Our national parks are filled with awesome hikes, but many are more dangerous than you might think, and you might be surprised at the reasons why.
The following 13 national park hikes are popular and generally thought of as pretty safe but can actually be surprisingly dangerous.
Let’s see what they are and why.
Mist Trail– Yosemite, California
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The Mist Trail is a way of linking two of Yosemite’s most spectacular waterfalls– Nevada and Vernal. The descent from Vernal Fall includes a metal staircase that can get very slippery from the spray. Also, although there are rails at the brink of each waterfall and swimming is strictly forbidden, that hasn’t stopped people from going in, anyway, and people have been swept away by the currents and taken over the falls.
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes– Death Valley, California
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The dunes here aren’t far from the parking lot and aren’t super tall, so you might not think they present much risk. The trouble is the heat. Temperatures can get over 130 degrees in Death Valley, and surface temperatures at the dunes get even hotter. This has turned into a fatal trap for people who go out without adequate hydration and sun protection.
Iceberg Lake– Glacier, Montana
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This trail is #1 in the park for the number of bear sightings. Usually, bears ignore people or run away, but surprising a bear, getting too close to its food, and getting too close to its cubs have all led to maulings in Glacier and elsewhere.
Norris Geyser Basin– Yellowstone, Wyoming
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As with the Yosemite waterfalls, this is another case of people not heeding warnings. The boardwalks and established trails in geyser basins are there to keep people safe, and the crust can be thin and fragile. A few years ago, someone who left the boardwalk here fell through the crust; and the boiling water and minerals calcified him almost instantly. It wasn’t the first instance of something like that happening in Yellowstone.
Cascade-Paintbrush Loop– Grand Teton, Wyoming
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Arguably the most spectacular hike in the park, this loop is 19-23 miles depending on whether you use the boat shuttle across Jenny Lake. The length and elevation gain on this hike can lead to exhaustion, people who go out too late in the day run the risk of exposure to lightning, and Paintbrush Divide can be snowy and icy well into July, requiring an ice axe and knowing how to use one.
Flattop Mountain– Rocky Mountain, Colorado
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Flattop Mountain is one of the easiest summits to reach in the park, but that doesn’t mean there are no risks. People not off the summit by 10 are at a heightened risk of being caught in thunderstorms that can develop rapidly. Altitude sickness can also be an issue here, so don’t make this your first hike in the park unless you’re already acclimated to high elevations.
Virgin River Narrows– Zion, Utah
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One of the most unique and beautiful hikes in the country, the Narrows come with some risks. The most severe is flash flooding; never go into any narrow canyon if rain is in the forecast or dark clouds suddenly gather. Hypothermia is also a risk; the canyon floor doesn’t get much sun, and even in the summer, the cold water and shade can be threats.
Angels Landing– Zion, Utah
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Heat exhaustion is not uncommon on this very popular hike since so many people don’t take enough water, don’t have sun protection, and don’t use adequate footwear. The final stretch to the summit is along a steep, narrow ridge that has chains installed for hikers to grab onto. Despite that, people have slipped and fallen to their deaths here.
Rim Trail– Grand Canyon, Arizona
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The Rim Trail on the South Rim is flat and easy and always close to a road, so what could be the big risk? It’s that a number of people have been careless near the edge and fallen into the canyon. Some of these have been cases of people trying to get the perfect selfie.
South Kaibab-Bright Angel Trail– Grand Canyon, Arizona
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Heat is the nemesis here, as the bottom of the canyon is typically 20 degrees or so hotter than up on the rim. Park staff recommend not trying to hike to the river and back when inner-canyon temperatures are 90 or higher. People have died from heatstroke and heat exhaustion as a result from taking on too much in a day or hiking back up when it’s hot.
Alkali Flat– White Sands, New Mexico
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This pretty hike into the heart of the white dunes here has the same major risks that the Mesquite Flat Dunes have: deadly heat and dehydration. Also, eye protection is critical here; in the sun, the sands are blindingly bright, and unprotected exposure to them can cause a condition similar to snow blindness.
Old Rag– Shenandoah, Virginia
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Old Rag has a fun, very popular route called the Ridge Trail that involves some scrambling and tight squeezes. Unfortunately, many people who aren’t ready for the strenuousness of the route have gotten themselves into minor and major trouble.
Whiteoak Canyon– Shenandoah, Virginia
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Whiteoak Canyon has 6 waterfalls. Four are visible from the trail, and three of those are directly beside the trail. The rocks around the falls and their plunge pools are often slick and mossy, and clambering on them has caused slips. Falling near the brink of a waterfall could be fatal. Falling into one of the pools on a chilly day with a lot of cloud cover makes hypothermia a risk.
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