Flash flood strands eleven hikers at Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park

Around 2:30 p.m. on Monday, intense rain triggered flash flooding across multiple Bryce Canyon trails, including the Fairyland Loop, Navajo Loop, Queen's Garden and Peek-a-Boom Loop, stranding eleven adult hikers in four separate groups. Rescue crews comprising roughly 15-20 county search-and-rescue personnel, emergency medical responders and National Park Service staff arrived but had to hold off until the water subsided.

Once conditions allowed, the teams guided the hikers to safety; two individuals showed signs of hypothermia and were taken to a hospital, while the other nine were cleared after evaluation. The incident occurred during the Southwest monsoon season, a period park officials had warned visitors about in recent communications. Bryce Canyon Superintendent Allana Olbrich emphasized the need for visitors to monitor weather forecasts and park alerts to avoid similar hazards.