A Shocking Amount Of People Are Vanishing Just 7 Hours From Boise

Look around. We are so lucky to live in a place like Idaho. Natural beauty surrounds us every day, and after being here for a while, it's easy to take for granted. As you drive through the state, you find many wide open spaces—places that have yet to be turned into factories, hotels, apartment complexes, and office buildings.

All of that beauty and wide-open landscapes may come at a price, though. A disturbing trend has emerged in Yellowstone National Park, just 6.5 hours from Boise.

According to the National Parks Service, a shocking amount of people are going missing each year in our National Parks. Author David Paulides says that 1,200 people have gone missing, and many of those cases have yet to be resolved.

Yellowstone, 3,471 square miles, is one of the largest parks in the United States and partially lies in Idaho. With its size being so large, it's no surprise that it has had its share of missing people. The number, however, seems to be more than it should be. It is estimated that more than 244 people disappear there each year, and many of them are never found.

Circumstances surrounding these people range from people getting lost while hiking to some just seeming to vanish without a trace. While the Park Service investigates each case and locates the missing person, the mysteries often continue.

When visiting a National Park, be sure to be prepared. Stay on the designated trails, inform your friends and family of your trip, and pay attention to the weather and the park's warnings and regulations.