2 hikers dead after getting lost in Canyonlands National Park
Jul 13, 2024, 4:49 PM | Updated: Jul 15, 2024, 11:28 am
Colorful layers of rock line the dome. (Veronica Verdin, National Park Service)
(Veronica Verdin, National Park Service)
MOAB — Officials at Canyonlands National Park say two people were found dead inside the park on Friday.
According to a press release from the National Park Service, the two hikers have been identified as 23-year-old Beatriz Herrera and Albino Herrera Espinoza, her 52-year-old father. The two were hiking on the Syncline Trail in the Island in the Sky District when they got lost.
The two were from Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The release states that the air temperature at the time was over 100 degrees, and the two individuals had run out of water.
The San Juan County Dispatch had received a 911 text from the two hikers, according to the release. However, when first responders located the two hikers in the Upheaval Dome area, they were already dead. Due to the rugged terrain in the remote area, deputies coordinated with the Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter to recover their bodies.
The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office and the NPS are investigating the incident. The Utah DPS provided additional assistance.
While temperatures remain high, visitors to the park are urged to carry plenty of water and avoid strenuous activity during midday heat.
