Two female hikers were found dead in Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park on Saturday, July 22, state police announced, per CNN. While details about the case are currently scarce, there are a few facts we do know so far.
- According to a statement from Nevada State Police, the two women were seen entering the park on early Saturday morning but were never seen to return. Fellow hikers asked authorities to perform a wellness check shortly before 3 p.m. on the same day, which is when the bodies were found.
- One of the women was discovered unresponsive on a trail inside the park, with the other hiker found inside a canyon. Both were pronounced dead at the scene by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s search and rescue team.
- The identities of the two hikers who passed away in Valley of Fire State Park have not yet been announced publicly, likely out of respect so that family members can be informed and the investigation can continue uninterrupted. Regardless of who they are, this was a terrible tragedy, to be sure.
- While no cause of death has been given for the women and an investigation is ongoing, the sweltering heat may have played a role. The high temperature on the day the women died was 114 degrees Fahrenheit, the National Weather Service reveals. An excessive heat warning had been placed on the state for the entire weekend, so hiking probably wasn’t the best idea.
- There have been more than the usual number of deaths in national parks in 2023, with five others having lost their lives since June 1 alone. However, August is the deadliest month for heat in the parks, so it seems the worst may still be yet to come.
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said June 2023 was the hottest ever on record, but that didn’t prevent people from visiting desert parks in droves. The extreme heat directly led to the deaths of many people.
- In July 2023 alone, a 65-year-old man was found dead in a parked car at California’s Death Valley, while a 71-year-old man died at a trailhead there. While hiking in Big Bend National Park in Texas in 119-degree heat, a 14-year-old boy and his step-father were found dead, as well. Meanwhile, a 57-year-old hiker lost his life in Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. Extreme heat is said to have played a direct part in all of their deaths.
- While not officially attributed to the deaths, extreme heat stroke is a very dangerous condition that all of the victims likely experienced before they passed away. Heat stroke is an extremely serious condition that occurs when the body’s temperature regulation system fails and body temperature rises to dangerous levels. It is a medical emergency and requires immediate attention. Common symptoms include high body temp, dizziness and confusion, nausea and vomiting, a lack of sweat despite the heat, a painful, throbbing headache, rapid pulse, shallow breathing, muscle cramps and weakness, and more. If not immediately caught and treated, it can easily become fatal.
Real sign at the Valley of Fire State Park here in Vegas. They are not messing around! pic.twitter.com/HuBpn5sYqh
— Donni Slater (@DonniSlater) July 25, 2023
Two female hikers die in blistering 114F heat after going for a walk in Valley of Fire State Park as temperatures continue to soar https://t.co/lxMQ9Vnuam pic.twitter.com/LEKTIjgazJ
— Retired NCO (@virgofiveeight) July 24, 2023
Urgent warning from park officials after two women from Las Vegas are found dead on a trail at Valley of Fire, when temperatures hit at least 118: "It's just it's not worth it. The park is open all year. Just come back at another time.” @News3LV @brettforrest89 pic.twitter.com/5Tc2fkmUcW
— Marie Mortera (@MarieNews3LV) July 25, 2023
THEY KEEP TRYING AND THEY KEEP DYING. "2 Women Die on Hike in Valley of Fire State Park. Temperatures in the area hit 114 degrees on the day they went out," per MSM news. It's one thing to challenge the desert in winter and complete stupidity in Summer and yet these idiots keep…
— EdwinVerBeckeFan (@WPRPBP) July 24, 2023
I ran into two young women off-trail this morning hiking at the Valley of Fire. I offered them help, water, Gatorade. Instructions. I didn't force them to walk out of the trail with me. I should have. Both of those women died this afternoon in the park. Stay inside, please.
— Russ Daddy (@IndianaRuss) July 23, 2023
The sign posted at the entrance of valley of fire in case anyone is wondering… pic.twitter.com/pITbwcywXR
— Meatloaf (@FetusMeatloaf) July 24, 2023
Two female hikers were found dead in Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park on Saturday afternoon, state police sayhttps://t.co/kRUvFOsPGr
— CNN (@CNN) July 23, 2023
