Spanning 14 miles across desert Texas terrain, the Marufo Vega Trail at Big Bend National Park may not be well-known among the general population, but is a major achievement for serious hikers due to both the rugged limestone terrain and extreme temperatures that the park reaches at long stretches of the year.
The National Park Service (NPS) also describes it as a "strenuous but spectacular hike [that] is not recommended for inexperienced hikers" — stories of visitors underestimating the heat with tragic results regularly make the news.
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The latest incident occurred when NPS authorities came across a parked vehicle at the start of Marufo Vega/Strawhouse/Ore Terminal trails for several days. Both ground and helicopters search and rescue efforts on Oct. 27 located the body of a 24-year-old hiker who took on Marufo Vega Trail on his own.
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'Search and rescue team mobilized across three different trails'
"Records indicated that there were no overnight backpackers listed for that area for those nights," the NPS writes in a statement. "A quick search by the park pilot was unable to locate hikers in the area. Monday morning, the park search and rescue team was mobilized across three different trails and air assets were directed to the remote area."
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The identity or cause of death of the deceased park visitor has not been released but the NPS says the hiker likely undertook the challenging trail on his own and was unable to reach help when an emergency situation arose.
“Big Bend National Park staff and partners are saddened by this loss," Big Bend Deputy Superintendent Rick Gupman said in a statement. "Our entire park family extends condolences to the hiker’s family and friends."
As is customary with such releases, the NPS also reminded parkgoers who undertake Marufo Vega to plan carefully for high heat in particular.
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'No shade or water makes this trail dangerous during warmer times of year'
"No shade or water makes this trail dangerous during the warmer times of year," the government agency writes further.
A number of both heat-related and tripping deaths have been recorded at national parks across the country over the last few months.
In July 2024, a father-daughter hiking duo died after running out of water in extreme heat at Utah's Canyonlands National Park while a 20-year-old visitor to Grand Canyon fell to her death after accidentally getting too close to the edge at the Twin Overlooks viewing area.
A month later in August, the body of 20-year-old Abel Joseph Mejia was recovered by authorities at Grand Canyon's Pipe Creek Overlook.
While tripping hazards are a perennial danger in national park areas without marked trails, climate change has been leading to more extreme conditions and subsequently more related deaths.
Last July, Death Valley National Park recorded temperatures of over 125°F (51.7°C) for two weeks straight (at one point, a breakdown of a local generator that provided air conditioning has led to the evacuation of staff members who work the area).
"Hiking in extreme heat can lead to serious health risks including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, hyponatremia, and death," the NPS wrote in one of a series of warnings issued for different southern parks at the time.
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