Hiker Taking Photo Falls 100 Feet To Her Death At The Grand Canyon

The woman slipped after going off-trail to take a picture, the National Park Service said.
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A woman taking pictures near Mather Point at the Grand Canyon fell 100 feet to her death last week, the National Park Service said in a news release.

The woman, identified as 59-year-old Maria A. Salgado Lopez of Scottsdale, Arizona, had been hiking off-trail near the famed lookout point with her family when she accidentally stepped off the edge while trying to take a photo.

Her body was recovered Friday afternoon and an investigation is underway.

Visitors should stay on designated trails and walkways, keep a safe distance from the edge of the rim and remain behind railings and fences at scenic overlooks, the park service said.

Mather Point scenic viewpoint at the Grand Canyon National Park. A hiker fell to her death last week near here while taking photos.
Mather Point scenic viewpoint at the Grand Canyon National Park. A hiker fell to her death last week near here while taking photos.
gdelissen via Getty Images

It was the second death at the park in recent weeks.

Last month, Catherine Houe, 49, of Daly City, California, died of apparent heat-related causes while hiking in 114-degree temperatures near Phantom Ranch.

The park said summer temperatures can hit 120 degrees in the shade.

“Hikers should hike before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m., rest in shade whenever possible and avoid hiking during the heat of the day,” the park service said. “Rangers advise that anyone hiking in heat needs to balance food and water intake, drink when thirsty and get wet to stay cool.”

About a dozen people die each year at the Grand Canyon, the Arizona Republic reported in 2019. Common causes include aircraft crashes, falls, heat and drowning.

Outside Magazine ranked the Grand Canyon as America’s third-deadliest national park, behind the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada and Yosemite National Park in California.

Before You Go

View From South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park

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