16-Year-Old Swimmer Drowns At NJ Off-Limits Swimming Site

CEDAR GROVE, NJ - A 16-year-old drowned Saturday evening in a North Jersey ravine that has notoriously been off-limits to swimmers for years, authorities said.

Shortly after a routine inspection of the area by Cedar Grove police at around 5:15 p.m., a teen who arrived at the Devil’s Hole ravine in Cedar Grove with a group of individuals entered the water and never resurfaced, police said.

The group appeared to ignore the “no trespassing” signs and warnings highlighting the risks of swimming in Devil’s Hole, police said.

The victim, only identified as a 16-year-old male by police, was pulled from the water and found unconscious, police said. Despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at an area hospital later that evening.

Police previously reported the victim as an 18-year-old. They later clarified the swimmer's correct age in a Sunday Twitter post.

“Our hearts are with the victim’s family and friends as well as our community during this difficult time,” police said.

Devil's Hole has attracted thrill-seeking teens for years, with Cedar Grove police ramping up patrols every summer at the "attractive nuisance."

In 2018, Cedar Grove police described the Peckman River ravine as "extremely hazardous,” with dangerous rock ledges leading up to the water’s edge. The same year, a ban on public swimming was enforced in town, which banned swimming, wading or bathing in public recreation area waters and waterways.

"It's a rite of passage to go to Devil's Hole, usually in your preteens," one Cedar Grove resident told News 12 New Jersey. A 2017 video posted to YouTube shows young people cliff jumping at the infamous site.

In 2014, an 18-year-old drowned while swimming in the water after a tragic jump into the swimming hole, which has surprisingly swift currents and is lined with rocks underneath the surface.

The Peckman River, a tributary of the Passaic River which winds through Essex and Passaic counties, also has a long history with runoff from nearby wastewater treatment plants.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Peckman River has "diurnal fluctuations at low flow due to patterns of sewage effluent entering river upstream."

-With additional reporting by Eric Kiefer.