"This is a sad reminder that underneath all that beauty there's extreme danger," said Commander Tyson Pogue with the Madera County Sheriff's Office.
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The victim is 37-year-old Jaime Eischen.
Madera County Sheriff's deputies say Eischen and her boyfriend were hiking along Cascadel Falls near North Fork on Wednesday.
In an effort to explore a nearby cave, investigators Eischen crossed the stream and stepped on the edge of a cliff.
That's when she fell.
"She was trying to traverse the treacherous terrain there. she stepped on I don't know if it was trees or grass, ultimately that debris broke loose and she fell down the cliff," said Commander Pogue.
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The department got a frantic call from the victim's boyfriend, telling deputies he tried to help her, but she was unresponsive.
Cal Fire was the first at the scene and tried to revive her but she ultimately died.
Commander Tyson Pogue says it's not the first time they've responded to that area and it's dangerous for both hikers and emergency crews.
"It's very difficult to get a hold of first responders and law enforcement and even for us to get in there. In this case, we had to use helicopters just to get her out afterward. It's very dangerous," said Commander Pogue.
According to the Sheriff's Office, preliminary investigation suggests the fall was an accident. Toxicology results are pending, and it is unknown if drugs or alcohol played a factor. If anyone has information about this incident, contact the Madera County Sheriff's Office at (559) 675-7770.