What happened at Big Bend National Park? Hiking deaths spark concern amid extreme heat conditions in Texas

On Friday, June 23, a 31-year-old man and his 14-year-old stepson were found dead in the Big Bend National Park. According to Texas Monthly, the cause of the 14-year-old's death was most likely due to the extreme heat wave that the region was experiencing. Backpacker News reported that the deaths of the two are nothing unusual, as the Big Bend National Park has the third-highest per capita fatality rate in the National Park Service.

Trigger warning: This article concerns fatal heat wave deaths, the reader's discretion is advised

The incident at the Big Bend National Park came two days after reports that a teenage boy died at Palo Duro Canyon. While all details about the incident are yet to be released, officials in the National Park Service believe that many of the fatalities can be linked to the temperatures.

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Officials respond to the deaths at Big Bend National Park

According to the Guardian, National Park authorities have yet to release the names of the 31-year-old and 14-year-old victims who died on June 23. The 14-year-old boy reportedly fell ill during the course of the hike, though the exact nature of his health issues remains unknown. The stepfather was killed in a car accident while he tried to look for help.

Authorities initially received reports about the incident at 6 pm on Friday. The teenager was found dead at 7:30 pm. At 8 pm, they discovered the body of the 31-year-old stepfather at the scene of the car crash at Boquillas Overlook.

It appeared that he had crashed near an embankment. Authorities also pronounced him dead at the scene. The park service added that there was a third hiker with them, a 21-year-old, but he remained unharmed in the incident.

In the wake of the deaths, the National Park Service released an official statement about the current conditions in Big Bend national park.

The statement read:

“The Marufo Vega Trail winds through extremely rugged desert and rocky cliffs within the hottest part of Big Bend national park. No shade or water makes this strenuous trail dangerous to attempt in the heat of summer,” the park service said in a news release.

Big Bend national park authorities recommend that hikers carry ample amounts of water with them. In an official statement, park spokesperson Tom VandenBerg said that many of the park fatalities stem from the prior health issues of the victims.

"It is safe to say that the majority of these unfortunate incidents are cardiac-related, or the result of another underlying condition that is exacerbated by heat and strenuous activity,” VandenBerg said.

He added that many hikers also underestimate how unforgiving the temperatures at Big Bend national park truly are. He said that the park sees two to three deaths a year.