A French tourist died last week after he became stranded on a remote road in California’s Death Valley National Park, according to the National Park Service.
In a news release, the National Park Service said that the 68-year-old French visitor died on Aug. 17 after he and his travel companion, both from France, were driving on West Side Road when their vehicle became stuck in mud.
“With no other vehicles in the area, the men began walking across the salt flats toward Badwater Road to seek assistance. Temperatures reached 116°F (around 47°C) that day. After about 1.3 miles, the man was unable to continue,” the news release said.
The man’s travel companion continued to walk toward Badwater Road, where he eventually received assistance from a passing motorist and reported the incident at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center shortly after 2 p.m., according to the National Park Service.
“National Park Service rangers and an Inyo County deputy began a search and rescue operation about 2:13 p.m. A California Highway Patrol helicopter joined the search and located the man later that afternoon, approximately 1.5 miles from Badwater Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene,” the news release added.
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The Inyo County coroner will determine the cause and manner of death of the man, identified as Pierre Michel Formosa.
“Our deepest condolences are with the family and friends of the visitor who died,” said Death Valley National Park superintendent Mike Reynolds. “This is a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly conditions here can turn dangerous. Death Valley is an extraordinary place, but its heat, distances, and remoteness can be dangerous, regardless of experience. We’re grateful to everyone who took part in the search, and our thoughts are with his loved ones.”
Death Valley National Park covers vast, remote terrain where cell service is limited and emergency help can be hours away, according to the National Park Service.
Authorities encourage all visitors to prepare for that reality before they set out and suggest planning a route in advance and checking current road and weather conditions.
They also suggest sharing details of your plans with someone, including where you’re going and when you expect to return. Visitors should carry ample water and supplies, with the park recommending at least one gallon of water per person, per day, plus extra for vehicle emergencies.
“Match your vehicle to the road. Many backcountry roads require high-clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicles, and conditions can change without warning,” the National Park Service added. “Bring a way to call for help where cell service may not reach, such as a satellite communicator or emergency beacon. If your vehicle becomes disabled, staying with it is often the safest choice. It provides shade and shelter, and it’s far easier for search teams to spot than a person on foot in open terrain.”
During periods of extreme heat, visitors are also encouraged to stay on paved roads and avoid hiking at lower elevations.
This isn’t the first reported incident involving a tourist in Death Valley National Park.
In July 2024, a European tourist was rescued from Death Valley National Park after suffering third-degree burns on his feet, according to the National Park Service.
The tourist from Belgium was walking on the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes when he lost his flip-flops.
“People think it’s going to be like the beach where you can get out there with flip-flops or sandals, but because of the extreme temperatures, those dunes heat up just as much as the pavement does,” Death Valley National Park Service ranger Gia Ponce said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
The air temperature that day, July 20, was upwards of 50 C, park officials wrote in their release. That’s already scorching, but the temperature of the sand dunes themselves “would have been much hotter” than the air temperature.
“The ground can be much hotter — 170, 180 (F). Sometimes up into the 200 range,” Ponce said.
In Celsius, that temperature range is approximately 76 to 93 C.
After losing his flip-flops, the tourist would have been in excruciating pain trying to walk out of the sand dunes. The man’s family ended up calling for help and recruiting other park visitors to help carry him out to the parking lot.
“The skin was melted off his foot,” Ponce said.
A Mercy Air helicopter transported the man to University Medical Center in Las Vegas.
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