The flag was put on display by workers at Yosemite in California
Visitors to Yosemite National Park this weekend were met with a surprising and symbolic sight—a large American flag hanging upside-down from a cliff face.
The iconic American flag pattern is so common that it’s almost everywhere—on T-shirts, phone cases, decorations, and even paper plates. But despite its widespread use, there are official guidelines in place for how the flag should be displayed.
According to the US Flag Code, as cited by Cornell Law School, “The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up in folds, but always allowed to fall free.” So, this upside-down flag, though striking, is a reminder of the rules meant to honor the flag’s significance.
A bold and unusual scene greeted visitors to Yosemite National Park on Sunday, February 23—a large American flag hanging upside down at the summit of El Capitan. This sight was striking, especially given the clear guidelines in the US Flag Code, which states that “the flag should never be displayed with the union down”—except in cases of extreme distress.
El Capitan, a towering 3,000-foot rock formation in Mariposa County, California, became the backdrop for the protest when Yosemite employees placed the flag there Sunday evening. The positioning was intentional and carried a powerful message. According to the Flag Code, an upside-down flag signals “dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”
It’s believed that the group behind the display used this tradition to protest recent job cuts within the National Park Service. Under the Trump administration, 1,000 positions were eliminated, affecting national park and forest workers. Many of these employees fear that these cuts will ultimately impact the public’s experience at the parks, leaving them with a sense of “distress” about the future of the national treasures they care for.
Gavin Carpenter, a maintenance mechanic at Yosemite National Park, explained to The San Francisco Chronicle why he helped supply the upside-down flag: “We’re bringing attention to what’s happening to the parks, which belong to every American. It’s crucial that we take care of them, and we’re losing people here. It’s not sustainable if we want to keep the parks open.”
The protest gained even more attention when photographer Brittany Colt shared an image of the flag online, writing: “This hit so close to home for me. I witnessed several of my friends lose their jobs overnight while leaving our public lands vulnerable. These people held critical positions, such as Search and Rescue, and they ensured the park remained clean and safe for visitors. If we lose these public servants, the park experience will only get harder—and potentially more dangerous—for everyone.”
After the job cuts were announced, the Associated Press reported that the Trump administration planned to reinstate at least 50 positions within the National Park Service and hire nearly 3,000 seasonal workers to help support the parks during busy times. However, many employees and supporters of the parks remain concerned about the lasting impacts of these cuts.
