BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Utah – Park rangers say they recovered the body of a missing hiker Saturday in Bryce Canyon after thunderstorms flooded the area.
Search crews from the park, Garfield County Sheriff’s office and the Utah Department of Public Safety set out Friday night to find a hiker who was very late checking in. The 64-year-old Arizona woman went on an 8-mile hike but never returned.
Six hours later, searchers found her body about a mile from the Fairyland Loop Trail, where she was hiking.
“A thunderstorm delivered heavy rain to the northern end of Bryce Canyon National Park on the afternoon of August 25. Flash flooding was observed in dry washes along the 8-mile Fairyland Loop trail,” the National Park Service said.
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As you can see from a photo of the trail on a sunny day, parts are very exposed and cling to a steep mountain. Other areas are perched between steep ravines.
“This is a tragic event, and our deepest sympathy goes out to the victim’s friends and family,” said Allana Olbrich, acting Bryce Canyon superintendent, in a statement.