5 Things To Never Do In National Parks

Above, lounging bison in a Yellowstone meadow. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Sometimes I have to wonder if people visiting our national parks are leaving their commons sense at the entrance gates.

There's been a spate of encounters between people and bison and people chasing after bears.

Sunset Magazine's website has a list of five things one should never do in national parks.

They begin with:

While the peak of summer travel season in our majestic National Parks is coming to a close, fall is still a busy (and very beautiful) time to visit, especially with the leaves changing colors. But given the number of altercations between humans and wildlife as of late—with viral videos of tourists chasing bears and being gored by bison in Yellowstone—perhaps it’s time for a refresher on what you shouldn’t do when visiting our National Parks. The basic principles of Leave No Trace are important guidelines to follow so that you and your family stay safe, and to ensure that the natural environment remains intact for future generations to enjoy it.

Though incidences of injury from animals are indeed on the rise, the risk of being attacked is still relatively low, but with so many people in the park during peak season, it’s not surprising that this many things happen. Overwhelmingly, the incidents are a result of the people getting too close to the animals, like the scenario in Yellowstone where tourists were racing towards a family of bears.

“A lot of people don’t have familiarity with real, authentic wildlife. When they come into these areas they think that they’re essentially visiting a zoo. This is not a zoo. These are National Parks,” said Grant T. Johnson, a wildlife guide in Yellowstone in a recent CNN broadcast. “These are true wild, authentic wildernesses, and these animals are wild and they’re potentially dangerous if you push the limits with them.”

As fall travel season approaches, here’s a reminder of what you absolutely shouldn’t do when traveling to National Parks, or other wild lands for that matter. Ultimately, staying safe and keeping wildlife wild is up to us as visitors, so do so responsibly.

To read more, go here.