Unsettling Reasons To Avoid Yellowstone's 'Zone Of Death' In Idaho

The western U.S. state of Idaho seems unable to escape its somewhat controversial reputation. Between its fringe politicians and reportedly unwelcoming locals, the many (really, many!) wonderful things about the Gem State are unfortunately overlooked. To make matters even more interesting, for a brief period at the beginning of Idaho's history, you could legally get away with murder — and at least two people did. In fact, it's still not completely impossible to commit a crime and escape the consequences in modern-day Idaho, as there's a place in the state known as the "Zone of Death." (Oh, Idaho. What are you even doing?)

America's best idea is (almost unanimously) agreed to be its robust national park system. The very first national park, Yellowstone, was established in 1872, and remains one of the most popular national parks in America. Today, most of Yellowstone is in Wyoming, with about 3% covering part of Montana and about 1% within Idaho's borders. And in true Idaho fashion, this section just happens to be the part of Yellowstone known as, you guessed it, the Zone of Death. Contrary to the nickname's image, this so-called Zone of Death doesn't get its moniker from a strange, Bermuda Triangle-like phenomenon where nothing can mysteriously survive in this specific corner. The real truth is more complicated than that.

The Zone of Death, a 50-square-mile sliver of Yellowstone inside Idaho, is not a lifeless wasteland — it's not even one of the most dangerous places in the national parks. It's home to grizzly bears, elk, bison — and zero people, which has significant legal implications. Thanks to a strange loophole in the U.S. Constitution, it's possible to (literally) get away with murder here. This is where we circle back to the lack of population, as the Sixth Amendment guarantees "a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed."

However, there are no people in the Zone of Death to form a jury, so it could technically be unconstitutional to prosecute the defendant, thanks to the Sixth Amendment. This theoretical chance of escaping the rule of law has yet to be tested, although a poaching case in Montana briefly touched on the Zone of Death. However, there's some concern that violent crimes are happening in this area and not being investigated due to its location. So far, any attempts by legal experts and local representatives to close this loophole have been unsuccessful.

As if this legal gray area wasn't unsettling enough, the Zone of Death is also one of the most remote areas of Yellowstone National Park. You can't reach it by car, only by foot or horseback, and the trails are notoriously overgrown. Being far from civilization in every way possible makes this area dangerous in a whole different way, with unpredictable terrain and weather that can be deadly.

[Public domain/National Park Service, via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled]

It's probably a good rule of thumb to avoid places with names like the Zone of Death, even if the likelihood of death (or committing murder) is slim. So, where to go instead? Despite Idaho's potentially concerning landscape, it truly is a beautiful state full of unique, accessible nature — and bonus, (almost) none of it has confusing jurisdiction laws or unnerving nicknames. (Except for names like Hangman's Gulch or Massacre Rocks... Idaho stories for another day). Idaho itself is a U.S. destination spot that should be on your bucket list, with moon-like landscapes, giant caves, steep canyons, and rushing waterfalls.

If you'd rather venture outside of Idaho, the rest of Yellowstone National Park is always worth a visit. See Old Faithful, the famous geyser that dramatically — and reliably — blasts water out of the Earth approximately every 90 minutes, and the colorful Grand Prismatic Spring. Or, drive past fields of bison and pastures of elk to reach the incredible Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and its famous waterfall. In addition, it's easy to reach the gorgeous, craggy peaks known as the Tetons, as part of Idaho is near the eponymous national park (this one entirely located within the borders of Wyoming).