Releasing Ashes: What You Need to Know

The act of releasing our loved one’s ashes after their cremation services in Longview, TX is a very beautiful way of letting them go back to nature. It also provides a visual of saying goodbye which can be therapeutic and help in the healing process.  

Where you scatter your loved one’s cremains is up to you, but wherever you decide, you need to make sure all local laws and regulations are being followed. While every location will have it’s own laws on releasing ashes, there are some general guidelines that apply to several locations.

Most all United States National Parks allow for families to release ashes. It’s important to note here that while most National Parks allow for releasing of ashes, National Forests do not. Therefore also make sure you are looking at parks and not forests.  

Luckily there are so many beautiful National Parks, you shouldn’t have any problem finding a perfect spot. Once you have decided on the park, it’s always a good idea to call them directly and double check about any rules.  

As a general guide, most parks allow releasing as long as you follow these rules:

Some parks may require a permit before you arrive to release the ashes. These are typically easy to acquire from the parks’ website.   

If you would like to release your loved one’s remains at a state park, the rules are very similar. Just make sure to call the specific park ahead of time and check about regulations.

If their loved one was a fan of the ocean, some families may choose to release the remains at sea. This is also allowed as long as you follow basic rules which include:

If you have private land then normally you are allowed to release the ashes as you see fit. However, when it comes to private land you do not own, you must always get the permission of the land owner; no exceptions. If you are caught releasing ashes on private land, you might face fines and even jail time as you will be charged with trespassing.  

If you need more information about cremation services in Longview, TX, or ideas on where to scatter your loved one’s cremains, give us a call or drop in anytime as we are always here to help.