The Yosemite Valley Case, also known as Hutchings v. Low, was a landmark Supreme Court case that established the federal government’s right to protect public lands from private development. The case began when James Mason Hutchings, a California entrepreneur, sought to develop a hotel and other tourist attractions in Yosemite Valley, which was then owned by the state of California. The federal government, however, argued that the land should be preserved for public use and enjoyment. The Supreme Court ultimately sided with the federal government, ruling that the Yosemite Valley was a public trust and that the state of California had no right to grant private development rights. The decision established the federal government’s right to protect public lands from private development and set a precedent for the preservation of public lands.

In the case of Hutchings v. Low, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether Yosemite Valley and its surrounding areas were public or private property. The majority opinion held that it was public land, but Justice Field dissented from this decision. He argued that while Congress had passed a law granting California control over certain lands in Yosemite Valley, they did not have authority to grant title to these lands as they are part of the United States' domain and cannot be disposed of without an act of cession by Congress itself. Furthermore, he noted that even if such an act had been passed by Congress, it would still need approval from California's legislature before any transfer could take place - something which had not occurred here. As a result, Justice Field concluded that since no valid title existed for either party at issue in this case - neither Mr Hutchings nor Mr Low could claim ownership over Yosemite Valley or its surrounding areas.