The Most Dangerous National Parks

Government Executive May 15, 2003

National park rangers nationwide were surveyed in 2002 about which parks were most dangerous and why. Here are the top 10:

  1. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

    2. Arizona-Mexico border
    • Drug trafficking and heavy illegal immigrant traffic
  2. Big Bend National Park

    3. Texas-Mexico border
    • Drug smuggling, illegal immigrant traffic, plant and animal poachers along more than 100 miles of the border with Mexico
  3. Padre Island National Seashore

    4. Texas Gulf Coast
    • Drug smuggling, illegal immigrant traffic, poaching of endangered turtles and their eggs, illegal commercial fishing, radio communications problems
  4. Shenandoah National Park

    5. Northwest Virginia
    • No reliable radio communications on eastern side of the park, reduced ranger staff, plant and animal poaching
  5. Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    6. East of Las Vegas, on Arizona border
    • Ranger staff too small by half
  6. Grand Canyon National Park

    7. Northern Arizona
    • Crime caused by overcrowding; frequent, difficult and dangerous rescues of injured and exhausted hikers
  7. San Juan National Historic Site

    8. Puerto Rico
    • Urban park with gang and drug problems, short staffed with just two commissioned rangers and one commissioned supervisor
  8. Yosemite National Park

    9. Northeast California
    • Too few rangers, heavy workload, poorly equipped and staffed fire brigade
  9. Biscayne National Park

    10. Southeast Florida
    • Illegal commercial fishing, drug smuggling, congested boat channels
  10. Gateway East, Sandy Hook Unit

    11. Northeast New Jersey
    • More than 2 million visitors, state's only beach to allow alcohol and nudity, shrinking ranger staff, potential terrorist targets in major shipping lanes

Source: National Park Rangers Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police

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COMMENTS

  • This list is the reason why law abiding citizens with concealed carry permits should be allowed to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms on National Park Lands and National Wildlife Refuges. I believe I should have the right to defend myself and my family against those criminals who frequent these parks if needed. Theresa Schretzmann-Myers Posted July 13, 2008 10:11 AM
  • This is why! Walt Cleighton Posted February 26, 2008 8:13 AM
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