BECKET — The Trustees of Reservations have indefinitely closed access to Becket Quarry following the drowning of a 25-year-old man last summer.

The trustees initially closed the 280-acre property last July after the incident while it determined "next steps,"  according to spokesperson Mary Dettloff.

On Monday, it said that closure will now be made indefinite, closing off the quarry's entrance, including its parking area. The trustees will continue to manage the quarry as a conservation area, Dettloff said.

"Our top priority is visitor safety as part of the experience each guest has while at one of our properties," Dettloff said. "It is with that in mind that we have decided to close the parking area at Becket Quarry indefinitely to reassess several management challenges associated with the property."

Dettloff said that the trustees have consulted with local law enforcement and ask the public not to travel to the quarry during its indefinite closure. The property was previously open to the public year-round from sunrise to sunset with free parking for members and a $10 fee for nonmembers.

"The safety of our visitors and staff is paramount and cannot be compromised," Dettloff said.

Dettloff said that though the trustees have not explicitly closed the trails, they are asking the public not to visit at all. There is no alternative parking available at the property.

On July 18, Rainiely Meteo, 25, of Springfield was swimming across the quarry when he began to struggle and slipped beneath the water. Meteo's body was recovered the next morning.

The quarry, formerly known as the Chester-Hudson Granite Quarry, has long attracted thrill-seekers despite safety concerns. Its towering ledges and deep water make it a popular, though unofficial, spot for cliff diving.

"As stated on our website, and in signage on the property, swimming, diving and climbing are absolutely prohibited on the property," Dettloff said. "Swimming or diving in the quarry can — and has — resulted in severe injury and loss of life."

Since the trustees acquired the quarry property in 2021, signs have been posted on the property discouraging swimming. After the drowning, the trustees removed trail and visitation information on its website pertaining to the property.

The quarry has been scrutinized by residents and first responders for attracting swimmers who ignore the public safety risks.

Prior to Meteo's death, the trustees encouraged visitors to take advantage of 7 miles of hiking and cross-country trails on the property, some of which overlap with the quarry's original transport routes. Between the 1860s and 1960s, it was an active quarry for Chester Blue granite, a material used in gravestones and monuments. It also boasts vistas of the Pioneer Valley and Mount Greylock.