Technical rescue crews carried the injured woman from steep desert terrain before she was taken to a local trauma center.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A woman was taken to a trauma center Saturday after a falling cactus struck her in the head while she was hiking on Bell Pass Trail in Scottsdale, prompting technical rescue crews to travel about two miles into steep terrain to reach her, fire officials said.
First responders were called shortly after 7 a.m. Oct. 17 to the Bell Pass Trail area in the McDowell Mountains after receiving reports that a hiker had been injured. Scottsdale Fire Department crews located the woman about two miles from the trailhead and began treating and stabilizing her before organizing a difficult evacuation from the mountain.
Crews from the Scottsdale and Phoenix fire departments took part in the response. Paramedic teams using electric bicycles were able to reach the injured hiker and provide medical treatment while other rescuers brought equipment needed to move her through the rugged terrain, according to reports citing Scottsdale fire officials.
The woman was eventually removed from the trail using a large rescue wheel and a utility terrain vehicle. Once crews reached a location accessible to emergency vehicles, she was transported to a local trauma center for further evaluation. Authorities did not immediately release her name, age or an updated description of her condition.
Officials said the woman had been struck in the head by a falling cactus, but additional details about what caused the cactus to fall were not immediately available. Authorities had not publicly identified the type or size of the cactus or said whether weather, plant condition or another factor contributed to the incident.
The rescue took place near Bell Pass Trail, close to 10400 E. Bell Road. The route runs through mountainous desert terrain in Scottsdale and can require specialized equipment when hikers are injured far from road access. In this case, crews had to travel a significant distance on foot before they could reach and stabilize the patient.
The operation highlighted the challenges emergency crews can face when responding to injuries on remote desert trails. Unlike incidents near streets or developed areas, mountain rescues can require firefighters and paramedics to carry medical and transport equipment over steep or narrow terrain before an injured person can be moved to an ambulance.
Officials had not announced whether any part of the trail was closed following the incident or whether crews planned to inspect the area where the cactus fell. No other injuries were reported in connection with the rescue.
By Saturday afternoon, the woman had been successfully removed from the trail and taken to a trauma center. Authorities had not released further information about her medical condition or identified any additional circumstances surrounding the falling cactus.
Author note: Last updated October 17, 2026.