Hiker dies on Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon

Havasupai Gardens is 4.8 miles below the South Rim along the Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon National Park | Photo courtesy of National Park Service, St. George News

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. A 56-year-old man was found dead Feb. 17 in Grand Canyon National Park after authorities believe he was attempting a day hike to the Colorado River and back.

The Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a report at approximately 3 p.m. of an unresponsive hiker on the Bright Angel Trail below Havasupai Gardens, which is 4.8 miles below the South Rim.

National Park Service search and rescue personnel arrived on scene at approximately 3:30 p.m. and pronounced the individual, believed to be from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, deceased.

According to the NPS Grand Canyon website: “The Bright Angel Trail offers wonderful views all along the trail making it very easy to lose track of how far down you have hiked. Additionally, the steepness of the trail is very misleading on the way down. Plan on taking twice as long to hike up as it took to hike down.”

An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the NPS in coordination with the Coconino County Medical Examiner.

No additional information is available at this time.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!