Hiker found dead at bottom of cliff at Hocking Hills State Park
A person was found dead at the bottom of a cliff at the Cantwell Cliffs area of Hocking Hills State Park Wednesday.
The person was believed to be walking off the trail near the main waterfall in the area, according to an email from Stephanie O'Grady, media and outreach specialist for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
A camper found the person around 6 p.m. ODNR officers were called, and the person was pronounced dead at the scene.
The identity of the person has not yet been released.
The death marks the second accidental fatality in the Hocking Hills region this year.
On May 15, Willard L. Gay, 45, of Lima, was hiking the upper rim of the gorge at Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve just north of Hocking Hills State Park when he slipped and fell about 80 feet, according to news accounts.
According to a report in The Lima News, Stacey Sams of the Hocking County Coroner's office said that Gay was observing a waterfall when he dropped a personal item. He left the marked path and fell while leaning over to retrieve it.
Read more: ODNR official urges caution after latest hiking tragedy in a Hocking Hills region park
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which is investigating this week's incident, reminds visitors to stay on the trails and follow park safety regulations, O'Grady said.
Cantwell Cliffs is located in the northern region of Hocking Hills, according to the park website. Erosion in the area created the valleys and cliffs in the area.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Hiker found dead at bottom of cliff at Hocking Hills State Park
