A section of the Helene-battered Blue Ridge Parkway reopened Monday between Blowing Rock and Linville Falls in North Carolina.
"The opening of this road section, closed since Hurricane Helene due to a landslide and large amounts of debris, is the first of multiple openings expected in the coming weeks and months as the parkway’s first round of recovery repair projects nears completion," park officials said in a news release.
Phase 1, including the Blowing Rock to Linville Falls stretch, involves work on a total of 48 miles of the parkway in eight different spots and is expected to be complete this fall.
Phase 2 will focus on a 5-mile section hit by 21 landslides caused by Helene's massive rainfall. The area is south of Linville Falls, primarily from milepost 318.2 to milepost 323.4. The Park Service says contracting is underway and work is expected to be complete by fall of 2026.
Planning is still underway for Phase 3, which will include repairs at 23 sites from milepost 336.7 to 351.9, in the area between Little Switzerland and the Mount Mitchell.
The section opened Monday runs from milepost 305.2 to milepost 317.5 at the access point to the Linville Falls community. The Linville Falls spur road, campground, picnic area, and visitor center remain closed.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida in September and cut a path of destruction through the Southeast. Areas in Western North Carolina were among the hardest hit, with roads washed out and trees knocked down.
The popular and much-loved Blue Ridge Parkway runs 469-miles and connects Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Much of the 252-mile section that runs north to south in North Carolina sustained catastrophic damage from Helene, including at least 57 landslides.
"It really, in a lot of ways, just defies description," Mike Litterest, a Parks Service employee involved in assessing damage, told the Traveler in October.
"I think we are safe in saying that for some of these areas the timeline [to complete repairs] is probably going to be measured in years."
The phased reconstruction helps provide not only public access but also allows contractors to reach areas still in need of repair, according to park officials.
"Parkway construction activity is complex and highly technical, including factors such as remoteness, challenging terrain, and reduced construction seasons due to ice and winter weather at higher elevations," the news release said.
Visitors should also be aware that trail assessments are still underway, and hikers should proceed with caution. The Blueridge Parkway website is the best source for the latest updates related to Helene. caution should be exercised as hikers may encounter hazards on trails such as landslides, tree debris, and washed-out sections or bridges.
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