Searches are underway to find a hiker who has disappeared in Big Bend National Park, Texas.
Christy Perry has been missing since November 9 when she failed to show up for a camping reservation in Chisos Basin Campground a few miles outside of the small town of Terlingua in Brewster County, close to the U.S.-Mexico border. Her family reported her as missing after she didn't return home from the planned vacation.
According to the National Park Service (NPS), Perry picked up a rental car in Midland, Texas, and arrived in Big Bend National Park on November 8. Her vehicle was later located near the trailhead of the Lost Mine Trail.
The trail is 4.8 miles long and takes around three hours for the average hiker to complete. The popular route climbs steeply into the woodlands of the Chisos Mountains. The area is partly forested and surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert. Lions and bears inhabit the area around the trail, although officials have not said if this is being considered a factor in Perry's disappearance.
Search teams combed the area on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the NPS, but Perry is still yet to be located. Two helicopters with the Texas Department of Public Safety and U.S. Border Patrol, plus an NPS airplane, have been conducting searches from above.
The trail has been closed to the public for the time being while park rangers and Border Patrol agents continue their search. The Texas Game Wardens, Los Diablos fire crew, and other agencies are also assisting in efforts to find Perry.
What Do We Know About Christy Perry?
Perry, 25, is five foot two inches tall and weighs around 100 pounds, according to her missing poster, which describes her race as Korean. She has brown hair, brown eyes and a fair complexion. A description of the clothes she was wearing on the day she disappeared has not been given by officials.
According to her Instagram page, Perry is based in Houston, Texas. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2021, describing herself on social media as a "proud Longhorn alum". She appears to be a frequent traveler within the U.S.
Officials have asked anyone who may know anything about Perry's disappearance or anyone who was in the area of the Lost Mine trail from November 8 to 9 to call the TipLine at 888-653-0009 or to email nps_isb@nps.gov.
Newsweek has contacted the National Park Service for an update on the search via email.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Aliss Higham is a Newsweek reporter based in Glasgow, Scotland. Her focus is reporting on issues across the U.S., including ... Read more
