25-year-old woman missing at Big Bend National Park found after a week, park rangers say

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Saturday, November 18, 2023
Houston woman missing for a week at 1,200-sq.-mile Big Bend now found
Christy Perry, 25, of Houston, has been found alive at Big Bend National Park and is being treated at an Odessa, Texas, hospital.

BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas -- A Houston woman missing for a week after she failed to make her camping reservation at Big Bend National Park has been found alive.

The National Park Service, which has searched for 25-year-old Christy Perry, announced on Friday a successful search and rescue operation for the woman.

"Our highly skilled team, in collaboration with outside law enforcement, has located and safely rescued the missing hiker," NPS wrote in a statement, adding that she was being taken to an Odessa, Texas, hospital for observation.

Authorities did not specify where in the 1,200-square-mile national park she was located or when she was found.

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According to the NPS, Perry's family reported that she did not return home from her trip.

A close family friend confirmed with our sister station ABC13's Jiovanni Lieggi on Thursday that Perry didn't tell anyone the details of her itinerary but did appear to be there on a planned vacation.

The NPS added Perry picked up a rental car in Midland, Texas, and arrived in Big Bend National Park on Nov. 9.

The park service said she never showed up for her camping reservation that night at the Chisos Basin Campground.

Perry's vehicle was later located at the trailhead for the Lost Mine Trail.

According to the park service, this trail climbs steeply through the woodlands of the Chisos Mountains.

Park Rangers and U.S. Border Patrol agents searched the trail, with multiple airplanes utilized from above.

The Texas Game Wardens, Los Diablos fire crew, and other agencies are assisting in search efforts.

The trail is currently closed until further notice.

Eyewitness News is gathering more information about Perry's successful search and rescue location.