73-year-old hiker trips, falls 450 feet to death at MT national park, officials say
A 73-year-old hiker died after tripping and falling 450 feet off a trail in a Montana national park, officials say.
Diane Bunker, of Muscatine, Iowa, was hiking with a group along Highline Trail in Glacier National Park on Wednesday, Aug. 27, the National Park Service said in an Aug. 29 news release.
Bunker “tripped and fell off the edge of the trail, out of sight from her hiking party,” officials said.
Park staff were made aware of Bunker’s fall between Big Bend and Triple Arches at about 11 a.m., officials said.
As rescuers worked to recover Bunker, the “Going-to-the-Sun Road was closed from Logan Pass to Big Bend for about an hour,” officials said.
Two Bear Air Rescue searched for Bunker and found her below the trail, according to officials.
Bunker’s 450-foot fall left her with traumatic injuries, officials said.
Bunker’s body was taken to the Flathead County coroner, officials said, adding that an investigation is ongoing.
“Glacier National Park staff would like to express their sincere condolences to the family,” officials said.
Highline Trail in Glacier National Park is about a 15-mile trek with an elevation gain of 2,621 feet and is considered a “hard” hike, taking a little more than 7 hours to complete, according to AllTrails.
This story was originally published August 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM with the headline "73-year-old hiker trips, falls 450 feet to death at MT national park, officials say."
