Buzz
Situated in the stunning southwestern corner of Utah, Zion National Park is a natural gem brimming with rich history. Originally known as Mukuntuweap by the area's indigenous tribes, the name was changed to Zion by Mormon pioneers in the late 1800s, symbolizing the park's role as both a place of refuge and sanctuary. In 1909, President Taft designated it as Mukuntuweap National Monument, and by 1919, it had officially become Zion National Park. While it draws visitors from around the world, the park also holds some eerie mysteries, including a series of unexplained disappearances. Below are ten chilling cases of individuals who vanished in Zion National Park.
10. William H. Evans
On June 27, 1927, William H. Evans embarked on an ambitious climb of Zion National Park’s Great White Throne, equipped with just 15 feet (4.6 meters) of rope and a small canteen. After making it to the southern saddle of the monolith, which is primarily made of Navajo sandstone, he spent the night at the summit. When Evans failed to return the next day, a search party was launched. After several days of scouring the area, Evans was found barely alive, tangled in a manzanita bush. He had been without food or water for nearly three days in the scorching summer heat and had little recollection of the days spent in the wilderness.
Evans was eventually rescued and carried down the mountain on a makeshift stretcher, taking months to recover. He later explained that he had attempted a controlled descent down the steep slopes of the Throne but lost his footing and tumbled hundreds of feet. His harrowing ordeal made headlines in over 100 national newspapers, and the local community hailed the bravery of the rescue team, who ascended the treacherous cliffs of the Great White Throne to save him. Until 1967, Zion Park Services did not permit anyone to attempt the steep canyon-side climbs.
9. Maurice Francis Graham
In January of 1930, air crashes were a rare occurrence, yet a Western Air Services Boeing 95 mail plane vanished amidst a heavy snowstorm. Captain Maurice Francis Graham, a decorated WWI veteran, had received both the Distinguished Flying Cross and the French Legion of Honor for his valor. Known as an expert aviator, Graham piloted an airmail route between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City for Western Air Services.
After reports placed Graham flying over Cedar City, Utah, he was never heard from again. The search for him involved the US Postal Service, various airlines, local Iron County residents, and the Army Air Corps, but all efforts to locate him proved fruitless. That spring, however, residents of Parowan discovered Graham's plane.
In a remarkable feat of skill, Graham had managed to land his plane in the midst of a snowstorm on top of a 9,500-foot (2,896-meter) mountain at night, with no visual guidance. Instead, he relied on only a turn and bank indicator, an airspeed indicator, an altimeter, and a compass. The mail bin was found untouched, and the fuel tanks still contained fuel. Messages revealed that Graham had headed eastward.
In late July, Graham's remains were discovered by his friends and fellow pilots in Spanish Hollow, Crystal Creek Canyon, with the secured mailbag still clutched in his arms. In his final log entry, Graham had written, “Arrived: 2:35 AM. No destination.” A memorial now stands on Kanarra Mountain, near the spot where Graham made his crash landing, just north of Zion National Park's Kolob Canyons.
8. Lane Kelton Cottrell
In September 1951, a tragic accident claimed the life of 17-year-old kitchen helper Lane Kelton Cottrell after he fell off a cliff at a Zion National Park resort. Lane, along with two friends, was hiking near the previously mentioned White Throne when he decided to leave the trail, telling his companions he would descend at a more leisurely pace.
While making his descent, Cottrell tragically fell from the cliff. When he didn’t arrive at the lodge that evening, park rangers were notified, and a search mission was launched. During the search, one ranger reported spotting lights from the area where Cottrell had fallen, and believed they could have been distress signals.
7. Frank Wilson Johnson
In the 1960s, the Virgin River and its surrounding regions in Utah experienced devastating floods. On December 6, 1966, the Virgin River reached its peak discharge, surpassing all previous records, including those set in 1930. Experts concluded that the 1966 flood likely had a recurrence interval of 100 years. Although less severe, flooding also occurred in 1961 in the Virgin River.
In late September 1961, two young hikers went missing in Zion National Park after a flash flood caused a 14-foot (4.3-meter) surge of water to rush through the Virgin River. Alvin Dunyon Nelson and Frank Wilson Johnson, both 17, were presumed dead. Following the flood, the bodies of three other hikers were recovered. A search party of 200 volunteers combed the entire Virgin River, but no trace of the missing hikers was found. One sheriff firmly believed that Johnson and the others were buried beneath the debris in the canyon.
6. 1965 Cedar Breaks John Doe
On July 16, 1965, while inspecting a climbing site, two park rangers stumbled upon human remains near the Cedar Breaks cliffs, close to Sunset View Lookout at the Cedar Breaks National Monument. The body was found positioned between two logs, bent in a doubled-over position, approximately 300 feet (91 meters) from the highway.
Along with an empty wallet, a suitcase, and a cane, the rangers discovered $1.51 in coins and a flashlight near the body. One of the Iron County sheriffs involved in the recovery believed the remains had been in the area for roughly a year. At the time of discovery, no one was reported missing from Cedar City or Iron County, nor were any abandoned vehicles found in the area in the previous year. The identity of the deceased person remains unknown.
5. 1970 Washington County Jane Doe
On October 1, 1970, a road worker in Washington County discovered the body of an unidentified woman who had likely been dead for several months. Lyle Stringham, operating a bulldozer near St. George, found the body just 5 feet (1.5 meters) from the county road leading to Gunock, north of U.S. 91.
Initially, the woman’s remains were thought to belong to a Native American, but dental fillings indicated otherwise. Law enforcement also speculated that the woman might have been Katharine Shapiro, a woman from Santa Ana, California, who had gone missing in November 1969, as Shapiro was the only reported missing person in the area around that time. However, no clothing from the woman was found nearby.
The district attorney and Washington County Sheriff later indicated that they had not ruled out the possibility of foul play. Over 40 years later, the case remains unsolved, and no conclusions have been reached regarding the woman’s identity.
4. 1994 Kane County John Doe
On February 2, 1994, hikers found a human skull about 1,320 feet (402 meters) south of State Road 89, two miles west of Big Water, in a remote, rugged area. At first, they thought it was an archaeological find, but upon closer inspection, they noticed dental work. A potential lead was discovered in the form of a paper found in the pants pocket of the corpse, which came from Flagstaff, Arizona. Unfortunately, the paper was too damaged to provide any useful information.
The body was found wearing a red baseball cap, a plaid jacket, a flannel shirt, blue denim pants, and action tennis shoes. Authorities believe the man had been dead for approximately 10 to 15 years before the discovery. An examination of the skull revealed two distinct blows from a blunt object. The Kane County Sheriff suggested that the man may have hitched a ride from Flagstaff and was either killed during the journey or murdered within Kane County.
3. Corbin McMillen
In February 2021, 42-year-old Corbin McMillen was found dead at the base of Moonlight Buttress, located on the West Rim Trail near Angel’s Landing. McMillen had informed his mother ahead of time that he planned to hike the Angels Landing trail. However, park officials discovered his vehicle unattended at the Grotto Trailhead that evening. Following this, a formal search for McMillen was initiated.
Later the same day, searchers located McMillen’s body at the base of the Buttress, with injuries consistent with a fall from a great height. Angels Landing is notorious for its steep climb along a narrow ridge, offering a 1,000-foot drop on either side. In certain sections, chains are bolted into the rock to help hikers navigate the treacherous terrain.
2. Michael Milken
In 2014, the remains of an unidentified male were discovered in North Creek, just north of Virgin, Utah. Hikers stumbled upon the skeletal remains in a drainage wash after heavy rainfall. As the search continued, additional remains, including a pelvis, were located. Initial investigations suggested the remains belonged to a white male aged between 35 and 45 at the time of death. It was estimated that the remains had been in the area for one to two years prior to being discovered. In 2015, short tandem repeat (STR) analysis failed to provide any matches.
The details of the case were then entered into the NamUs system, but despite various efforts, it remained unsolved. In 2023, the Utah Department of Public Safety sent forensic evidence from the case to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas, where scientists successfully extracted DNA from the remains.
A comparison of the DNA from the unidentified man to a woman believed to be his sister eventually confirmed a match. The Utah Office of the Medical Examiner later identified the man as Michael Lance Miliken, originally from Texas. Miliken had traveled from Texas to Las Vegas before making his way to Hurricane, Utah, in Washington County. His remains were returned to his family.
1. Bernadette Vandermeer
In August 2006, the death of 29-year-old Bernadette Vandermeer was investigated by Washington County sheriff’s deputies. She tragically fell more than 1,000 feet (300 meters) from the summit of Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. Deputies reported that Bernadette fell from an overlook area at the top of Angel’s Landing while hiking with her husband.
Bernadette’s case stands out for two key reasons: First, authorities conducted a thorough investigation to ensure there was no foul play involved, but they ultimately concluded that her death was an accident. Second, her tragic fall adds to a troubling pattern of fatal accidents at Zion National Park. Since 1983, four similar fatal falls have been recorded, including Bernadette’s. Zion National Park is ranked as the 10th most dangerous national park, with 22 deaths from falls reported over the past decade.
