Hiker dies, another found clinging to rock after fall from trail, VA cops say
A 25-year-old hiker died and another was injured after falling from a walking trail into a waterfall area in Virginia, authorities said.
Rescuers responded to a call about the hikers who had fallen at about 8:15 p.m. Saturday, May 24, at Crabtree Falls in Nelson County, Wintergreen Fire & Rescue said in a May 25 Facebook post.
Witnesses told officials they heard a scream come from a group of hikers and saw one of them slip, according to an incident report shared with WSET. Another hiker who tried to grab her also fell into the water, the report said, according to the outlet.
When deputies arrived, they found one of the hikers “holding onto a rock to avoid being swept away by currents,” the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.
They climbed down a 75-foot embankment and brought the hiker out of the water using a 30-foot rope, deputies said.
According to the incident report, she was taken to the hospital with a broken pelvis, two broken arms and a broken hip, WSET reported.
About an hour later, a second hiker — identified as 25-year-old Taniya Flowers of Virginia Beach — was found near a set of waterfalls 150 feet below the first hiker, deputies said.
She was taken out of the water but died at about 12:30 a.m. after rescuers tried to resuscitate her, deputies said.
“Our thoughts are certainly with the families who have experienced a terrible loss,” Wintergreen Fire & Rescue officials said. “Additionally, our thoughts are with all of the many first responders exposed to this incident and to any citizens who may have been using the trail during our operation.”
The incident is being investigated by the sheriff’s office.
Nelson County is about a 105-mile drive northwest from Richmond.
This story was originally published May 26, 2025 at 11:36 AM with the headline "Hiker dies, another found clinging to rock after fall from trail, VA cops say."
