A hiker has been found after going missing at a New Jersey state park over the weekend, police said.
The 63-year-old hiker went into the woods at Ringwood State Park near Skylands Manor Sunday afternoon, but had not been seen or heard from in hours. She left her cellphone behind in the car, and her family called police when they hadn't heard from her by 10 p.m.
Family members said she frequently goes on long hikes on Sundays starting around noon.
Dozens of rescue organizations — including canine, helicopter and water rescue units — worked all through the night to try to locate the woman, who is a volunteer for the New Jersey Botanical Gardens, and police continued searching the park and its trails Monday. The Passaic County park remained closed while the search was ongoing.
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Tips started flooding in after police posted about the disappearance on Facebook Monday morning. Just before 2 p.m., about 25 hours after she set off on the hike, Ringwood Police posted on social media that the hiker had been found "and is safe." She was located on Sterlington Road in Sloatsburg, a few miles away just over the border into New York.
Officials said she was being evaluated by medical personnel after she was said to be disoriented when she was found. It appeared that the woman got lost and spent most of Sunday night into Monday truing to find her way back.
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Police credited a homeowner in Sloatsburg with seeing a Ring camera alert on their phone and recognizing the woman from the missing person flyer. They called the police and she was found shortly after.
Police advised those going on hikes — especially when alone — to take electronics with them and to tell someone where they will be, and then check in when the hike is over.
