It was the summer of 1970 and hippies poured into Yosemite to get closer to nature but not for an overnight excursion or even a weekend, these hippies set up shop and didn’t show any signs of leaving. That was until everything came to a head on July 4th 1970 when the unwanted guests faced off with the park rangers in a battle royal on the meadow.  Looks like the hippies beat it and order was restored.

Love the open ended statement at the end of this,“The park service learned a lesson that day, and applied to the future.” I wish they would have elaborated on that.

More footage from the riot. 

Francis Xavier is a seasoned writer for Unofficial Networks, bringing a lifetime of outdoor experience to his work. Having lived in a ski resort town for years he has a deep connection to mountain culture....