Hiker from North Carolina found dead near remote Colorado River trail in Grand Canyon

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Arizona — A solo backpacker was found dead near a rugged and remote trail along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona authorities said Thursday.

The National Park Service said the 60-year-old North Carolina resident was located by helicopter Wednesday along a trail that connects Lower Tapeats and Deer Creek Camps. The two sites are accessible from the North Rim at a bend in the river about 29 miles (46.6 kilometers) northwest of Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim.

The man’s name and hometown were not released. The Park Service said he was on a solo multi-day backpacking trip from Thunder River to Deer Creek, and was reported missing Tuesday after he failed to check in with a family member.

The Park Service and the Coconino County coroner are investigating the cause and manner of death.

The route between the campsites about 4,400 feet (1.3 kilometers) below the North Rim offers scenic views of colorful rock walls and canyons, waterfalls and pools that are accessed via steep and sometimes difficult trails, according to a Park Service Guide.

The hiker is believed to be the sixth person to die in the canyon in less than a month and the 14th this year. Park officials reported 11 deaths in 2023 and say there are usually about 10 to 15 deaths a year.

Authorities said an 80-year-old man died Sunday after falling from a boat into the river near Fossil Rapids, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) upriver from Tapeats Creek.

Also found Sunday was the body of a 33-year-old woman from the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert, who was swept away in a flash flood while walking on August 22.

The body of a 20-year-old New Mexico woman was found Aug. 8 beneath Twin Overlooks; a 43-year-old Missouri man died Aug. 1 while attempting an illegal BASE jump from Yavapai Point; and a 20-year-old North Carolina man fell to his death on the South Rim on July 31.