National Park Service staff instructed to limit details on visitor deaths, injuries

Zion National Park. Photo: Jamie Hagan // UnSplash

A new communication policy at the Interior Department is restricting what National Park Service employees can publicly disclose about visitor deaths and serious injuries. The shift is drawing criticism from former park officials and safety advocates who say the changes could limit public awareness about hazards in national parks.

The policy, outlined in a December 2025 internal memo reviewed by The Washington Post, directs Interior Department employees — including National Park Service staff — not to confirm deaths or disclose the severity of injuries in park incidents.

Instead, staff may confirm only that an incident occurred, the general location, that responders are involved, and that additional information will be shared when appropriate.

The guidance states that Interior employees “shall not confirm a death” and that only appropriate authorities may do so after coordination with communications staff and notification of next of kin. It also restricts the release of medical details or injury severity.

The Interior Department said the policy is intended to create a consistent approach to incident communications and is not meant to conceal fatalities or delay information. Officials said updates may still be provided while considering investigations, privacy concerns, family notifications, and requests from relatives.

Critics, including current and former National Park Service employees, argue the policy represents a shift away from the agency’s previous approach of releasing information as quickly as possible once basic facts were confirmed. They say publicizing incidents can help visitors understand risks and make safer decisions when recreating on public lands.

Former park officials have pointed to situations such as deadly falls, drownings, wildlife encounters, and extreme weather incidents where timely information can help alert other visitors to potential dangers.

The issue could have implications for Utah residents, many of whom regularly visit national parks and other federal recreation areas throughout the state and surrounding region. Parks such as Zion National Park, Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Park draw millions of visitors each year, with hazards ranging from extreme heat and difficult terrain to river conditions and steep drop-offs.

According to National Park Service data cited by The Washington Post, roughly 350 people die in national parks each year, a small fraction of the hundreds of millions of annual visits to the park system.

The National Park Service has not announced a public-facing change to visitor safety messaging, and individual parks may continue releasing updates depending on circumstances and agency guidance.