X user wrote. “Activism and protest with righteous anger, with love for our National Parks, is what we need!!”

Another added: “Brilliant protest. Yosemite National Park workers hung an upside-down American flag — traditionally a symbol of distress or a national threat — thousands of feet off the ground on the side of El Capitan.”

A third wrote: “This is incredibly powerful.

“Yosemite National Park staffers are hanging a distress flag to stand up against Trump and Elon coming after the National Park Service and public lands.”

Not everybody was happy at the sight, though.

“I think that isn’t a part of their job description and unless permission was given, they should face consequences for defacing Yosemite National Park,” one person wrote

A second X user simply stated: “Fire all of them!”

Cuts That Could Change the Parks Forever
The Trump administration recently slashed 1,000 jobs at the National Park Service as part of an effort to reduce federal spending.

National park and forest employees argue that these cuts will result in longer wait times during emergencies, neglected facilities, and increased risks for visitors, per NBC News.

Former Yosemite employee Alex Wild, the only certified EMT ranger at Devils Postpile National Monument, expressed serious concerns about the consequences of reduced staffing. “I’m the only person available to rescue someone, to do CPR, to carry them out from a trail if they got injured,” Wild told NBC’s Morgan Chesky. “It could mean life or death for someone who’s having an emergency.”

In response to public outcry, the administration later announced plans to restore at least 50 positions and bring in nearly 3,000 additional seasonal workers. However, for those affected by the cuts, the fight to protect America’s national parks is far from over.

As visitors continue to flood Yosemite for its natural wonders, the upside-down flag on El Capitan serves as a stark reminder: the future of these public lands — and the people who care for them — is at stake.

As Colt wrote on Facebook: “I never expected to see politics in nature tonight, but here we are.”

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