2 dead in scenic point fall in Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park

Associated Press
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 10:40 p.m. | Wednesday, April 30, 2025 10:40 p.m.

A view of the world-famous hoodoos, also called tent rocks, fairy chimneys and earth pyramids, at Inspiration Point in Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.

BRYCE CANYON CITY, Utah — Two people died in a 380-foot fall from a viewing area in southern Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park.

Tourists spotted the bodies Tuesday below Inspiration Point after the two fell late Monday or early Tuesday, the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

How they fell was unknown, but they had crossed over safety railings, according to the statement.

Park rangers, search and rescue teams and helicopter crew helped recover the bodies identified Wednesday as Matthew Nannen, 45, and Bailee Crane, 58.

They were living in a U-Haul van and recently spent a significant amount of time in Arizona. Florida was their last state of permanent residence, according to the sheriff’s office.

Bryce Canyon is a colorful maze of spires, cliffs and ravines eroded in soft rock and soil at the edge of a plateau. More than 2 million people visit the park every year.