The Blue Ridge Parkway reopened 20 miles of the road in North Carolina on Wednesday, the first stretch of the scenic highway in the state that’s back in service since being damaged by Hurricane Helene.
Almost the entire Virginia length of the road reopened Oct. 11.
Traffic reopened Wednesday from milepost 285.5, at Bamboo Gap, to milepost 305, near Beacon Heights, in the Blowing Rock area.
“We realize how critical the Parkway is for our region,” said Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Tracy Swartout in a statement. “While much work remains, we are prioritizing our efforts in less-damaged areas that have the most impact for community connectivity and that we are able to reopen safely. We are anticipating opening additional sections of the Parkway that support adjoining communities, soon.”
Park visitors are also urged to use extra caution when visiting the parkway areas that are open. Visitors should anticipate closed facilities and trails in this approximately 20-mile section of the park and follow directions on local signage regarding facility or trail closures.
Sites CLOSED for ongoing assessment and repair within the specified corridor include:
- Interior of the Moses Cone Manor House and Carriage Barn restrooms, milepost 294.0
- Boone Fork Trail, milepost 296.5
- Price Park Campground, milepost 296.9
Areas that will be OPEN to visitors within the specified corridor include:
- Bass Lake (restrooms available), milepost 294
- Moses Cone Manor House parking and carriage trails (no restrooms available), in and around milepost 294
- Price Lake Picnic Area (expect portable toilets), milepost 296.4
- Other trails between milepost 285.5 and 305 (use with extreme caution)
Visitors should be aware that trail assessments have not been completed and caution should be exercised when hiking. Visitors may encounter hazards on trails such as landslides, tree debris and washed-out sections or bridges. For safety reasons, the park asks that people continue to be patient and respect remaining closures. Multiple seen and unseen hazards exist in closed areas, and crews and heavy equipment will be working to make areas safe for reentry.
Current conditions and updates can be found on the Blue Ridge Parkway website at www.nps.gov/blri and on the park’s social media platforms at @BlueRidgeNPS (Facebook, X and Instagram).