Michigan woman dies while hiking at Isle Royale National Park, officials report
The 37-year-old woman was on a hike with her partner when she encountered “medical complications,” according to the National Park Service.
Officials confirmed that a woman from Michigan died due to unexplained medical issues while hiking in a remote area of Isle Royale National Park on Monday.
The 37-year-old from Battle Creek, Michigan, was hiking near Lake LeSage at Isle Royale National Park with her partner when she suffered a sudden health crisis, according to a statement from the National Park Service released on Wednesday. Her condition worsened, and she was unable to continue walking, as reported by park officials.
She subsequently lost consciousness and ceased to breathe. Despite efforts to perform CPR, “resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful,” officials stated.
Nearby hikers contacted Michigan State Police via a delayed text message to 911, and this information was passed along to a National Park Service dispatch center. EMTs located the group and remained with them on Monday evening.
Park staff members responded early Tuesday and helped transport the group from the remote area. As of Thursday, an investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
The National Park Service expressed, “The Isle Royale community sends their deepest sympathies to the friends and family of the deceased.”
Isle Royale National Park: A remote destination
Isle Royale National Park is recognized as one of the most secluded national parks in the United States, according to Rock Harbor Lodge and Marina. Established in 1940, more than 99% of the park’s land is classified as wilderness.
Located in the northwest corner of Lake Superior, the park is close to the waters of Canada and Minnesota. It encompasses over 400 islands, with the main isle, Isle Royale, stretching approximately 50 miles, according to the National Park Service.
Being an archipelago, Isle Royale can only be accessed by traveling across Lake Superior using a ferry, seaplane, or private boat, the National Park Service explained. Travel times vary from 35 to 45 minutes by seaplane and 1.5 to seven hours by ferry.
No vehicles are permitted on the island, and the National Park Service cautions visitors about unreliable cell phone service during emergencies. They also recommend that visitors depend on their skills and equipment for emergencies, as reaching park rangers can be challenging, and response times for evacuations can be lengthy.
Only a small number of travelers visit the park, having received over 1.2 million visitors since its establishment in 1940, according to National Park Service data.
Fatalities in National Parks
This woman’s death adds to the growing list of fatalities occurring in U.S. national parks. A recent study by Panish Shea Ravipudi LLP found that while national parks generally remain safe, there have been thousands of deaths recorded since 2007.
Between 2007 and 2024, over 4,200 deaths linked to national parks were reported, according to the findings. National Park Service records indicated an average of 358 deaths per year from 2014 to 2019.
Among the more than 420 national parks, 177 had at least one reported death during this timeframe, as stated by the National Park Service. Unintentional incidents, including traffic accidents, drownings, and falls, accounted for half of these fatalities.
Additionally, half of all medical-related deaths occurred while individuals were engaged in physical activities such as hiking, biking, and swimming, according to the National Park Service.
Numerous tragic events at national parks have gained media attention in recent years, including two fatalities this summer in California’s Death Valley National Park due to heat-related issues after hikes.
In Grand Canyon National Park, several accidents have occurred; recently, officials found the body of a 20-year-old woman after an extensive search, marking the third reported death in the park in just one week, as previously reported by YSL News.
In July, another tragic incident involved a 20-year-old hiker who fell to her death from Half Dome in Yosemite National Park during a storm.