Nevada
Most dangerous national parks to visit: Lake Mead, Death Valley among top 10
Two of the country’s most dangerous national parks are in Nevada, according to a new ranking from personal injury law firm John Foy & Associates.
The study analyzed national park deaths per 10 million visitors from 2007 to 2023, excluding suicides and homicides.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area ranked third on the list, while Death Valley National Park, which extends into Nevada from California, placed fourth.
Why is Lake Mead and Death Valley at the top of the list of most dangerous national parks?
Lake Mead had 6.23 deaths per 10 million visitors. That’s 112% above the national average but almost half the fatal accidents compared to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks in California, which were deemed the most dangerous. Those parks saw 12.19 deaths per 10 million visitors.
Mount Rainier National Park in Washington was named the second-most dangerous with 8.55 deaths per 10 million visitors.
Out of the 75 deaths recorded at Lake Mead Recreation Area during the period studied, drowning was the most common cause of death with 19 fatalities. The second-highest cause was motor vehicle crashes, which accounted for 17 deaths.
Death Valley National Park, which has a tiny corner in Nevada just west of Beatty, was No. 4 on the most dangerous list with 5.87 deaths per 10 million visitors. Death Valley’s most common cause of death was motor vehicle accidents, causing four deaths out of the 11 reported during the time period analyzed for the study.
Great Basin National Park in eastern Nevada was not among the 10 most dangerous parks.
Most dangerous national parks in America
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, California: 12.19 deaths per 10 million visitors.
- Mount Rainier National Park, Washington: 8.55 deaths per 10 million visitors.
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada: 6.23 deaths per 10 million visitors.
- Death Valley National Park, California (and a little Nevada): 5.87 deaths per 10 million visitors.
- Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona: 5.45 deaths per 10 million visitors.
- Yosemite National Park, California: 5.23 deaths per 10 million visitors.
- Mojave National Preserve, California: 4.36 deaths per 10 million visitors.
- Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina: 4.35 deaths per 10 million visitors.
- Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Tennessee: 4.24 deaths per 10 million visitors.
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan: 4.04 deaths per 10 million visitors.
National parks safety tips
The most dangerous parks on the list, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, have an extensive list of recommendations and tips to keep you safe when visiting the parks. Those safety tips include:
- Check conditions: Before you visit, check the weather forecast and park conditions. You can also check road conditions, which can be dangerous in bad weather.
- Be aware of wildlife: Keep your distance: View wildlife safely, such as two city buses away from bears.
- Don’t feed animals: Never touch or feed wild animals.
- Stay dry: Hypothermia can develop when exposed to cool air or water for prolonged periods. Symptoms include shivering, memory loss, stumbling, confusion, and sleepiness.
- Drive carefully: Park roads are steep, curvy, dangerous, and slippery in bad weather. Carry tire chains or cables in your car, drive slowly, and follow speed limits.
- Protect yourself from insects: Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, and consider using insect repellent.
- Learn about local regulations: Learn about park regulations on firearms and other activities.
Methodology for report on most dangerous national parks during winter
Mortality data was gathered from the U.S. National Park Service from 2007 to 2023. The incidents were categorized according to date, with any incidents between Nov. 1 and Feb. 28 for each year being considered or Feb. 29 if it was a leap year. Average visitation numbers were then gathered for the period covered. The parks were then ranked by the highest number of winter deaths per 10 million visitors. Any parks with less than 10 million total visitors between 2007 and 2023 were excluded. Homicide and suicide deaths were also removed from the statistics for winter deaths.
Nevada
Oregon lands commitment from Nevada punter
Oregon has found its next Australian punter.
Bailey Ettridge, who averaged 44.66 yards on 47 punts at Nevada this season, committed to transfer to the Ducks on Sunday. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
From Lara, Australia, Ettridge had 15 punts over 50 yards and 18 inside opponents’ 20-yard lines this season. He also had two carries for 26 yards, both of which converted fourth downs.
Ettridge replaces James Ferguson-Reynolds, who is averaging 41.64 yards on 33 punts for UO this season. Ferguson-Reynolds and Ross James are both out of eligibility after the season.
Ettridge is the first scholarship transfer to Oregon this offseason and his addition gives the Ducks 81 projected scholarship players in 2026. He is the lone punter presently on the roster.
No. 1 Indiana (14-0) vs. No. 5 Oregon (13-1)
- When: Friday, January 9
- Time: 4:30 p.m. PT
- Where: Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- TV: ESPN and ABC
- Stream: You can watch this game on DIRECTV (free trial) or with Sling (a Sling day pass to watch this game and more is just $4.99). Streaming broadcasts for this game will be available on these streaming services locally in Oregon and Washington, but may not be available outside of the Pacific Northwest, depending on your location.
Nevada
‘Winnemucca Day’ helps fuel Backus, Wolf Pack to 58-40 win over Utah State
RENO, Nev. (Nevada Athletics) – Nevada Women’s Basketball returned to Lawlor for the first game of 2026, hosting Utah State.
The Pack picked up its first conference win of the season with the 58-40 victory over the Aggies.
Freshmen showed out for the Pack (5-9, 1-3 MW) with Skylar Durley nearly recording a double-double, dropping 12 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Britain Backus had five points to go along with two rebounds and a season high four steals.
Junior Izzy Sullivan also had an impactful game with 17 points, going 6-for-11 from the paint and grabbing five boards. She also knocked down Nevada’s only two makes from beyond the arc, putting her within one for 100 career threes.
The Pack opened up scoring the first four points, setting the tone for the game. It was a close battle through the first 10 as Utah State (6-7, 2-2 MW) closed the gap to one.
However, Nevada never let them in front for the entire 40 minutes.
Nevada turned up the pressure in the second quarter, holding Utah State to a shooting drought for over four minutes. Meanwhile, a 5-0 scoring run pushed the Pack to a 10-point lead.
For the entire first 20, Nevada held Utah State to just 26.7 percent from the floor and only nine percent from the arc, going only 1-for-11.
For the Pack offense, it shot 48 percent from the paint. Nevada fell into a slump coming out of the break, only scoring eight points.
It was the only quarter where the Pack was outscored.
The fourth quarter saw the Pack get back into rhythm with a 6-0 run and forcing the Aggies into another long scoring drought of just under four and a half minutes.
Durley had a layup and jumper to help with securing the win.
Nevada will remain at home to face Wyoming on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
Copyright 2026 KOLO. All rights reserved.
Nevada
EDITORIAL: Nevada’s House Democrats oppose permitting reform
Politicians of both parties have promised to fix the nation’s broken permitting system. But those promises have not been kept, and the status quo prevails: longer timelines, higher costs and a regulatory maze that makes it nearly impossible to build major projects on schedule.
Last week, the House finally cut through the fog by passing the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act. As Jeff Luse reported for Reason, the legislation is the clearest chance in years to overhaul a system that has spun out of control.
Notably, virtually every House Democrat — including Reps. Dina Titus, Susie Lee and Steven Horsford from Nevada — opted for the current regulatory morass.
The proposal addressed problems with the National Environmental Policy Act, which passed in the 1970s to promote transparency, but has grown into an anchor that drags down public and private investment. Mr. Luse notes that even after Congress streamlined the act in 2021, the average environmental impact statement takes 2.4 years to complete. That number speaks for itself and does not reflect the many reviews that stretch far beyond that already unreasonable timeline.
The SPEED Act tackles these failures head on. It would codify recent Supreme Court guidance, expand the projects that do not require exhaustive review and set real expectations for federal agencies that too often slow-walk approvals. Most important, it puts long-overdue limits on litigation. Mr. Luse highlights the absurdity of the current six-year window for filing a lawsuit under the Environmental Policy Act. Between 2013 and 2022, these lawsuits delayed projects an average of 4.2 years.
While opponents insist the bill would silence communities, Mr. Luse notes that NEPA already includes multiple public hearings and comment periods. Also, the vast majority of lawsuits are not filed by members of the people who live near the projects. According to the Breakthrough Institute, 72 percent of NEPA lawsuits over the past decade came from national nonprofits. Only 16 percent were filed by local communities. The SPEED Act does not shut out the public. It reins in well-funded groups that can afford to stall projects indefinitely.
Some Democrats claim the bill panders to fossil fuel companies, while some Republicans fear it will accelerate renewable projects. As Mr. Luse explains, NEPA bottlenecks have held back wind, solar and transmission lines as often as they have slowed oil and gas. That is why the original SPEED Act won support from green energy groups and traditional energy producers.
Permitting reform is overdue, and lawmakers claim to understand that endless red tape hurts economic growth and environmental progress alike. The SPEED Act is the strongest permitting reform proposal in years. The Senate should approve it.
-
Entertainment1 week agoHow the Grinch went from a Yuletide bit player to a Christmas A-lister
-
World7 days agoHamas builds new terror regime in Gaza, recruiting teens amid problematic election
-
Indianapolis, IN1 week agoIndianapolis Colts playoffs: Updated elimination scenario, AFC standings, playoff picture for Week 17
-
Southeast1 week agoTwo attorneys vanish during Florida fishing trip as ‘heartbroken’ wife pleads for help finding them
-
Business1 week agoGoogle is at last letting users swap out embarrassing Gmail addresses without losing their data
-
World1 week agoBest of 2025: Top five defining moments in the European Parliament
-
World1 week agoSnoop Dogg, Lainey Wilson, Huntr/x and Andrea Bocelli Deliver Christmas-Themed Halftime Show for Netflix’s NFL Lions-Vikings Telecast
-
News1 week agoDOJ says it may need a ‘few more weeks’ to finish releasing Epstein files