The National Park Service confirmed that three people died from heat-related illnesses in two separate incidents last week at Grand Canyon National Park.
Officials said both incidents involved hikers found on trails within the park. The first death occurred June 12 and involved a 72-year-old man who died due to extreme heat along the South Kaibab Trail. The second incident involved a 67-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman on the North Kaibab Trail.
RELATED STORY | El Niño is here and scientists fear it'll be big, bad and costly
The National Park Service said rescue efforts were underway before the hikers died.
According to park officials, daytime temperatures can exceed 109 degrees in shaded parts of some trails in June. The National Weather Service reported a high temperature of 88 degrees on June 12 and 90 degrees on June 16 at a nearby weather station.
Park rangers advise visitors to avoid hiking between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the summer due to dangerous temperatures.
“Hiking up the South Kaibab Trail during the summer months is extremely strenuous and potentially dangerous due to intense heat, minimal shade and no water sources,” the park service said in a statement. “Similarly, the Tonto Trail between The Tipoff and Havasupai Gardens offers no water and very limited shade.”
RELATED STORY | Body of woman found after flash flooding in Grand Canyon
From 2007 through 2025, there have been 227 deaths reported at the national park, according to park data.
