Dr. Sampson Davis has tips on how to protect yourself from extreme heat and how to recognize the symptoms of a heat-related illness.
ARIZONA – An 18-year-old man hiking through Grand Canyon National Park died after experiencing signs of a heat-related illness on Wednesday.
According to Grand Canyon National Park, the park received reports of a hiker experiencing heat-related illness symptoms below Havasupai Gardens on the Bright Angel Trail.
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The Tapeats Narrows along the Bright Angel Trail, approximately one mile north of Havasupai Gardens
(NPS Photo / FOX Weather)
When park rangers responded, they found the hiker about 30 feet below the trail in a remote area near Garden Creek.
Park rangers and a helicopter rescue crew immediately tried lifesaving measures, but were unsuccessful.
The man was on a day hike from the South Rim to the Colorado River and back via the Bright Angel Trail, the national park said.
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Temperatures at the time were around 109 degrees in Grand Canyon National Park, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
A Heat Kills sign at the beginning of a trail at Arches National Park in Moab, Utah, US, on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
(Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg / Getty Images)
Heat illness can set in quickly if temperatures are high and there’s little access to shade, air conditioning or water.
When it is extremely hot outside, our bodies have a more difficult time staying cool and adapting to the weather. This can result in heat illness.
There are three types of heat illness: heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat illness and requires immediate medical attention.
