A 37-year-old man tragically lost his life after falling from a hiking trail at Utah’s Zion National Park, as confirmed by authorities this week. The unnamed man was discovered on Sunday morning on the Canyon Overlook Trail, a mile-long route that runs along the park’s east side, according to the National Park Service.
A call was received around 7:06am about a “possible fall of a hiker in Zion National Park,” stated the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in a Facebook post. By 7:40am, Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue were on the scene where they found the man deceased and “determined he was beyond help.”
Shortly after, Washington County sheriff’s deputies arrived and “confirmed their findings,” the statement read. The Zion National Park Technical Search and Rescue Team assisted in recovery efforts, and the hiker’s remains were “transferred to the Washington County Medical Examiner for further examination,” said the National Park Service. Following the incident, the Canyon Overlook Trail was temporarily closed but has since reopened.
No additional details about the incident were immediately available. Authorities are now investigating the exact circumstances of the man’s death, including whether he fell or died by other means. The distance of his fall remains unclear, reports The Mirror US.
This isn’t the first tragic incident of someone falling to their death at Zion National Park. Just this past October, a 40 year old man reportedly plummeted approximately 200 feet to his death while hiking with three others, as reported by the National Park Service.
The entire trip was fraught with problems – two of the other hikers had to be airlifted out, and the third was rescued after abseiling down a cliffside.
