A hiker’s recent death along the Blue Ridge Parkway is raising new concerns about staffing shortfalls and public safety on one of the country’s most visited national park units.

Jie Huang, 40, of Plymouth, North Carolina, died April 18 after falling into water near the Boone Fork Trail, a popular but rugged route near Julian Price Park. Emergency crews responded to the scene that afternoon but were unable to revive him, according to the National Park Service.

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The incident is at least the second hiker death in the area in recent months. In November, a 70-year-old man died from a medical emergency on the nearby Price Lake Trail.

While the National Park Service has not immediately responded to questions about staffing and funding cuts, former rangers say this stretch of the Parkway, about 85 miles northeast of Asheville, is seeing more visitors and fewer on-the-ground personnel.

Brian Bonville, who worked as a seasonal interpretive ranger in the area last year, said his team was often the first to respond to trail emergencies.

“We’re out there with a radio, so we can actually call in help where cell service doesn’t exist,” Bonville said. “We are often first on the scene.”

Bonville said interpretive rangers, who are tasked with educating the public and monitoring trail conditions, play a vital role in preventing injuries, especially in high-traffic zones like Boone Fork Trail, where Huang died.

“That trail had the most guest incidents in our district last year,” Bonville said. “Heat exhaustion, rolled ankles, people hiking into closed areas after the storm. It’s a known risk area.”

The Blue Ridge Parkway stretches 469 miles across Virginia and North Carolina, drawing more than 16.7 million visitors in 2024. But as visitation climbs, funding and staffing levels have struggled to keep pace.

“There were more seasonal rangers on the ground last year than in a long time,” Bonville said. “I applied for the seasonal position again going into the year, but still have not heard back. And I know that some of my other fellow rangers haven't either.”

Bonville said his former station, which oversees 10,000 acres across Price Park and Cone Manor, had no full-time interpretive rangers assigned this season. There were two last year.

“People often think we’re just handing out maps,” Bonville said. “But we’re the ones warning about trail hazards, pointing out hornet nests, or responding when a pet becomes aggressive. Those small interactions help build a culture of safety.”

Without that educational presence on the trails, he warned, safety risks can increase, especially with hotter temperatures and lingering storm damage making some routes more treacherous.

Now working for a county agency, Bonville said the park system provides enormous value to the public, particularly in a fast-growing state where more people are turning to outdoor recreation. But with fewer rangers on the ground, he said, there are fewer chances to educate visitors, monitor risks and promote safe habits.

“These parks bring such a big benefit to society,” he said. “They offer free pastimes that support public health, well-being, even clean air and water. But when you lose the staff who connect people to the landscape and help keep them safe, you lose a huge part of what makes these places work.”

The National Parks Service has seen a 13% reduction in staffing over the past two months under the Trump administration, according to the Coalition to Protect National Parks. 

A preliminary investigation indicated the hiker died from injuries sustained during the fall.

The National Park Service has not immediately responded to requests for comment. 

Trail season officially begins May 5, with warm weather and wildflower blooms expected to draw tens of thousands of hikers to the region in the coming weeks.