ZION NATIONAL PARK, Utah, April 30, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — The Washington County Sheriff’s Office has released the name of a man who fell a short distance to his death at Zion National Park last week.
The victim was 43-year-old William Lewis, of Hillsborough, California.
Sgt. Lucas Alfred, WCSO, told Gephardt Daily that Lewis was in the Spry Canyon area, about a half mile up the trail, and was walking down a small embankment when he fell.
It should “have been easily navigable on foot, but near the bottom of the embankment, there was a small drop,” Alfred said.
“It appears he lost his balance and kind of feel off that drop. Those falls can be deadly, depending on how you land.”
Lewis’ family members told the WCSO that he had traveled to Zion multiple times to take photos.
“He didn’t have any technical gear on,” Alfred said. “He wasn’t like hardcore canyoneering or anything like that. He wasn’t repelling.”
“He was just hiking in the area. We believe he was out there taking photography, taking photos, doing photography, minor filming.”
Lewis’ death came less than a week after the previous fatal fall. Gilberto Ramos, 68, from Texas, fell from a chained area of Angel’s landing on April 17. The Angels Landing hike is 5.4 miles, round trip, and gains 1,488 feet in elevation, according to the National Park Service.
