Category - National Parks
Hiker, 37, Plummets to Death at Popular National Park
A hiker fell to his death in Utah's Zion National Park over the weekend from one of the park's most popular trails, in an incident currently being investigated by authorities.
According to a press release from the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the unnamed 37-year-old man was found dead on the Canyon Overlook Trail on Sunday morning. The mile-long trail, which runs along the east side of the park, is described as beginning with "a series of sandstone steps with a metal handrail leading visitors over rocky terrain above a dark slot canyon."
Authorities received a call shortly after 7 a.m. with reports of a possible hiker fall. Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue was the first to arrive on scene at approximately 7:40 am., at which point they located a deceased male but "determined he was beyond help."
The National Parks Service said in a statement that Zion National Park Rangers and Zion Technical Search and Rescue also responded to the scene to assist with recovery efforts. The hiker's remains were transferred to the Washington County Medical Examiner for further examination, and detectives are likewise conducting an active investigation into the exact cause of death.
However, there are no details into the hiker's identity or how he may have fallen.
The Canyon Overlook Trail was temporarily closed amid the recovery operations, but was reopened shortly after.
Just months ago, a 40-year-old software CEO tragically died in Zion National Park when he suddenly slipped and fell approximately 200 feet while canyoneering near Heaps Canyon with three others in October 2024. The back-to-back incidents underscore that even experienced hikers should express an abundance of caution while scaling the steep canyons found within Zion.