Rangers Have to Rescue Hikers on a Bad Trip

Group of 4 who ate magic mushrooms rescued from Slide Mountain Wilderness in New York
Posted Sep 5, 2025 6:07 AM CDT
Magic Mushroom Trip Ends With Rescue in NY Wilderness
Stock photo of a stretch of land in upstate New York.   (Getty Images/Yuriy T)

Four hikers had to be rescued from New York's Slide Mountain Wilderness after what officials described as a "debilitating high" from magic mushrooms, authorities say. The group, hiking about 20 miles west of Woodstock on Aug. 29, called for help after one member became overwhelmed by the effects of psilocybin mushrooms, a naturally occurring hallucinogen known for distorting perception and sense of time, per NBC News.

Rangers from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, alongside local firefighters, tracked down the group and walked them out to safety. At the trailhead, Shandaken Ambulance personnel checked over the hikers. The group then got a free lift back to their rental accommodations, courtesy of the rangers. A photo from the rescue shows a man in a white hoodie being supported by two authorities.

"This level of dedication, at the start of a busy Labor Day weekend, is representative of the commitment shared by our Forest Ranger members," says James McCartney, president of the Police Benevolent Association of New York State, in a statement, per People. The adventure didn't quite end there: One hiker misplaced their car keys during the ordeal. Rangers tracked them down the next day, finding the keys in a sling bag stashed beneath a log among tall ferns.

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