Skeleton Found In Joshua Tree Park Identified As Missing Hiker

 Joshua tree stands at Joshua Tree National Park on January 4, 2019 in Joshua Tree National Park,
Photo credit Mario Tama/Getty Images

Skeletal remains found in Joshua Tree National Park last month were identified as a 51-year-old Canadian who vanished during a trip with his wife. 

The bones were identified this week by the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office as Paul Miller of Ontario, the National Park Service said in a statement Tuesday.

Miller was last seen leaving his hotel room on July 13, 2018. He reportedly told his wife he was going for a hike hours before the couple was scheduled to fly back to Canada. 

A search to find him went on for months and included an extensive effort to look on social media for witnesses. 

Please RT and follow @FindPaulMiller - we need to spread Paul's story to bring him home#missing #followme #help #retweet #missingincalifornia #missingCdn #missinghiker #hiker #joshuatree #palmsprings #49palmsoasis #hikingjoshuatree #searchandrescue #desert #findpaulmiller pic.twitter.com/e2n75AHJ6W

— Find Paul Miller (@FindPaulMiller) August 14, 2018

But it was only last summer that his skeleton was spotted in photographs of a remote, rocky area. 

Rangers hiked to the location that is removed from the park's trails on December 20. They recovered the remains as well as personal belongings. They did not find any identification. 

Officials said that there were no obvious signs of foul play, according to the Orange County Register