Hunter Supervisor Sean Mahoney said the town is in talks with the Department of Environmental Conservation about possible changes to signage at Fawn’s Leap after a 15-year-old Brooklyn boy died there Saturday, saying that warning signs don’t properly convey danger at the popular swimming spot.
“Signage needs to be improved,” Mahoney said. “There should be signage that shows there is a risk.”
The boy died April 18 after jumping from a lower ledge near the base of the falls and becoming trapped in a powerful hydraulic current, according to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, which is investigating the apparent drowning.
Mahoney said the town’s options are limited because Fawn’s Leap is on state land.
“We have no power over state land,” he said.
Still, Mahoney said town officials are in conversation with the DEC to brainstorm possible safety measures, including stronger warning signs at the site. Current signage, he said, warns against jumping, bringing glass and setting fires but doesn’t fully communicate the hazards posed by the water.
The supervisor said the town also plans to keep parking restrictions along Route 23A in place near the site, where stopping, standing, and parking are prohibited and vehicles may be towed.
Mahoney said the dangers at Fawn’s Leap point to a broader need for more staffing and resources in Kaaterskill Clove, a heavily visited recreation corridor that includes waterfalls, trails, and roadside pull-offs.
In a statement provided after publication, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said it is “actively conducting a comprehensive investigation into the incident” and is continuing to work with the town and local partners to address safety challenges in the Kaaterskill Clove corridor along Route 23A.
“We could use more resources in the clove,” Mahoney said.
There are currently four DEC forest rangers in Greene County, including one stationed at North-South Lake Campground and one assigned to Kaaterskill Clove.
The death Saturday renewed attention to longstanding safety concerns at Fawn’s Leap, a scenic but unsanctioned swimming hole on Kaaterskill Creek that has drawn visitors for years despite repeated warnings from officials. The site has been the scene of other serious accidents in recent years, including the drowning of a 16-year-old boy in 2023 and a fatal fall in 2019 after a rock ledge gave way.
According to the sheriff’s office, the Brooklyn teenager was swimming with friends when he jumped from a lower ledge near the waterfall and was overpowered by the current. Three friends went into the water to try to save him, but they were also pulled under and were unable to reach him, investigators said.
A state forest ranger pulled the boy to shore, where emergency crews began lifesaving efforts. He was later pronounced dead at Columbia Memorial Health in Hudson, authorities said.
Mahoney’s comments suggest that, in the aftermath of the latest tragedy, local officials are looking for steps that may help prevent another one even as jurisdiction over the site remains with the state.
Noah Eckstein is the editor-in-chief of The Overlook. Send correspondence to noah@theoverlooknews.com.