National park cracks down on foods you can bring in

The new rule affects 'food, trash, scented items and cooking utensils.'

Apr 17, 2025 - 17:47

National park cracks down on foods you can bring in

While some of people's fondest national park memories have to do with roasting something on a campfire or breaking out a much-deserved snack after completing a difficult hike, the food that visitors bring in can also cause multiple problems.

Garbage not properly disposed of can start fires, attract dangerous wildfires, disrupt the park's ecosystem, and create an unsightly nuisance that takes staff effort to clean up.

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'Food, trash, scented items, cooking supplies, and utensils' all subject to new park rules, NPS says

Located almost 60 miles off the Michigan shore in the Middle of Lake Superior, Isle Royale National Park often lands on lists of the country's most remote national parks. Both visitors and staff can only get there by ferry, private boat, or small plane.

As a result of low staff numbers that are further threatened by the current administration government job cuts, Isle Royale park authorities have implemented new food rules. These protect wildlife and minimize animal-human interactions that can create emergencies to which staff may have limited capacity to respond.

As of April 16, any food and items used to prepare food brought into the park's 36 campgrounds need to be stored in animal-resistant containers. The government agency links to a specific list of products approved to be bear-resistant, but in general, the term means something made of a solid material such as glass or plastic and that can be closed to create a seal.

"Food storage refers to food, trash, scented items, cooking supplies and utensils, and fish," the National Park Service (NPS) wrote in its clarification. "[...] Additionally, park staff will be implementing food storage lockers at every campground throughout Isle Royale. Installation will be ongoing throughout the 2025 season."

*Food remains can attract bears and other wildlife in multiple national parks across the U.S.*
Image source: Kathleen Reeder Wildlife Photography via Getty

'If unable to hang, secure container to a boulder'

The new rules are meant to keep dangerous wildlife — from which visitors are instructed to keep at least 100 feet away — at a distance.

While the change affects primarily those who are visiting the park overnight and bringing in large amounts of food or extensive cooking materials, anyone coming in for the day and eating small snacks in the park is also reminded to not dispose of anything outside designated garbage cans and keep any waste in a sealed container if those are not available.

Isle Royale is home to animals such as moose and wolves, which often follow the scent of food. Recent injuries in national parks include an 83-year-old woman who was gored when a bison snuck up behind her on a hike at Yellowstone and a 35-year-old man who was attacked by a bear at Montana's Glacier National Park.

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"For cross-country campers, and for those camping in a campground where food storage lockers have yet to be installed, hang container 12 feet high, six feet from tree trunk," NPS writes. "If unable to hang, secure container to a boulder, log, or tree 200 feet from camp. Boaters are instructed to secure their items in their boat’s cabin or within a secured animal-resistant container or cooler."