Hiker found dead after fall in Joshua Tree National Park

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - An Orange County woman was found dead after an apparent fall in Joshua Tree National Park over the weekend, according to officials.

According to officials from the National Park Service, park rangers responded to reports of an injured hiker in the Rattlesnake Canyon in the Indian Cove district of the park late on Jan. 7. The hiker, identified as a 50-year-old woman from Orange County, had sustained a fatal head injury.

Officials did not yet have many details about the cause or what led to the fall, but said "no signs of foul play were present." 

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According to park officials, Rattlesnake Canyon, where the hiker fell, and the Wonderland of Rocks areas of Joshua Tree are known for being challenging areas to navigate because of the terrain, remoteness and the lack of cell phone service, and anyone attempting to trek out into those areas should come fully prepared with equipment and supplies.

"Do not attempt to hike in these areas unless you are prepared for this environment," the National Park Service said in a statement.