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A recently revealed memo issued by the Interior Department late last year directs staff of the department, including within the National Park Service (NPS), not to alert or even confirm to the public when deaths have occurred at national parks.

The current policy is a marked shift from past practices. According to several current and former NPS employees, who spoke to The Washington Post about the new directive, the usual practice has been to alert the public as soon as possible, including by placing a press release on websites within 24-48 hours of a death occurring.

The current policy orders “all Interior bureaus and offices” to “not confirm a death” or any “fatalities, suspected fatalities, serious injuries, or emotionally sensitive incidents.”

“Interior shall not confirm the severity of injuries. Interior may state only that an individual was transported and the method of transport. No additional medical information may be released,” the directive states.

Only “appropriate authorities” — a term that stands undefined — can confirm a death.

National Parks Service Ends Free Entry on MLK Day, Juneteenth

Around 275 people have died each year in national parks across the country from 2020 to 2025, a tiny fraction of the close to 330 million people who visit them each year. Still, the decision to keep information hidden from the public could have consequences, potentially........

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