While the Grand Canyon is known for its breathtaking views, some people saw a heart-stopping scene instead.
In a video posted to Instagram by Tourons of National Parks (@touronsofnationalparks), a woman is seen backing up to take a photo of her friend when she suddenly missteps off the edge of a cliff. She slips and nearly falls, but is luckily stopped by rock just below.
The sound of a gasping "holy!" from an onlooker can be heard as the moment unfolds.
"A couple people die every year from doing this or something like it at the Canyon," one commenter said.
Though this person avoided serious injury, the narrow escape drew major attention online.
The video is just the latest in a series of incidents involving risky behavior at U.S. national parks, where the combination of cliffs, wildlife, and social media-fueled photo ops has proved to be a dangerous mix.
The Grand Canyon, with its steep drop-offs and no railings in many popular spots, has been the site of similar occurrences in the past — some with tragic consequences.
According to the National Park Service, around a dozen people die in the Grand Canyon each year, with causes ranging from heat-related illness to falls.
This video underscores a growing concern about tourons — a term combining "tourists" and "morons" — whose reckless behavior not only puts themselves at risk but can also endanger emergency responders and disrupt the delicate natural environments they're visiting.
In this case, the one wrong step nearly resulted in serious injury or death. More broadly, this kind of behavior contributes to an ongoing strain on national park systems already facing record-breaking visitor numbers and shrinking staff and budgets.
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Absolutely 👏 Commenters flooded the post with a mix of relief, criticism, and sarcasm.
"There are plenty of things [that] are just as bad as that, but nothing more touronic," one user wrote.
"I have stood in some exposed spots to get a photo. I always choose the spot carefully, set my feet and never move them, then I look through the camera," someone else noted.
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