St. George • A hiker who died over the weekend after a possible fall on Zion National Park’s Canyon Overlook Trail has been identified as Cesar Herrera-Ruiz, a 37-year-old Canadian national, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities identify hiker who died in Zion National Park over the weekend
St. George • A hiker who died over the weekend after a possible fall on Zion National Park’s Canyon Overlook Trail has been identified as Cesar Herrera-Ruiz, a 37-year-old Canadian national, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Sgt. Brett Bonner confirmed the identity of the victim on Monday, but declined to release any further details, saying the death is still under investigation.
Authorities received a report about a hiker who had fallen Sunday at 7:06 a.m. and dispatched first responders to the park, the sheriff’s office reported in a statement.
Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue officials arrived first and pronounced Herrera-Ruiz dead at the scene at 7:40 a.m. The victim’s remains were subsequently transferred to the Washington County Medical Examiner for further examination, according to park officials. The Zion National Park Technical Search and Rescue Team and sheriff’s deputies also assisted in the recovery, park officials reported.
Canyon Overlook Trail is a popular mile-long trail on the east side of the national park that traverses rocky terrain over a slot canyon and ends at a fenced cliff edge that affords expansive views of Zion’s main canyon and the Towers of the Virgin to the West. The well-worn hiking trail, rated as moderate in difficulty, is one of Zion’s most popular trails, according to park officials.
The scenic trail was closed Sunday to aid first responders in recovering the body but has since been reopened, according to park officials. Herrera-Ruiz’s death is Zion’s first fatality in 2025 and comes just under four months after a 40-year-old hiker fell to his death while canyoneering with friends at Heaps Canyon last October, park spokesman Matthew Fink told the Tribune Monday.
In terms of visitation, Zion is the most popular of Utah’s “Mighty Five” national parks, attracting nearly five million visitors a year.
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