Show Caption
An 18-year-old hiker who experienced heat-related symptoms died while hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, park officials said.The hiker was below Havasupai Gardens when the Grand Canyon National Park Regional Communications Center received reports at about 1:40 p.m. on June 3 that he needed help, according to a June 6 news release from the National Park Service. Officials did not say whether he was hiking alone or who called for help.Rangers found him about 30 feet below the trail in a remote area near Garden Creek, park officials said. They performed lifesaving measures and coordinated a helicopter rescue, but the teenager later died.The teen was attempting a day hike from the South Rim to the Colorado River and back along the Bright Angel Trail, the most popular hiking trail into the Grand Canyon, according to the release. The park service recommends checking with rangers before attempting such a journey, noting that all trails into the area are steep and difficult."Destinations below Havasupai Gardens are not recommended day hikes due to the long distance, extreme temperature changes, and an approximately 5,000' (1,500 m) elevation change each way," the park service said.The hiker’s name was withheld pending notification of his family. The incident remains under investigation with the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office, which will determine the official cause of death, park officials said.Recent deaths at the Grand CanyonThe death came less than a month after the body of 26-year-old Arizona State University student Sandarsh Krishna was found below the South Rim near Verkamp's Visitor Center, after he had been missing for nearly two weeks.Krishna's family told the Arizona Republic that he embarked on a last-minute trip to the Grand Canyon to celebrate his upcoming graduation and the start of a new job."He is just a gem of a person," Krishna's sister-in-law, Dr. Pooja Shivananjappa, said.Krishna's death remained under investigation by the park service and the medical examiner's office as of May 12, and his cause of death had not been released.In 2025, 11 people died in Grand Canyon National Park, where common causes of death include falls, heat stroke, and drownings, according to park data. Park personnel also responded to 848 emergency medical incidents, 444 hiker assists, and 232 search and rescue missions in 2025, the data showed.Contributing: Shawn Raymundo, Arizona Republic
