The Most Dangerous National Parks in America

A peaceful hike can be a panacea for daily stressors—but maybe not if you're exploring America's most dangerous landscapes. Per the Manual, Malloy Law Offices took a look at data on deaths in our nation's national parks, compiled from 2014 to 2023, and found that Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which straddles Nevada and Arizona, is the most perilous of them all, with drowning and car crashes cited as the main causes of death. "Whether trekking through rugged mountain terrain, boating in vast bodies of water, or simply driving a scenic road, I have to stress the importance of preparation," Malloy Law Offices rep Seann Malloy says, per Quartz. "These national parks are beautiful but inherently unpredictable." Here are the 10 most dangerous, along with the number of fatalities logged in each over the past decade:

1. Lake Mead National Recreation Area (Nevada/Arizona); 204 incidents
2. Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona); 134 incidents
3. Yosemite National Park (California); 125 incidents
4. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina/Tennessee); 99 incidents
5. Blue Ridge Parkway (Virginia/North Carolina); 97 incidents
6. Natchez Trace Parkway (Alabama/Mississippi/Tennessee); 96 incidents
7. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (Utah/Arizona); 77 incidents
8. Golden Gate National Recreation Area (California); 72 incidents
9. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (California); 65 incidents
10. Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Maryland/DC); 62 incidents

(More national parks stories.)