LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Twenty-eight hikers -- three adults and 25 children with special needs -- were rescued at the Arizona Hot Spring Trail Thursday, according to National Park Service officials.

Park rangers who assisted in the rescue say the group of hikers attempted the 3.2-mile trek without adequate preparation in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Thursday’s incident, along with a separate rescue Wednesday where a hiker died on the same trail in what is suspected to be a heat-related incident, has prompted park officials to highlight the severity of the desert heat as warmer temperatures continue to climb.

Officials say five other members of that same group also experienced heat distress and required helicopter evacuation.

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With recent extreme heat, park rangers say hikers have not had the time to acclimate to the conditions, which in turn increases the likelihood of heat-related illnesses.

Park officials also stress the strain of emergencies or incidents similar to these places on park resources.

Due to dangerously high temperatures and a series of heat-related search and rescue incidents, Arizona Hot Springs Trail and Goldstrike Trail have been closed until April 13.

The National Park Service announced the closures as temperatures in the canyons are expected to soar above 100F, posing significant risks to hikers who are not adequately prepared for such extreme conditions.

Officials said that if temperatures drop by Sunday or Monday, the trails may reopen temporarily, but closures will resume as conditions become hazardous again.