Two men drowned at a popular swimming hole in the Tuolumne River Canyon at 3 pm on Friday, according to the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department.
The men’s bodies were recovered from God’s Bath on the Clavey River, one on Friday and another on Saturday. Initial reports claimed three people had drowned, but confusion was caused by the remote location and spotty cell service.
The men were part of a group of people who went to the spot to swim on Friday. God’s Bath swimming hole is a local favorite due to its clear, cool waters and cliffs for jumping. The popularity of the area has exploded recently due to social media posts about the location.
The department’s search and rescue crew worked with the Tuolumne County Dive Team and a California Highway Patrol helicopter on the rescue and recovery efforts. The identities of the drowning victims are expected to be released on Monday.
Tuolumne County Fire department posted a warning of the dangers on Instagram over the weekend:
As the weather gets hot and the rivers run fast, we want to remind you that rivers are inherently dangerous places to recreate. The water can be high, swift, and cold as mountain snowpack melts, making staying in control and hypothermia real risks. Logs and rocks, both visible and hidden, pose navigation hazards.
The cold fast water can quickly incapacitate even the best swimmers and experienced outdoors people.
Please see the link regarding water safety.
God’s Bath is one of thousands of secret swimming holes in the California foothills. The foothills hide a plethora of ideal swim holes with their hot summertime temperatures (often in the 100s), ice cold streams (water that was snow about an hour before), plentiful H2O, and wildly varied geography.
