A small stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina reopened Wednesday morning, while efforts continue to recover the over 400 mile road from Hurricane Helene damages.
“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,” said Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Tracy Swartout.
Twenty miles from milepost 285.5 to milepost 305 have opened, providing improved transportation links amid recovery efforts, according to NPS. A handful of rest areas and trails will also open, but NPS advised visitors to use extreme caution, as assessments have not been completed.
More than 200 miles of the parkway, mostly in Virginia, have been reopened since damage from Helene left it completely closed. The hurricane downed thousands of trees and caused dozens of rock and mudslides, said NPS.
