Updated at 2 p.m. Nov. 11: Revised to include information about Ed Lowe's memorial.

A longtime Dallas restaurateur fell to his death Wednesday in Big Bend National Park, authorities say.

Ed Lowe (Celebration Restaurant)

Ed Lowe, 69, was visiting the West Texas park for a five-day canoe trip down the Rio Grande with four other people, according to the National Park Service.

While scouting a campsite near the mouth of the Boquillas Canyon on Wednesday morning, Lowe fell headfirst off an embankment, the park service said in a news release. He did not respond to lifesaving efforts from people in the canoeing party.

Two people canoed upstream through strong currents to notify authorities, who recovered Lowe's body later Wednesday.

Lowe was the founder and owner of one of Dallas' original farm-to-table restaurants, Celebration. The eatery on West Lovers Lane near Lemmon Avenue opened in 1971 with a focus on local, seasonal food in a laid-back setting.

An employee of the restaurant confirmed the news of Lowe's death Thursday.

In a Facebook post Monday, Celebration said: "We are grateful to him for his vision and dedication to a restaurant that has helped so many for so long."

"He created a caring, family environment where he called his employees partners," the post said. "The Celebration community will miss his indomitable spirit, dedication, passion and love."

Lowe wasn't focused on fresh foods because it was cool — he just thought it was the right way to do things, Edible Dallas & Fort Worth editor Terri Taylor said.

"I do think Ed was a very eclectic thinker when it comes to food," she said.

In an interview for the winter 2014 edition of the magazine, Lowe said that was why people found something different when they came to Celebration.

"We were in an old house, the servers had long hair, and we served fresh vegetables in bowls. I really didn't know how else to do it," he said. "I wasn't looking around at what other restaurants were doing. I just did what I thought was a good way to do it."

Taylor, who said Celebration was her family's favorite spot when they lived in the neighborhood in the '80s, said she reread the interview Thursday and felt happy knowing Lowe spent his life doing what he loved.

Lowe said in the interview that he had been a licensed guide in Big Bend for years, and he was passionate about the outdoors.

"Big Bend National Park staff are saddened by this tragic loss of life, and extend their condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Lowe," the park service said in its release.

A memorial for Lowe will be at 3 p.m. Nov. 19 at the Highland Park United Methodist Church.

Dallas Morning News contributor Kim Pierce contributed to this report.