Newly revealed guidance issued by the Department of the Interior reportedly prohibits National Park staff from publicly releasing information about deaths across 435 sites nationwide. Experts say this puts visitors at risk.
Park staff and those who speak to the media were reportedly prohibited from notifying the public about deaths and certain injuries across 435 NPS sites nationwide (Photo: Joel Carillet/Getty Images)
Published June 25, 2026 04:34PM
A newly revealed internal memo allegedly bans National Park Service (NPS) staff from publicly reporting the deaths or severity of injuries at America’s national parks, according to a new report. Experts say this shift in transparency not only sets a dangerous precedent for park management but could also put visitors at risk.
According to a report recently published by The Washington Post, the Department of the Interior (DOI), which oversees NPS, distributed a memo to employees in December. Park staff and those who speak to the media were reportedly prohibited from notifying the public about deaths and certain injuries across 435 NPS sites nationwide.
In an email to Outside, a spokesperson for the DOI said the “narrative being presented is false and reflects a significant mischaracterization of the Department’s guidance.”
“Interior remains committed to providing timely and accurate information while ensuring families are notified first. The guidance was developed to create a more consistent approach to incident communications across the Department and is not intended to conceal fatalities or delay information,” the spokesperson wrote.
“We continue to provide public safety information, statements, news releases, and incident updates as appropriate, while respecting investigative processes, privacy considerations, next-of-kin notifications, and, in some cases, requests from family members not to release identifying information,” they added.
However, some experts say that the shift is unnecessary and could have repercussions for park visitors.
“This is a significant change in reporting requirements, and we do not know or understand the reason or motivation for the change,” Bill Wade, executive director of the advocacy group, Association of National Park Rangers, told Outside. Wade spent 34 years working for the NPS across several sites, including Mount Rainier and Yosemite. He said the change could erode public trust in the agency and harm its reputation.
“In the past, the NPS has consistently done a good job of providing measured, incremental reports on fatalities and has not been speculative, nor provided relevant details that should not be reported until next-of-kin have been notified or investigative requirements are met,” he added.
In the last week, the NPS failed to publicly report a series of deaths at areas under its jurisdiction; a 23-year-old died after falling off a waterfall in Yosemite, and a teenage girl drowned in Sequoia National Park during a hike. Outside found no record of either event on the NPS website.
What the Policy States
According to The Washington Post, the internal policy states “Interior shall not confirm a death,” and that this policy applies to “all Interior bureaus and offices” plus “all Interior communications involving fatalities, suspected fatalities, serious injuries or emotionally sensitive incidents.”
Only “appropriate authorities” can confirm a death, the outlet noted.
“Interior shall not confirm the severity of injuries,” the memo reportedly said, according to The Washington Post. “Interior may state only that an individual was transported and the method of transport. No additional medical information may be released.”
Staff can confirm that an incident occurred, the general location, that the department is responding, and that an investigation is ongoing; additional information will be shared when appropriate, The Washington Post said.
The memo further states that the new policy applies to “all Interior bureaus and offices,” the publication reported.
The Potential Dangers of Park Secrecy
Transparency can save lives, and keeping park deaths quiet may put visitors at risk.
“NPS has, in the past, often used these reports not only to provide accurate, truthful information, but when appropriate, to reinforce visitor safety and risk-awareness considerations related to the incident,” Wade said.
Dan Whitten, a search-and-rescue expert, said the decision could be in response to the extent of land NPS oversees and how deaths and injuries are investigated, which vary considerably. In an exclusive-jurisdiction national park like Yosemite, where only federal law applies, Whitten said federal authorities are responsible for all investigations.
“In other national parks like Joshua Tree, the responsibility for investigations falls to either the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner or Riverside County, depending on exactly where the injury or fatality occurred,” he added. “If there has been an issue with federal employees, releasing information without coordinating that through a local agency having jurisdiction, I could understand it could generate problems.”
Whitten said it is also less efficient to have the information released through various agencies.
“As long as the NPS provides the general information that an incident has occurred and an emergency response is happening, the information will still be available, just not as efficiently,” he said.
