Nevada

Most dangerous national parks to visit: Lake Mead, Death Valley among top 10

Published

12 months ago

March 13, 2025

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.

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Nevada

Earthquake swarm rattles central Nevada near Tonopah along newly identified fault

Published

8 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Earthquake swarm rattles central Nevada near Tonopah along newly identified fault

A swarm of earthquakes has been rattling a remote stretch of central Nevada near Tonopah, including a magnitude 4.0 quake that hit near Warm Springs Tuesday morning.

Seismologists said the activity is typical for Nevada, where clusters of earthquakes can flare up in a concentrated area. “This is a very Nevada-style earthquake sequence. We have these a lot where we just see an uptick in activity in a certain spot,” said Christie Rowe, director of the Nevada Seismological Lab.

The latest magnitude 4.0 quake struck east of Tonopah near Warm Springs. The largest earthquake in the swarm so far has measured a 4.2.

What has stood out to researchers is the fault involved. Rowe said the earthquakes are occurring along a fault stretching along the southern edge of the Monitor and Antelope ranges — and that it was previously unknown to scientists. “We didn’t know this fault was there. It’s a new fault to us — not to the Earth, obviously — but it was previously unknown,” Rowe said.

For now, the earthquakes have remained moderate. Rowe said the lab would not deploy additional temporary sensors unless activity increases to around a magnitude 5 or greater.

Seismologists said they are continuing to watch the swarm closely as Nevada works to bring the ShakeAlert early warning system to the state. The program, already active in neighboring states, can send cellphone alerts seconds before shaking arrives. “For me, it’s a really high priority. That distance to the faults gives us enough time to warn people — and that can make a big difference in reducing injuries and damage,” Rowe said.

Seismologists encouraged anyone who feels shaking to report it through the U.S. Geological Survey’s “Did You Feel It” system, saying even small quakes can help scientists better understand Nevada’s seismic activity.

Experts said the swarm is worth monitoring but is not cause for alarm. They noted that earthquakes like the 5.8 that hit near Yerington in December 2024 typically happen in Nevada about every eight to 10 years, and said they will continue monitoring the current activity closely.

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Nevada

Kalshi Enforcement Action Belongs in Nevada Court, Judge Says

Published

20 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Kalshi Enforcement Action Belongs in Nevada Court, Judge Says

Nevada state court is the proper venue for reviewing whether KalshiEX LLC is improperly accepting sports wagers without a license, a federal district court said.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board showed that the state statutes under which it seeks relief don’t require interpreting federal law, Judge Miranda M. Du of the US District Court for the District of Nevada said in a Monday order. The board’s action is now remanded to the First Judicial District Court in Carson City, Nev., the order said.

The board in 2025 urged Kalshi, a financial services company, to get a gaming license, but the …

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Nevada

EDITORIAL: Nevada still vulnerable as tourist downturn continues

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

EDITORIAL: Nevada still vulnerable as tourist downturn continues

Strip gaming executives can put their best spin on the numbers, but local tourism indicators remain a major concern. Casino operators seeking to draw more people through the door still have much work to do.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board released January gaming numbers Friday. The news was underwhelming. The state gaming win was down 6.6 percent from a year earlier. The Strip took the largest hit, an 11 percent drop. But the gloomy returns were spread throughout Clark County: Downtown Las Vegas was off 5.2 percent, Laughlin suffered a 3.3 percent decline and the Boulder Strip dipped by 7 percent.

For the current fiscal year, gaming tax collections are up a paltry
2.1 percent, below budget projections.

The red flags include more than gaming numbers. Recently released figures for 2025 reveal that visitation to Las Vegas fell nearly 8 percent from 2024, which represented the lowest total since the pandemic in 2021. Traffic at Reid International Airport fell more than 10 percent in December and was down 6 percent for the year. Strip occupancy rates fell 3 percent in 2025.

To be fair, this is not just a Las Vegas problem. International travel to the United States was down
4.8 percent in January, Forbes reported, the ninth straight month of decline. Travel from Europe fell 5.2 percent, and passenger counts from Asia fell 7.5 percent. Canadian tourism cratered by 22 percent.

No doubt that President Donald Trump’s blustery rhetoric has played a role in the decline, but there’s more at work. International tourism has been largely flat since Barack Obama’s last few years in office. But domestic travel has held relatively steady although it is “starting to cool,” according to the U.S. Travel Association. Las Vegas hasn’t been helped by high-profile complaints last year about exorbitant Strip prices for parking, bottled water and other staples. Casino operators responded by offering discounts, particularly for locals, and they’ll need to continue those policies into 2026.

The tourism downturn has ramifications for the state budget, which relies primarily on sales and gaming tax revenues to support spending plans. “Nevada’s employment and economic challenges reflect deep structural factors that extend beyond cyclical economic fluctuations,” noted a recent report by economic analyst John Restrepo. “The state’s extreme concentration in tourism and gaming creates unique vulnerabilities.”

The irony is that state and local politicians have been talking for the past half century about “diversifying” the state economy. In recent years, that effort has primarily consisted of handing out millions in tax breaks and other incentives to attract businesses to the state. A dispassionate observer might ask whether that approach has brought an adequate return on investment.

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