A tragic incident occurred at a Kentucky waterfall where a 23-year-old man lost his life. Authorities believe the man, identified as Isaac Lee Turpin, slipped and fell while walking his dog along a trail that loops above the falls. The waterfall cascades down more than 100 feet from top to bottom, according to the state tourism department.
Sheriff's deputies responded to the scene and recovered Turpin's body, confirming that he had passed away. It is believed that Turpin was hiking the Yahoo Falls trailhead with his dog when the animal got loose. In an attempt to catch the dog, Turpin accidentally fell over the falls to his tragic death, as per officials.
The McCreary County Coroners Office removed Turpin's body from the scene, the sheriff said. An autopsy will be conducted by the Kentucky Medical Examiner's Office in Frankfort.
The National Park Service stated that it is also investigating the incident, as Yahoo Falls is part of the larger national park Big South Fork. Yahoo Falls is known as the steepest waterfall in Kentucky, descending 113 feet down a large rock house into a pool below. The state mentions that multiple hiking trails surround the waterfall, with one trail leading visitors through a full loop around the falls, starting from the top of the hill down to the base of the creek. Yahoo Falls is most impressive during the spring season.
The Kentucky Department of Tourism describes the one-mile loop around the falls as "moderate in difficulty," but its short length makes it a relatively easy hike that can be completed in less than an hour.
"Walking the loop in a clockwise direction involves steep steps down to the waterfall and a gradual climb back to the top. On the other hand, a counterclockwise direction leads to a gradual descent to the waterfall and steep steps back up," as mentioned by the tourism department. It points out that the "steep metal stairs at the falls may pose a challenge for some hikers."
