A man and his 14-year-old stepson died while hiking through the 'hottest part of Big Bend National Park,' park rangers say

• A man and his 14-year-old stepson are dead after hiking in Big Bend National Park in extreme heat.
• Park rangers found the stepson dead along the trail, and his stepfather crashed his vehicle while seeking help.

A stepfather and stepson died on Friday after hiking through "the hottest part of Big Bend National Park" in Texas, where temperatures reached 119 degrees Fahrenheit, the National Park Service said in a press release.

The fatalities occurred along the Marufo Vega Trail, a 14-mile loop that weaves through the Deadhorse Mountains. The park service said the 31-year-old stepfather was hiking the trail "in extreme heat" with his two stepsons, when the younger one, who was just 14, fell ill and lost consciousness.

The stepfather then left and hiked back to his vehicle to seek help, while the older stepson, 21, tried to carry his younger brother back to the trailhead, the NPS said.

Park rangers received a call for help around 6 p.m. on Friday, and they reached the scene at 7:30 p.m. Rangers and Border Patrol agents found the younger stepson "deceased along the trail."

Rangers then found the stepfather and his vehicle crashed over an embankment, the NPS said.

The park service warned that Big Bend National Park is experiencing "extreme heat," with daily highs reaching 110 to 119 degrees Fahrenheit. The agency has issued an extreme heat advisory and told hikers to stay off trails in the afternoons, stay hydrated, and limit their exposure.

"The Marufo Vega Trail winds through extremely rugged desert and rocky cliffs within the hottest part of Big Bend National Park," the NPS said in a statement. "No shade or water makes this strenuous trail dangerous to attempt in the heat of summer."

The park service's webpage on the Marufo Vega Trail warns that the trail is "not an appropriate hike for the unprepared or unfit," and can be deadly for hikers between April and September. The park service also notes that "timely rescue is not guaranteed," and rescuers often cannot set out until the temperatures cool — usually in the early morning hours.

"Hikers must be duly prepared for the challenges of this trail," the page warns. "Marufo Vega is pleasant to hike during the winter months, but hikers have died in the intense heat of spring and summer."