Top 10 Most Dangerous National Parks to Visit During the Winter Season

John Foy and Associates used 15 years of data to narrow down the most dangerous US National Parks in the Winter.

Mount Rainier, Washington, USA / @intracateexplorer / Unsplas

US National Parks are one of the best places to visit in the country, but not every one is made to be visited in every time of the year.

While some are better experienced in the Summer, some are more suited for the Winter. The same can be said about how dangerous they are as well.

Injury lawyers John Foy and Associates released a study overviewing data from all 432 National Parks to see which are the most dangerous to visit in the winter, using 15 years of dats.

There are 10 parks that stood out with at least four deaths per 10 million visitors.

10. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan - 4.04 deaths

This is surrounding Lake Superior and can be dangerous because the cliffs can become less durable and the lake can cause drastic weather changes.

9. Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Tennessee - 4.24 deaths

The river area can be dangerous any time of year, due to being slippery and wet. The winter adds in the mix of ice and black ice, making it even more of a slip hazard.

8. Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina - 4.35 deaths

Winter storms can make the ocean more dangerous to be in. It is not recommended to surf here in the winter for this reason, despite how great of an area it is in the summer.

7. Mojave National Preserve, California - 4.36 deaths

One of the main reasons that this is dangerous is simply the unpredictability of the weather in the area. Even if it is fine during the day, the temperature can drop drastically at night. That can make it hard to plan a safe trip.

6. Yosemite National Park, California - 5.23 deaths

Similar to others, an uptick in black ice can make walking trails much more hazardous in the winter. It is extra important not to travel alone incase something happens.

5. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona - 5.45 deaths

The Grand Canyon is one of the most dangerous in the Summer. It has a similar issue of ice, but also has vastly fluctuating temperatures depending on the time of day.

4. Death Valley National Park, California - 5.87 deaths

The quick change from the heat during the day to freezing temperatures in night can lead to hypothermia. It is slightly safer to visit because of the lowered temperatured in the day, but it is important to be prepared to either leave on time or bring the correct gear for night.

3. Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada - 6.23 deaths

The water in Lake Mead can be deadly cold during the winter. After falling in, some could fall victim to hypothermia within minutes.

2. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington - 8.55 deaths

The sheer amount of snow that the mountain generates in the Winter can be lead to dangerous situations. Hiking has much lower visibility, tracks can be lost easier and the snow can simply get too high to travel through. Altitude sickness will also be worse.

1. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, California - 12.19 deaths

This place has a combination of pretty much everything before, which is why it is vastly more dangerous than any other park. The different areas have different dangers, so it is important to be well prepared before visiting.