National Park Service workers have been scrambling since Hurricane Helene blasted through vast swaths of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Bit by bit, pieces of the scenic roadway have been reopened. Now another 11-mile stretch has been reopened to travel in North Carolina.
Blue Ridge Parkway restoration clears Folk Art Center
On Wednesday morning, November 6, 2024, the National Park Service restored access to approximately 11 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway, within the Asheville corridor, from milepost 382.5, at U.S. 70 near the Folk Art Center, to milepost 393.6, at NC Route 191 near the NC Arboretum, including the French Broad Overlook at milepost 393.8. All this from an NPS news release.
The Asheville Visitor Center, at milepost 384, will now resume year-round operations daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Folk Art Center operations, at milepost 382, are scheduled to resume on Saturday, November 9. Trails in this section of the Parkway are also open but extreme caution is advised for trail users who may experience hazards resulting from landslides, downed or leaning trees, washouts, and other damage.
Visitors are also asked to avoid parking on the roadside in any location other than official, paved parking areas, as heavy equipment is still active in the area. Since storm recovery began, National Park Service staff and contractors have moved more than 350,000 cubic feet of storm debris from this 11-mile road segment. This volume of woody debris could fill nearly 150 shipping containers.
More openings?
The National Park Service does not yet have projected opening dates for areas of the Parkway immediately north and south of the 11-mile road segment opening today. Ongoing roadway and roadside damage evaluations, significant debris removal, and miles of technical hazard tree work remain north of U.S. 70 and south of State Route 191. The NPS will provide updates on those sections when additional information is available.
“With today’s opening, we have now restored access to over 310 miles of the Parkway.” Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Tracy Swartout said. “Incident teams and contractors have been working on this section for over a month, with large numbers of damaged trees, vast amounts of tree debris in the roadway, and heavy equipment at work simultaneously throughout the corridor. I am grateful for everyone involved in the effort to reopen this critical section of the Parkway.”
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I love NPS! They continually excel in making nature and history accessible to the average person. I saw persons in hiking boots to wheelchairs at almost every park we’ve visited.
To clear 11 miles of debris like that had to have some long back breaking days. Thanks for restoring it to original condition. The NPS employees on the ground are among the best in this country. Thanks for what you guys and gals do all over these United States!
Thank you, Russ and Tina! Have a great day and safe travels!