PROVO, Utah (ABC4) — Utah County authorities are reminding the public to avoid Bridal Veil Falls as debris left behind by an avalanche earlier this year is creating an unsafe environment for hiking.

Located in Provo Canyon, Bridal Veil Falls is usually considered a relatively easy route with a 1.4-mile out-and-back trail that takes about 30 minutes to complete. However, an avalanche in January has caused a huge amount of snow and mud to spill over the trail.

Despite it being officially closed for avalanche cleanup, officials say there are visitors who would still enter and climb on the debris.

“If you come up here and something happens, and you were to fall through that snow either onto rocks and get injured or into the river and drown, all the regret in the world can’t change the decision you’ve made once that tragic incident has happened,” said Sgt. Spencer Cannon with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office.

Cannon adds that hikers who are standing on the avalanche deposit may think they are standing on a thick chunk of snow but, in reality, there are only two or three inches of foundation that may break away when stepped on.

The Utah County Sheriff’s Office says officials are not going to monitor the area heavily but hope that people will be smart about what they decide to do in the area.

“We’re relying on people’s good senses to think, ‘You know what, I’d really like to go here but I’m going to have to make other plans today and this can’t be included in those plans,'” Cannon said.

He also provided other places where visitors can still get a good view of the falls without hiking the trail, namely an overlook view area at the parking lot off Highway 189.

The Bridal Veil Trail will be closed through July 24. To see more trails in Provo Canyon, click here.