16 U.S.C. §§ 51–54

The Secretaries of the Departments of Interior and Agriculture, for the purpose of eliminating private holdings within the Yosemite National Park and to preserve intact timber along and adjoining the roads in the scenic portion of the park on patented lands, are empowered in their discretion to obtain and accept for the United States a complete title to any and all patented lands within the boundaries of said park by the exchange of timber or timber and lands within the Yosemite National Park and the Sierra and Stanislaus National Forests for such lands and the timber thereon within the park, necessary conveyances of park and national forest timber or timber and lands to be made by said secretaries, respectively. The secretaries of the said departments are authorized to acquire title in fee by the exchange of lands of the United States for patented lands not exceeding six hundred and forty acres in the Sierra and Stanislaus National Forests, adjacent and contiguous to the Yosemite National Park, and when such patented lands are thus acquired, said lands shall become a part of the Yosemite National Park and be subject to all the provisions of sections 55, 61, 471c and 471d of this title.

The value of patented lands within the park offered in exchange, and the value of the timber on park lands proposed to be given in exchange for such patented lands, shall be ascertained in such manner as the Secretary of the Interior may, in his discretion, direct, and all expenses incident to ascertaining such values shall be paid by the owners of said patented lands, and such owners shall, before any exchange is effective, furnish the Secretary of the Interior evidence satisfactory to him of title to the patented lands offered in exchange, and if the value of the timber on park lands exceeds the value of the patented lands deeded to the Government in the exchange such excess shall be paid to the Secretary of the Interior by the owners of the patented lands before any of the timber is removed from the park, and shall be deposited and covered into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts. The same course shall be pursued in relation to exchange for timber standing near public roads on patented lands for timber to be exchanged on park lands. The lands conveyed to the Government under section 51 of this title shall become a part of the Yosemite National Park.

All timber must be cut and removed from the Yosemite National Park under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior, and any damage which may result to the roads or any part of the park in consequence of the cutting and removal of the timber from the reservation shall be borne by the owners of the patented lands, and bond satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior must be given for the payment of such damages, if any, as shall be determined by the Secretary of the Interior.

The Secretary of the Interior may sell and permit the removal of such matured or dead or down timber as he may deem necessary or advisable for the protection or improvement of the park, and the proceeds derived therefrom shall be deposited and covered into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.