Three Hikers Die From Heat-Related Illness in Grand Canyon National Park

Three hikers died from heat-related illness inside Grand Canyon National Park in two separate incidents this month. A 72-year-old man died June 12 on the South Kaibab Trail. Two hikers, ages 67 and 68, were found dead June 16 on the North Kaibab Trail.

Rangers and emergency personnel found all three hikers deceased upon arrival, the National Park Service said in a June 19 release. The investigation into the June 16 deaths remains ongoing. The National Weather Service issued an extreme-heat watch for the park covering midday Monday through Tuesday.

Temperatures at Phantom Ranch could reach or exceed 110 °F (43 °C). Temperatures at the canyon rim are typically 20–25 °F cooler than those at the bottom, and shade temperatures in the Inner Canyon can hit 109 °F around midday. The National Park Service described the North Kaibab Trail as the most difficult of the major inner-canyon routes.

The South Kaibab Trail offers expansive views but little shade and no water except a filling station at the trailhead during summer. Park officials issued a release advising visitors to avoid strenuous hiking in the middle of the day. The region is approaching its hottest period before monsoon rains arrive later in the summer.

Much of the western United States from the Rockies to the Pacific Coast recorded above-average temperatures Saturday, with even hotter conditions expected early next week. The prolonged dry, hot weather and low humidity have also raised fire danger across the region. About 90 miles south of the Grand Canyon, a wildfire burned several hundred acres just north of Sedona, Arizona.

U.S. Forest Service ordered evacuations for Oak Creek Canyon visitors and residents late Friday. Roughly 30 miles of the adjacent state highway were closed in both directions. At least a dozen agencies responded to the fire, according to the Sedona Fire Department.