Park Ranger Horror Stories Of The Grand Canyon

Born and raised in Arizona. That desert will break anyone and anything down. People don't comprehend what the desert is capable of until it's to late.

Been there 9 times. Did the river trip twice. Own the book "Death in the Canyon" which I recommend to anyone planning to hike there. Also, there are numerous missing person cases covered in David Paulides' books Missing 411. As a teen I went there with my high school science teacher and 40 students. Midway on the hike down to the river, we all ran out of water. We had no guide and it was the end of July....hot! People were getting overcome by the heat. Me and a friend took as many canteens as week could and finished the hike down to the river......filled them up with water and hiked back up to the group. As a 17 year old, I though it was a great adventure, not realizing how many people have died down there over the years.

Back in 1982 as a graduation present from high school, my parents took me on vacation, which included the Grand Canyon. I am an avid runner. I got up early the first morning, 6:00 a.m., and went for a run. There was a part of the canyon that absolutely gave me the ceeps. So much in fact that I cut my run short and did not run the next day. I guess not much of a story, but the feeling was very overwhelming.

In 1974 a friend of mine and me set off from Newport Beach California for a camping trip that ended up in the Grand Canyon we’ve been camping for a few days. And all was going well and when we got to the Grand Canyon and checked in with the park rangers they informed us that all the trails were Full. And the only trail that was open for us was Hermit’s Trail!! They made us sign a waiver saying at the park Rangers were not responsible for us. And we went on our way We came down the canyon it was no problem what happened when we got to the the Colorado river. Was a whole different story! it was that first night I felt very sick and actually blood ran out of my nose like a Fossett whenever I tilted my head down. I told my friend I would not be able to hike out of the canyon and he needed to go for help. He left me a few supplies and he headed back up the Grand Canyon to the rim. I was left alone at the bottom of the Grand Canyon for three days. And on the third day a river rafting excursion pulled up on the beach right in front of my campsite. And I thought oh my God I am saved. I asked the lady in the group if I could go with them and she told me to go talk to the captain. When I did he told me that he did not have enough lifejackets and he could not take me on that boat. And that they would not be anywhere in radio contact for the next three days. This was way before cell phones were so prevalent. They left me a few 7-Up‘s and some oranges which I quickly built a little refrigerator in the Colorado rivers since it was ice cold and sat by the river and watched my 7-Up‘s and oranges swirled round and round he told me that there will be another boat coming along with the owner of the rafting company and they were not near full they would be happy to take me down the river. So I sat patiently waiting for those boats to arrive. Then all of a sudden I heard this whoop whoop whoop of a helicopter going just off the river floor went right past me and I jumped out of the bushes and started waving my arms frantically and the Ranger Bellstar helicopter did huge turn and came right back hovered my location and landed on the rocks. A park ranger walked up to me and asked me if my name was Pat McGillicuddy .which of course it wasn’t my name was Pat MCLANE. But I said yes and he asked if all of this stuff in my campsite. was mine and I said yes and he proceeded to pack it all into my sleeping bag. He threw it over his shoulder and grabbed me by his other arm and walked me to the helicopter. Right at that moment two more River Boats came ashore. All the passengers went scrambling to take pictures of the helicopter. As the Ranger loaded me in helicopter. After takeoff we started rotating around in circles because the helicopters cannot go straight up and I noticed the helicopter blades coming close to the rim of the Grand Canyon and all I was thinking was please don’t crash the helicopter. They got me to the ranger station and when I arrived I found out the only reason that the bell ranger helicopter was there was they borrowed it from a tour company. Because There was. three other missing people in the canyon that day and I found out later that they’d hauled three dead bodies out of the Grand Canyon and the same helicopter in the same seats that I was in when they rescued me. My friend drove me to the hospital in Las Vegas. And when I got to the hospital I found out I had double pneumonia. And heat exhaustion. And the doctor said that in the next three days without medical attention I would’ve suffocated on my own mucus! Luckily the first boat did not have room for me. I thought it was God‘s will and I lived. And I’m so grateful. And that’s my Grand Canyon story. I love your channel I watch it all the time. Aloha from Maui Hawaii! This is a true story

I grew up next to the canyon, in Arizona and have hiked/rafted throughout it more times than I can count. In addition to participating in a handful of volunteer search/recovery teams, typically when a tourist gets lost, or wasn’t fully prepared for how harsh the environment is and how quickly the weather can turn on you. That being said, there are locations in the canyon that most of us locals will NOT venture into, unless it’s required for a search. Because the areas just feel—off. It’s impossible to describe the feeling and there are numerous bizarre (and often unexplainable) things that happen in those spots. My heart breaks for every person that has been lost and never found... I can’t even imagine how helpless they would feel and hopeless the situation would seem. 🥺😔

Always keep a GPS tracker on you when you're out in the back country, and don't take rides from aliens.

My grandma..and great uncles and aunts have stories passed down that are super intersting....we're zuni/Tewa/Hopi ..and what really sucks is our tribes aren't allowed to do our traditional walk home to the Grand Canyon..they allowed it once a few years back but the government doesn't like it.. theres soo much there and everywhere that most can't comprehend..or never truly will.. I just pray people respect these places ..if not ..things will happen..

I have hiked to the bottom of Grand Canyon many times. Slept down there several times; Dreamed deeply under it’s stars. Nothing can compare 🙏🏻❤️

In September 2001 some family members & I traveled from Texas to Las Vegas. We stopped at The Grand Canyon 9.10.01 around 6am. We visited a gift shop.and walked around to see the awesomeness of this place. I will never forget the strange feeling i had when i was at the Canyon. We arrived in Las Vegas later that day and checked into our rooms. The following morning we were awakened by my sister knocking on our door saying a plane had flown into one of the twin towers in New York. Our eyes were glued to the TV when the 2nd plane hit the 2nd tower. I will never forget the sadness and hopelessness i felt that day. The ride home was strangely quiet with no planes in the sky and no cars on the road. I was so happy to make it home and prayed for all those who lost loved ones on that horrible day...let us not forget.

My bro and a former college roommate decided to do a canyon hike they had wanted to do for awhile. They researched and studied and planned. One thing they agreed to do was to keep reminding one another to keep drinking water. Both physically fit. My bro later told me that well into the hike, if a helicopter had shown up and offered to take them out of the canyon for $10,000, he would have taken the offer immediately. No questions or negotiating. Just get them out of there. These were a guy who biked about 25 miles today to and from work in Arizona and another guy who had biked nearly across the country after college graduation.

So I'm not sure if anyone on here has heard of the Sedona Vortexes. Well, I am a born and raised Arizonian. I have been to the Grand Canyon many times, and I can tell ya all there are vortexes there too. I almost slipped and fell off the Southern Rim TWICE in one day when I was 12, and I have experienced an extreme mood shift the moment we cross into the National Park. I mean, happy to Bitch in 0-60. And the opposite when I leave. So, keep that in mind when listening to this awesome video!!! Thank you for the amazing work you did for this video and for all of us.

You’re doing great brother, I’m an OG Mr. Ballen fan and as his content slowed I searched and searched for someone else to listen to at work but never could find anything that satisfied what I needed . Until I found you that is . Thanks man keep it up!

“Never let the truth get in the way of a good story” Two people can keep a secret as long as one of them is dead.

from 2010 - 2016 I lived in Sedona, AZ before moving to upstate NY. My dad always made trips to go hiking down the canyon as it was his favorite thing to do. It's crazy to me that It had not once crossed my mind how dangerous it can be as he did it so often, and I am grateful he had always stayed safe.

Thank you for another fascinating video! Just wanted to let you know that Diana Zacaria remains were found (and later DNA confirmed) in Aug. 2016, below the South Rim's Pima Point. Authorities believe she fell into the canyon : ( Although a sad ending, I am grateful her loved ones got answers.

In 2002 my family and I visited the Grand Canyon. I was a teenager, but I still remember the feeling I had peering from the edge: death. I had an urgent desire to leave-I was so frightened I was shaking. I love nature, so this reaction is fully out of character for me. I’m also not afraid of heights, I’ve climbed two mountains and an inactive volcano in the following years. I spent about 10 confused and anxious minutes looking at the view, before returning to our car and sitting in the heat until my family was ready to leave. I chose 100° heat with no A/C over that horrid, oppressive feeling. Final summation? I believe many more people have lost their lives there than we will ever know. Also, great video!

I’m from Arizona. My first visit to the Grand Canyon was when I was 5. Moved away for many years and then returned to Sedona. I conducted tours to the Grand Canyon. So many people have reported the strange feelings being there. I witnessed, crazy bizarre behavior from people at the edge. I hiked Havasupi canyon when I was 13. I had a major spiritual experience at the falls that changed my life. Great content.

I think the Anazi people, where scared of huge, flying bird too. I would only live in a cave, if it was to keep warm and/or something predatory, from above. About traveling into the Grand Canyon or anywhere else, I suggest, one buys a satellite- tracking device. This can be activated in case of an emergency, such as a broken leg, back or neck, heart attack, stroke or from a fall or any other type of incapacitating injury or sickness. This device has saved, countless lives. Everyone says... it will never happen to me... but it does, unfortunately!

There are places in Arizona that “feel off” it’s hard to explain but it just an unsettling feeling. The Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Four corners area, Superstition Mountains, Sedona, oak creek canyon and parts of the mogollon rim.... the south mountain and red mountain... white tanks, cibecue, superior/globe area, Maricopa mountains

I have worked as a park ranger all owner the west including GCNP. Diana Zacarias was found deceased below an overlook on the south rim just a few months after her disappearance. The details sort of point to suicide but no one will ever know really. A few other cases mentioned have been solved as well. Might want to gather more info before posting a video claiming they are unsolved just to garner more likes and attention. Their families and the memory of these people deserve better.