A seasoned Utah hiker became trapped in quicksand during a solo trek through Arches National Park — as harrowing drone footage captured him struggling to break free, according to reports.

Austin Dirks, a hiker who has logged thousands of miles on trails, was navigating a canyon area in the Moab park on Sunday morning when his left leg suddenly blasted through solid ground, Fox13 reported.

“Before this trip, I honestly thought quicksand was more of a folklore or a legend,” Dirks told the outlet.

But he quickly learned it was a real thing.

“I was able to pull it out, and then I shifted all my weight to my right foot. And I sunk up to the knee,” Dirks recalled.

“It felt like I had stepped into concrete, and then it hardened around my leg. I couldn’t even move it a millimeter.”

Dirks th

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