Eleven hikers were rescued and two were hospitalized on Monday, August 24, after heavy thunderstorms triggered flash flooding at Bryce Canyon National Park, according to a August 26 report.
The hikers were traveling in four separate groups when flooding stranded them on trails within the park, according to the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office.
Rescue operations began around 2:30 p.m. and continued until approximately 5:30 p.m. Approximately 15 to 20 personnel from Garfield County Search and Rescue, Garfield County EMS, and Bryce Canyon National Park responded to the scene. While lightning in the area temporarily delayed rescue efforts, crews eventually helped all four groups to safety.
Two hikers showed signs of hypothermia and were transported to a hospital, while the other nine were evaluated and released at the scene. All 11 hikers were accounted for by Monday evening, and no one was reported swept away by the floodwaters.
The flooding affected the Fairyland Loop, Navajo Loop, Queen’s Garden, and Peek-A-Boo Loop trails. State Route 12 was temporarily closed due to the flooding but later reopened.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for southwestern Garfield and north-central Kane counties at 2:43 p.m. Monday, reporting thunderstorms and heavy rain over portions of Bryce Canyon. By 4:14 p.m., National Park Service personnel reported mudslides and rockfalls in the park and high flows on the Paria River south of Tropic. The Weather Service stated that up to two inches of rain had fallen primarily over Bryce Canyon and described the ongoing flash flooding as life-threatening.
