Dozens of hikers visiting Havasupai Falls at the bottom of the Grand Canyon have reported becoming seriously ill with a mysterious illness.
In some cases, visitors were too ill to walk back out of the canyon and had to be transported by helicopter.
Maelyn Griffith was visiting an Arizona waterfall to celebrate her 40th birthday when she suddenly fell seriously ill, and the trip quickly turned into a nightmare, she told AZ Family.
“we [left] “We left early on the 6th and set up camp, which was lovely,” Griffiths said. “I had some nausea and stomach problems and it just got worse and worse.”
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This photo provided by Randy Shannon shows Mooney Falls on the Havasupai Reservation outside Supai Village, Arizona, on May 19, 2024. Dozens of tourists say they fell ill during recent visits to the popular and scenic waterfalls deep inside the canyon adjacent to Grand Canyon National Park. (Randy Shannon via The Associated Press)
Another friend in her group also became seriously ill, and the group ended up walking several miles back to a canyon village to receive treatment.
“The doctors noticed we had very high temperatures – mine was 104 and my friend’s was 105. We were extremely sick. They thought it was life-threatening and they were able to admit us to the clinic there,” Griffiths told the outlet.
Dozens of people have recently shared similar experiences on social media, including Mary Blair, who recently spoke about her nightmare on Fox 10.
She and 11 others set out on a four-day, 40-mile hike to the falls, but the trip was turned upside down on the final night when her son suddenly developed norovirus-like symptoms.
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This photo provided by Francesca Dupuy shows Havasu Falls on the Havasupai Reservation in Arizona on Sept. 4, 2023. (Francesca Dupuy via The Associated Press)
“He had been vomiting all night and had diarrhoea so I took him to the river and we went in the river at 1am to try and get him cooler,” Blair told the outlet.
Unbeknownst to them, other members of the group were also feeling ill, and at 2 a.m. the group began a two-mile hike to the helicopter pad to transport those who were unwell to safety and receive medical attention.
“This kid is a four-star athlete. He’s the strongest out of all of us. He was using hiking poles and could barely walk,” Blair said of her son.
“On the way up we all passed people throwing up and we were wondering what the hell was going on,” Blair told Fox 10. “There were probably 60 to 70 people in line. Multiple people throwing up.”
When they got home, the Blairs discovered that more than 300 people had posted on Facebook about similar experiences, including vomiting and diarrhea.
The cause of the outbreak is unknown, but Blair, an experienced hiker, and his family told Fox 10 that nearly 400 people were camping in close quarters. It was hard to find sanitary restrooms, Blair said.
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Havasupai Falls is located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation in Coconino County. The Havasupai Tribe Visitors Bureau wrote in a Facebook post that the reservation’s public water source is tested regularly and was last determined to be safe for drinking by the Havasupai Water Department on June 6. Fern Spring’s next water quality test is scheduled for two weeks, starting June 11.
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“There is currently an Extreme Heat Warning,” the tourism bureau wrote. “The Havasupai Tribe urges all visitors to stay properly hydrated before, during and after their visit to Havasupai. Consider supplementing your hydration with electrolytes. “Finally, it is extremely important that all visitors leave with their trash, camping equipment and personal belongings,” the post continues.
“Please dispose of hygiene products properly. Composting toilet bins are not intended for campsite personal waste. It costs a significant amount to have visitors’ trash and equipment removed by helicopter.”
