Arizona woman falls to her death during Grand Canyon hike

July 4 (UPI) -- Officials have recovered the body of a 59-year-old hiker who fell into the Grand Canyon Friday.

According to a press release from the National Parks Service, on Friday park staff were alerted that a visitor had fallen from the west rim of Mather Point.

Park rangers found the body of Maria A. Salgado Lopez, 59, of Scottsdale, Ariz., about 100 feet below the canyon's rim.

According to NPS, Salgado Lopez was hiking off trail and taking photographs with her family when she accidentally stepped off the edge.

"NPS and the Coconino County Medical Examiner's Office are investigating the incident.

Grand Canyon National Park staff encourage all visitors to have a safe visit this holiday weekend by staying on designated trails and walkways, always keeping a safe distance from the edge of the rim, and staying behind railings and fences at overlooks," said the NPS press release, which also stressed that visitors to national parks follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's social distancing guidelines while visiting parks during the holiday weekend.