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While the country’s 63 national parks dazzle and inspire millions with their beauty, so does pristine nature. It poses great risks For those who ignore safety instructions or are unintentionally surprised in an unfamiliar environment.
National Park Service (NPS) data shows that 4,213 people died in national parks between 2007 and 2023. Some recent tragic incidents include a 41-year-old hiker who was found unconscious at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and a 71-year-old man. the man who He collapsed from dehydration During the heat of summer in Death Valley National Park. Unexpected encounters with large animals such as bison and elk also occur regularly Leads to serious injuries And in some cases even deaths.
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Processing this NPS data over the past decade, personal injury law firm Triumph Law identified Arizona’s Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument as the deadliest national park in the country.
The Arizona National Park is so dangerous that it was closed for 11 years
With an average of 215,881 annual visitors and 60 deaths occurring between 2013 and 2023, the park known for its tall cacti has a death rate of 25.27 per million visitors. Although it is still a small fraction of the total number of people entering and leaving without incident, it is much higher than the second-highest death rate of 10.01 per million in the Virgin Islands National Park.
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Pipe organ cactus numbers are so high not because of anything dangerous about the park’s geography, but because its location near the Mexican border makes it a common crossing point for both drug smugglers and immigrants trying to enter the United States outside an official border crossing. Every year, people die from the heat or are shot by cartel members hiding among the desert tracks. After the park ranger was Chris Angel He shot and killed During the cartel’s hunt in 2003, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument was closed to visitors interested in the cactus species for 11 years before reopening in 2014.
When it comes to more natural hazards, Virgin Islands National Park has the second highest fatality rate in the country. Besides sandy beaches and coral reefs, the park has cliffs that, although they offer stunning views of the Caribbean Sea, pose a danger to tourists who get too close to the edge. Because the national park is among the most remote areas in the country, visitors caught by the tide while swimming or surfing cannot always get there as quickly as they can at a more popular park.
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Going to a national park? Here are some safety rules to keep in mind
Other national parks with high mortality rates include the recreational and scenic Delaware River (6.13 deaths per million visitors) with its rapid stream and Colorado National Monument (5.97 mortality rate). The park’s final slopes and winding Rim Rock Drive are dangerous for visitors unfamiliar with the terrain.
While safety rules will vary for each national park (in some, one needs to be on the lookout for animals while others are vulnerable to weather extremes), the NPS generally advises visitors to “exercise caution” and Read about the details of the park Instead of assuming that something one wants to try is safe.
“Park officials stress the importance of staying away from rivers, which pose significant risks, especially because of fast water and smooth granite rocks,” NPS recently wrote about the spike in water incidents in Sequoia National Park.
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