US national parks welcome millions of visitors each year, yet between 2014 and 2021, more than 2,000 people died there. Based on data from the National Park Service, here are the five national parks that recorded the most deaths relative to the number of visitors during this period.
1. North Cascades National Park
Located in Washington State, North Cascades National Park has a high mortality rate relative to its visitor population, with nine deaths reported between 2014 and 2021 (0.004%).
2. Alaska’s Lake Clark National Park & Preserve
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska ranked second with four deaths (mortality rate 0.003%).
3. Wrangel-St. Elias National Park & Reserve
Located in Alaska, Wrangell-Saint-Ely Park is the largest US national park. It recorded 11 deaths in 2020, two of which were caused by animals or nature (0.002%).
4. Fort Bowie National Historic Site
Fort Bowie National Historic Site ranks fourth, with only one fatality recorded (0.0015%).
5. Kathy River Indian Villages National Historic Site
Kathy River Indian Villages National Historic Site finally comes down in the top five, with one fatality (0.0011%).
Parks record the most deaths overall
Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada and Arizona is the most dangerous park, with 145 deaths, including 47 drownings.
The Grand Canyon comes up with 97 deaths over the next 8 years, but contrary to popular belief, more than half of those deaths were due to medical conditions, not falls. Heat is a frequent cause for hikers. Yosemite Park has identified 94 of them.
Finally, 80 deaths were reported in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and 74 in Natchez Trace Park, including 62 in car accidents.
Parks with high fatality rates have a visitor mortality rate of less than 0.003% and are often the most visited parks.
Causes of death
Of the 2092 deaths, 415 were car accidents, 402 were due to drowning and 385 were of a medical nature.
Among the causes of death, we find falls (206), environmental causes (91), traffic (65), homicides (27), poisoning, police interventions and others. Five deaths were attributed to natural or animal causes. The cause of 449 deaths was unknown.
There was an animal fatality in Yellowstone Park in 2015, where a woman was attacked by a female grizzly that was eventually euthanized.
