Safety Tips at Grand Canyon: How Not to Die

The Grand Canyon is visited by thousands of tourists every year because of the beauty of the natural wonder. However, the Grand Canyon also poses risks despite numerous safety measures. The Arizona Daily Sun reported that 685 people have fallen into the canyon. However, dying from dehydration or heat exhaustion is much more likely. The chance of falling into the Grand Canyon is about 1 in 400,000.

Falls, heat stroke, dehydration: Each year, hikers die on their Grand Canyon trip because they underestimate the dangers of the wilderness.

Practicing safety at Grand Canyon National Park has always been a top priority for Grand Canyon Conservancy. Whether it is providing funding for the park’s Preventive Search and Rescue program, leading Wilderness First Responder certification classes, creating new protocols to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 or the creation of a handy new pocket guide, we are dedicated to sharing educational and safety tips with you to make the most of your visit.

Before you step foot on a popular overlook or canyon trail, familiarize yourself with the 12 most common hazards so you can learn how to avoid them.

1. Heat illness
2. Traumatic falls
3. Drowning
4. Heart attack
5. Flash Floods
6. Cold exposure
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Falling rocks, tree limbs
9. Water intoxication (hyponatremia)
10. Hantavirus
11. Sacred Datura poisoning
12. Rattlesnake bites/scorpion stings

The publishing team at Grand Canyon Conservancy worked closely with Dr. Thomas M. Myers (a regional doctor at Grand Canyon and author of Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon) to turn all these live-saving tips into a waterproof pocket guide, How Not to Die at Grand Canyon. Now available in our stores, this guide educates visitors about the hazards listed above, how to avoid them, and how to perform first aid on the spot if needed.

SWEETours is currently offering a Summer Special on both our South Rim and West Rim tours! Talk to one of our customer service agents for more info.

So, what are you waiting for? Plan and Book Your Trip with SWEETours!

Contact us for further information
Phone – 702.456.9200
Fax – 702.434.7163
Email – info@sweetours.com

sources: explorethecanyon.com, thedailybeast.com, grandcanyon.org