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The body of a man who apparently fell to his death — possibly from the Angels Landing Trail — was discovered in Zion National Park on Friday morning.
Hikers came upon the man's body in Refrigerator Canyon, along the West Rim Trail, at about 8:20 a.m. Friday and called 911, park officials reported.
The individual was cold with visible signs of trauma that were consistent with a high elevation fall, possibly from the Angels Landing Trail, according to a news release.
Park Law Enforcement was dispatched to secure the scene, and a search and rescue team was assembled to recover the man's body. The West Rim Trail was closed at the Grotto from 8:30 Friday morning until 12:30 p.m.
The identity of the man, said to be about 45 years old, was under investigation, as was the cause of his death.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office is investigating, the news release said.
It could be the first death on the Angels Landing Trail since a California woman fell from Scout Lookout in 2010.
She was one of six people who have died on the trail since 2004, according to the National Park Service. In 2011, rangers made safety improvements to Angels Landing, including warning signs, more chains for hikers to grip like a stairway railing as they climb, and more steps carved into the rock.
The path follows the West Rim Trail for the first 1.75 miles the splits to go another 1/2 mile to Angels Landing — a flat, wide pillar of rock providing views of the park and southwest Utah. Hikers gain 1,500 feet in elevation.