64-Year-Old Woman Dies Hiking Desert Trail in Big Bend National Park, Texas

Tracey Harrington McCoy
·2 min read
Big Bend National Park grapevine trail with blue sky and mountains
Big Bend National Park grapevine trail with blue sky and mountains

Getty Big Bend National Park

A 64-year-old woman is dead following a tragic hiking accident in Big Bend National Park, Texas.

The unnamed hiker was walking along the Hot Springs Canyon Trail on Monday when she "collapsed and was unresponsive," park authorities shared in a release.

It added that the park's Communications Center received a call for emergency assistance at around 2:45 p.m. and that a team of Park Rangers and a U.S. Border Patrol Agent found the hiker at 3:30 p.m. and immediately administered CPR.

A U.S. Border Patrol helicopter was also called in to provide emergency transport of the patient but all attempts to revive the hiker were sadly unsuccessful, the release added.

"Big Bend National Park staff and our partners are saddened by this loss," acting deputy superintendent Rick Gupman said in a statement.

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This is a classic view of The Window in the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park
This is a classic view of The Window in the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park

Getty Big Bend National Park

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"While we can't conclude that weather was a factor in this incident, March reminds us that the beauty of Spring often brings dangerously hot temperatures to Big Bend. Our entire Big Bend family extends our deep condolences to the hiker's family and friends," he added.

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The Hot Springs Canyon Trail winds three miles through rugged desert and rocky cliffs above the Rio Grande in Texas. The absence of shade or water along the hike makes it a particularly dangerous route to attempt in the heat of the afternoon, according to the Big Bend statement.

Big Bend National Park itself covers more than 800,000 acres and contains more than 201 miles of hiking trails. It's also the 15th largest park in the national park system and welcomes 581,000 people in 2021, per the Big Bend website.