13-Year-Old Hiker Dies In Zion National Park After Falling Off Cliff

A 13-year-old girl died after falling from a cliff while hiking on Angels Landing, a popular narrow trail bordered by steep drops at Zion National Park, Utah, officials said Tuesday.

The body of the girl, who has not been identified yet but is believed to be from Utah, was found along the park's West Rim Trail in Refrigerator Canyon.

A park spokesman said: "All fingers point to the fact that she fell from Angels Landing."

It was estimated the girl fell from a height of at least 1,000-1,500 feet approximately, KUTV reported. She was hiking the trail with family but turned back on her own when she tumbled from the Angels Landing Trail Monday evening, park officials said. She was soon discovered by hikers on the West Rim trail underneath.

Her family was notified of the incident, authorities said. The girl had reportedly hiked there before, and the trail was said to be clear of ice and snow.

Investigators were searching for an eyewitness. They said multiple people heard her fall around 5 p.m. EST on Monday, but nobody specifically saw it, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Hikers found the body shortly thereafter.

“The injuries sustained were consistent with a high elevation fall,” park officials said in a statement.

Angels Landing was closed Tuesday morning in order to investigate the fall from a path that ascends some 1,500 feet above the southern Utah Park’s red-rock cliffs.

The girl, who died Monday, would be the 8th official fatality from the trail since 2004. Before that, another incident occurred in March 2017.

The park website states the following information in a description of the Angels Landing Trail:

"Caution: The route to Angels Landing involves travel along a steep, narrow ridge with support chains anchored intermittently along the route. Footing can be slippery even when the rock is dry. Unevenly surfaced steps are cut into the rock with major cliff drop-offs adjacent. Keep off when it is wet, icy or thunderstorms are in the area. Plan to be off before dark. Younger children should skip this trail; older children must be closely supervised."

The trail to Angels Landing from the West Rim Trail is said to be 5.4 miles, takes around four hours to complete and has 1,488 feet of elevation gain, according to the park's guide.

The trail, which is considered to be one of the more popular hikes in the park, is rated "strenuous."

The park's guide notes: "Long drop-offs. Not for young children or anyone fearful of heights. Last section is a route along a steep, narrow ridge to the summit."

After Monday's incident park spokesman John Marciano said about the trail's safety: "I think we've done everything we possibly can. Every time there is an incident like this, we continue to investigate how we can make the trail more safe.”

"This is an extremely sad event. Our thoughts go out to this visitor’s family," Jeff Bradybaugh, the park's superintendent said.