Hiker injured on treacherous trail leading to daffodil field – 40 volunteers come to the rescue

By Cat Ellis
published

Every year, people have to be rescued after getting into trouble trying to reach the flowers

Stock image of daffodils in woodland at night
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Officials at a North Carolina beauty spot have issued a warning after a hiker got into trouble and required emergency medical assistance while trying to reach a field of daffodils that's a popular but perilous destination in the spring,

On Saturday, responders were called to a hiking path in Linville Gorge Wilderness that leads to Daffodil Flats. As the Charlotte Observer reports, around 40 volunteers helped get the hiker safely off the difficult and technical trail.

"The patient, and their group demonstrated exceptional preparedness by carrying the 10 essentials." Burke County Rescue and SAR wrote in a Facebook post. "The group was able to provide emergency blankets and a tarp to the patient before rescue crews arrived exemplifying their quick thinking and resourcefulness. These acts were imperative and undoubtedly contributed to a smoother rescue operation."

Every year, people visiting Linville Gorge are warned that as a protected wilderness area, it has virtually no markers and signage, which makes it easy for unprepared explorers to get lost. The terrain is also challenging, meaning this is not a suitable trek for the inexperienced.

Last year, one woman reportedly fell off a cliff while returning from seeing the flowers without sufficient supplies.

Cat Ellis
Cat Ellis
Editor

Cat is the editor of Advnture, She’s been a journalist for 15 years, and was fitness and wellbeing editor on TechRadar before joining the Advnture team in 2022. She’s a UK Athletics qualified run leader, and in her spare time enjoys nothing more than lacing up her shoes and hitting the roads and trails (the muddier, the better), usually wearing at least two sports watches.