National Parks

Freak accidents, aging rivers, wild animals and severe weather. As more people visit national parks, more fatalities follow.

Fatalities climb at national parks as visitors grow, funding and staffing lag

North Cascades National Park in Washington has the highest death rate among parks in the U.S., according to the National Park Service.

Why North Cascades has the highest death rate among US national parks

According to the National Park Service, 312 million people visited a national parks in the U.S in 2022. But more visitors mean more deaths.

‘People make mistakes’: Danger follows as more people visit national parks