Overview
- Heavy afternoon thunderstorms turned slot canyons to flowing mud and water, leaving four groups of hikers stranded and prompting rescue operations.
- Rescuers from Bryce Canyon National Park, Garfield County deputies, and EMS waited for lightning to ease before entering the canyons and guided all 11 visitors to safety.
- Most hikers were evaluated on site and released while two were taken to hospital with signs of hypothermia; some reporting quoted the park saying all 11 had hypothermia, a point that remains disputed.
- Park crews closed and inspected multiple popular trails after the storm, with Navajo Loop reopened but Wall Street, Bryce Connector and others remaining closed, and State Route 12 briefly shut by flood debris.
- August and September are peak monsoon months in the region when clear mornings can suddenly produce life‑threatening flash floods, so officials urge checking forecasts, park alerts and turning back at early signs of storms.