As visitation numbers continue to reach new heights, national parks are having trouble staffing enough rangers to keep up with demand, according to the nonprofit organization Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
“The Park Service’s ranger force is in deteriorating condition and getting worse,” Pacific PEER Director Jeff Ruch said in a statement. “This steady ebb of ranger staffing puts both visitors and park resources at greater peril.”
After analyzing data from the National Park Service obtained using the Freedom of Information Act, PEER said staffing dropped 48% between 2010 and 2023, with a 27% drop since 2021 alone. In the Pacific West region — which includes California, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Nevada — staffing has dropped from 323 permanent rangers and 114 temporary rangers during peak season in 2005 to 290 permanent rangers and only 52 temporary rangers during peak season in 2021.
