The Grand Canyon, one of the most celebrated natural wonders in the United States, known for its deep valleys and rust-colored views, has been the site of multiple deaths this summer, raising concerns about hiker safety at the park.
There have been 11 deaths at Grand Canyon National Park so far this year — including three recent fatalities over one week. That is slightly above average from the past several years, Joëlle Baird, a spokesperson for the National Park Service, said Tuesday. The park averages around 17 deaths per year, with the most common cause being cardiac arrest, according to data from the past decade.
The three most recent deaths occurred within a span of seven days ending Aug. 6, when officials recovered the body of a 20-year-old woman from New Mexico about 150 feet below the rim of the canyon after a multiday search. Five days earlier, authorities found the body of a man who tried to BASE jump from the South Rim of the park, and at the end of July officials recovered the body of a North Carolina man 400 feet below the canyon’s rim after he had accidentally fallen from the edge.
“Despite facing inclement weather and hazardous terrain, the team has undertaken significant risks to complete these missions,” park officials said in a statement following the most recent death.
Earlier this summer, Grand Canyon officials reported another three deaths in less than a month, including one that occurred during an intense heat wave that swept the Western United States.
Rescue missions at the Grand Canyon are not uncommon. Over 250 people are rescued from the canyon each year, according to the National Park Service, and nearly 200 visitors have died at the park from 2007 to March 2024, 39 of them while hiking.
The Grand Canyon has been a main attraction in the Southwest since President Woodrow Wilson made it a national park in 1919. Each year, hikers of all abilities and skills flock to the park in northern Arizona, many of them carefully descending thousands of feet from the rim of the canyon to the Colorado River. Last year, it was the second-most-visited national park in the country, behind the Great Smoky Mountains.
Maggie Peikon, spokesperson for the American Hiking Society, said it was “incredibly sad” to hear of the deaths at the Grand Canyon this year. “Unfortunately, these kinds of hiking accidents (slipping, falling, heat-related illness) are not entirely uncommon, but there are some things hikers can do to do their best to avoid illness, injury and accidents like this on the trail,” she said in an email.
(National Park Service) A helicopter flies above Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona as authorities worked to recover the body of Leticia A. Castillo, 20, of Albuquerque, N.M. Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024.
One of the biggest mistakes Grand Canyon hikers make is neglecting to take into account the extreme heat and strength of the sun in the desert during the summer, Peikon said. Navigating the canyon’s rim throughout the park could also be dangerous, she said.
“It’s important to maintain spatial awareness, especially when taking photos or passing other hikers,” Peikon said. “Always stay on the trail, and if you’re taking a photo, stop for a moment rather than taking it while on the move.”
She recommends that hikers always pack the 10 essentials needed for any outdoor adventure, including an abundance of water. The general rule of thumb is to bring half a liter of water for every hour you plan to hike, and increase the amount to 1 liter per hour during the summer heat.
Renee Miller and Tim Beissinger, hiking stars on TikTok with more than 2 million followers and authors of “Thruhikers: A Guide to Life on the Trail,” recommend adding electrolyte powder to your water supply and bringing good maps.
“Paper maps work, but downloadable maps for a phone are usually an easier option,” they said in an email. “Make sure you download the map ahead of time for offline use, because you might not have service on your hike.”
Miller and Beissinger, who have explored more than 10,000 miles outside together, also recommend that hikers do not overestimate their abilities. “Don’t be ashamed to turn around if you find a trail is more challenging than expected, so you can avoid getting yourself into a dangerous situation,” they said.
Should an accident or serious injury occur, Miller and Beissinger suggest staying calm to avoid additional fatigue and quickly contacting emergency personnel.
“If you’re taking on a risky endeavor in remote areas without many other people or mobile service,” they said, “consider carrying an emergency satellite beacon, which can be used to call for help when there’s no cell signal.”
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.