BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK – The body of a 24-yar-old hiker was found dead on a trail in Big Bend National Park, according to a National Park Service (NPS) news release.
On Sunday, park rangers noticed a parked vehicle that had been at the Marufo Vega/Strawhouse/Ore Terminal Trail by the trailhead for multiple days.
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According to the news release, records didn’t show an overnight backpacker listed for that area on those nights and a quick search didn’t locate anyone.
This led to a deeper search by the park’s search and rescue team the next day.
NPSe rangers and the U.S. Border Patrol searched three trails using helicopters from the TX Department of Public Safety and the U.S. Customs Air and Marine Operations.
The victim was located along the Marufo Vega Trail, a 14-mile loop through the desert, which doesn’t have shade or water/
“Big Bend National Park staff and partners are saddened by this loss,” stated Deputy Superintendent Rick Gupman. “Our entire park family extends condolences to the hiker’s family and friends.”
This isn’t the only fatality that’s occurred at Big Bend or even on that specific trail.
Last June, two family members from Orlando died on this trail. The stepfather died in a car crash while trying to get help for his 14-year-old stepson, who was suffering from illness.
In July 2019, Richard Merrill died on the Marufo Vega Trail. Big Bend National Park attributed his death to extreme heat.
KSAT reached out to a spokesperson for the park for comment about the potential dangers of the trail.
“The Marufo Vega trail is very rugged with no shade or water. It is at low elevation, and the hottest part of Big Bend National Park. It is a long hike with many climbs and steep descents. During the hotter months of the year (May through October) it can be dangerous for those unprepared for desert hiking. Abundant safety signage and messaging at the trailhead warns hikers of the challenges ahead,” said Tom VandenBerg, chief of interpretation and visitor services.
Neither the victim’s name nor the cause of death has been released.
