LAKESIDE — A 40-year-old man who failed to return home from a hike was found dead Sunday evening on a trail in the El Capitan County Preserve in Lakeside, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.

The man began his hike around 8 a.m. Saturday at a trailhead located in the 13700 block of Blue Sky Ranch Road. When he did not return home, his family reported him missing Sunday morning around 10:50 a.m.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Unit responded alongside deputies and detectives from the Lakeside Sheriff's Substation. A sheriff's helicopter crew also assisted in the overnight search effort through rugged East County terrain.

The man's body was discovered near one of the hiking trails just east of the trailhead around 7:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the sheriff's office. His identity has not been released pending notification of next of kin.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office will determine the official cause of death. The sheriff's office said the incident remains under investigation.