Heavy rain turned parts of Bryce Canyon National Park into a flash-flood scene on Monday afternoon, trapping 11 adult visitors in four separate groups and sending two of them to a hospital after they showed signs of hypothermia. None of the hikers was swept away, but the water still cut off popular trails and forced rescuers to wait until conditions improved before moving anyone out safely.
The stranded visitors became trapped around 2:30 p.m. Monday as floodwaters moved across Fairyland Loop, Navajo Loop, Queen's Garden and Peek-a-Boo Loop. About 15 to 20 members of county search and rescue, emergency medical services and the National Park Service responded and helped the groups make their way out once it was safe to do so.
The rescue came during the Southwest's monsoon season, when weather can turn quickly in Bryce Canyon National Park. Park officials had warned earlier in the month that August and September can bring sudden afternoon thunderstorms, and the National Park Service has said those storms can bring flash floods, trail washouts, debris-filled waterfalls and rockfalls even when the sky looks clear.
The closest question left by Monday's rescue is not whether the flooding was dangerous. It was. The real issue is how long visitors can be exposed before rescue crews can reach them when a fast-moving storm hits the park's trails, and that answer may shape how quickly hikers are able to get out the next time the weather turns without warning.
