Trails closed for heat
Extreme heat is already reshaping spring plans — Lake Mead has closed major hiking trails and Phoenix imposed trail restrictions from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. through Sunday to protect hikers from dangerous conditions. If you’ve got weekend plans, check local advisories before heading out. (knpr.org) (12news.com)
Lake Mead National Recreation Area’s public notice lists Goldstrike Hot Springs, Arizona Hot Springs, Liberty Bell Arch, White Rock Canyon and Lone Palm among trails closed “until conditions improve.” (newsweek.com) The agency said closures are aimed at reducing risk to visitors and the burden on first responders amid an extreme-heat event that began in mid‑March. (8newsnow.com) The National Park Service’s planning portal shows a separate proposal to make seasonal closures permanent for Goldstrike Canyon and Arizona Hot Springs, noting emergency closures in past summers and a 2013 incident tally of 17 incidents including one fatality and 31 patients. (parkplanning.nps.gov) Phoenix’s official trail-heat policy names Camelback Mountain’s Echo Canyon and Cholla trails, Piestewa Peak summit and associated routes, plus Holbert, Mormon and Hau’Pal Loop trails on South Mountain as the ones restricted when an NWS Extreme Heat Warning is active. (phoenix.gov) The National Weather Service issued Extreme Heat Warnings for the region spanning March 18–22 for Las Vegas-area zones and March 19–22 for metro Phoenix, with forecast highs for Phoenix between roughly 103°F and 109°F and Las Vegas conditions described as 20–30 degrees above seasonal normals. (weather.gov) News accounts note the closures follow recent rescue incidents and at least one heat‑related hiker fatality in the Lake Mead area during prior warm-season events, trends officials cited when announcing the temporary trail shutdowns. (knau.org)
