It’s become a familiar scene: a tourist tiptoeing toward a bison or bear in Yellowstone, phone in hand, eager to snap a selfie for Instagram. Nearby, others stray from boardwalks, throw food at animals, or fly drones through protected skies. From feeding bears to flying illegal drones and trampling fragile thermal areas, rule-breaking in U.S. national parks seems to be on the rise.
While some of the national park rules might seem strange or overly strict, they’re there for a reason—to protect both visitors and the natural environments they’ve come to enjoy.
And it’s not just annoying; it’s dangerous for humans, devastating for wildlife, and damaging to ecosystems meant to be preserved for future generations.
So, what’s driving this troubling trend? And with more visitors flooding into