If you’ve taken a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway recently, you’ve likely run into some roadblocks. Many parts of the scenic roadway remain closed due to damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
But there’s some good news on the horizon: Nearly 50 miles of the parkway are set to reopen this fall.
Hurricane Helene caused at least 57 landslides along the Parkway. The historic storm damaged not only the roadway but also visitor centers, campgrounds, trails and more.
In the immediate aftermath of the storm, all 469 miles of the parkway in North Carolina and Virginia were closed. Over the past nine months, sections have gradually reopened following repairs.
Currently, about 83 miles remain closed. But many of those closures will soon be lifted.
Leesa Brandon is a spokesperson for the Blue Ridge Parkway. She spoke this week at a meeting of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority.
“In the coming weeks, really, we expect to see some of these sections opening that are part of Phase 1, and miles being restored,” Brandon said. “By the fall, nearly 50 miles [will be] restored.”
The reopened sections will restore access all the way from Cherokee to Mount Mitchell, including full access to the Pisgah Inn and Craggy Gardens.
The remaining 34 miles or so are some of the hardest-hit areas, extending north from Mount Mitchell to Little Switzerland. Parts of that section will be repaired by Fall 2026, with a full reopening date yet to be determined, Brandon said.
Rachel Stasny, acting superintendent of the Parkway, said the sheer number of landslides has made for a lengthy recovery process.
“Some of the slides are actually inaccessible until you fix other slides,” she said. “So you can’t tackle them concurrently. You have to fix them sequentially in order to access the slides, to bring in heavy equipment.”
Even on sections of the parkway that have reopened, visitors should be aware that many of the hiking trails remain off-limits. Staffing shortages have made it hard to estimate when access will be restored, she noted.
“Whenever you’re on the parkway, even in a good year, visitors do need to take some level of responsibility when it comes to outdoor recreation and hiking. And I think now more than ever, they should just be aware of additional hazards,” Stasny said.
For more details on the Parkway’s trail and road closures, as well as photos of the Helene recovery work, head to nps.gov/blri.
