The U.S. Forest Service has reopened more parts of the Clinch Ranger District and Mount Rogers National Recreation Area that had been closed following Hurricane Helene. Here’s a list of what has reopened. Some forest roads and trails may be temporarily closed to address storm damage recovery efforts.
The Clinch Ranger District has reopened the following areas:
- Forest Service Trail #216, Guest River Gorge Trail
- Birch Knob Observation Tower
** Some developed recreation sites have closed for winter. Please check the Forest Service website for details (https://www.fs.usda.gov/gwj).
Mount Rogers National Recreation Area-managed lands in Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington and Wythe counties are open with the following exceptions:
Smyth County
- Hurricane Campground is closed for the remainder of the season due to damage from flooding and downed trees.
- Grindstone Campground is closed for the remainder of the season due to downed and leaning trees.
- Raccoon Branch Campground is closed due to downed and leaning trees but may open for the month of November.
Washington County
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail, along with associated trail shelters and connector trails, is closed from the parking area at Elk Garden to the TN/VA line.
- Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail (Forest Service Trail #4575) is closed from Trestle #17 in the Town of Damascus east to Whitetop Station and the North Carolina line. Trestle #16 in Damascus is open. This represents nearly all the Forest Service-managed section of the trail and is due to the destruction of at least 18 of 32 trestles and large sections of missing treadway. (See Cardinal’s story on the trail.)
- Beartree Campground is closed for the remainder of the season due to damage inside campground loops, but the Campground’s paved road, Forest Service Road #837, will remain open.
Wythe County
- Forest Service Trail #4616 (Raven Cliff Furnace Trail, hikers only), accessed from Raven Cliff Recreation Area, is closed indefinitely due to a washed-out bridge.
- Forest Service Road 14 (Dry Run Road) is closed from its eastern terminus in Noble Furnace to a point east of Hussy Mountain Horse Camp due to a washed-out culvert. The road is barricaded. Forest Service Road 14 will be open from Federal Highway 21, south of Speedwell, to Hussy Mountain Horse Camp. Horse trailers will not be able to turn around if they attempt to access Hussy Mountain Horse Camp from the east at Noble Furnace.
The open forest roads in these areas have been assessed, and temporary damage mitigation has been performed. Secondary roads and trails have not yet been fully assessed. Please use caution as always when recreating on the National Forest as conditions are dynamic and likely to change from day to day.
“Our initial response efforts were clearing roads and making sure our recreation amenities are safe to visit,” said Forest Supervisor Job Timm in a statement. “We continue to work with partners at the federal, state and local levels, industry, and with outside groups to support the communities we serve.”
For more information on Hurricane Helene closures, visit www.fs.usda.gov/gwj.
