A 77-year-old man was found dead in a river after he went searching for his lost dog in a 4,462-acre park in California, authorities said.

A hike in Garland Park turned tragic for an 80-year-old man after he was found dead in the Carmel River while searching for his missing pet.

A Monterey County man reported missing after looking for his lost dog in Carmel Valley was found dead Thursday, authorities said.

Steven Sherwood, 77, told family he was walking his dog in Garland Ranch Regional Park at about 9:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 14, when he lost his pet, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post. The Carmel Valley man started scouring the area for his dog and last spoke with family at about 10:30 a.m., deputies said.

A Carmel Valley man died near Garland Ranch Regional Park while reportedly searching for his lost dog during the atmospheric river over the weekend.