Arizona hiker found dead at Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park after thunderstorm, flash flooding

No cause of death provided for Jeanne Roblez Howell, 64, of Sedona, Arizona,

An overdue hiker was found dead on a trail at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah on Friday after a thunderstorm dumped heavy rain and caused flash flooding in the area, officials said.

Jeanne Roblez Howell, 64, of Sedona, Arizona, set off at 2 p.m. on a hike on the Fairyland Loop trail but failed to return by 7 p.m., the National Park Service (NPS) said.

Howell was reported missing, and park authorities immediately launched a search in cooperation with the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office and Utah Department of Public Safety.

The search ended at 1:30 a.m. Saturday when Howell's body was found within Campbell Canyon, which officials say is located about one mile east of the Fairyland Loop.

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arizona hiker found dead at utahs bryce canyon national park after thunderstorm flash flooding

A hiker was reported missing Friday evening after failing to return from the 8-mile Fairyland Loop Trail at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. (National Park Service, File)

Howell was pronounced dead at the scene. No cause of death was immediately provided.

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arizona hiker found dead at utahs bryce canyon national park after thunderstorm flash flooding

Bryce Canyon National Park is located in southern Utah about four hours from Las Vegas. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

"This is a tragic event, and our deepest sympathy goes out to the victim's friends and family," said Allana Olbrich, acting Bryce Canyon superintendent, in a written statement.

arizona hiker found dead at utahs bryce canyon national park after thunderstorm flash flooding

A thunderstorm dumped heavy rain and caused flash flooding in the area on the afternoon that Howell had set off on her hike, park officials said. (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images)

At the time Howell was hiking the trail, NPS said a thunderstorm inundated the northern end of the park with heavy rain, and flash floods were spotted in dry washes along the 8-mile Fairyland Loop trail.

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Bryce Canyon National Park, which turned 100 years old this year, is located in southern Utah about four hours northeast of Las Vegas.

Authored by Stephen Sorace via FoxNews August 27th 2023