State park rangers walk along Slippery Rock Creek on Monday in search of a Crawford County man who fell and was swept away on Saturday. Jeffery Hanby, 38, had been hiking at McConnells Mill State Park when he fell into the creek.

SLIPPERY ROCK TWP, Lawrence County — Two state park rangers scanned the banks of Slippery Rock Creek on Monday in search of a man who reportedly fell in and was swept away in the fast-moving current Saturday.

As of Monday afternoon, 38-year-old Jeffery Hanby still had not been found.

On Saturday, the Meadville, Crawford County, man fell into Slippery Rock Creek from a hiking trail at McConnells Mill State Park around 2:30 p.m.

Throughout the weekend, firefighters, a drone, at least six dogs and search and rescue teams from Butler, Beaver, Lawrence and Allegheny counties scoured 4.5 miles of the creek's banks in search of Hanby.

The search led to nothing, and on Monday the search- and-rescue mission turned into one of search and recovery with a significantly reduced number of people searching, according to Dustin Drew, park manager of Moraine State Park.

“We will continue our efforts,” Drew said.

Aided by two rangers with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Monday's effort to locate Hanby fell short of the significant search efforts made over the weekend. Drew said the majority of the weekend crews were made up of volunteers, and most of them weren't available Monday. Instead, Drew said, there was a crew of six rangers who were rotating search efforts throughout the day.

The water level was above normal after rains filled the creek overnight Friday into Saturday. Hnmby fell into the water while walking with family members on the Kildoo Trail just downstream from the Covered Bridge, according to Drew.

Drew stressed the importance that people stay on the trail and not stray off the path where they could slip into the creek.

“A fun afternoon could turn into a life-threatening situation like that,” Drew said.

Search efforts over the weekend covered the area between the Covered and Eckert bridges Sunday morning. By the afternoon, crews turned to a short distance downstream of the Eckert Bridge.

On Monday the DCNR rangers redoubled their efforts by searching along the same area, Drew said.

Drew, who oversees both Moraine and McConnells Mill, said this was the first search for a person missing in the creek in his six years with the parks.

The Slippery Rock Creek is typically a small stream that feeds into Connoquenessing Creek, but it often rises above its normal levels after sustained periods of rain.

McConnells Mill State Park, in Lawrence County, encompasses 2,546 acres of the Slippery Rock Creek Gorge, which is a National Natural Landmark and a popular attraction for people looking to use one of its many hiking trails or to kayak the whitewater section of the creek.

Whitewater kayakers aided the search efforts over the weekend, and on Monday a small group was reported to have joined the search efforts by kayaking a section of the creek downstream of Eckert Bridge.

Drew said there were no official coordinated efforts made with the group and his office, nor were there any such efforts made with aerial devices.

“We are continuing efforts and we want people to be safe and not take it upon themselves to go searching and to end up putting themselves in danger by going off trail,” Drew said. “We don't need that.”