An additional 22 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway have reopened to the public following restoration efforts after Hurricane Helene. Access to 16 miles from milepost 201 near Fancy Gap to milepost 217.3 at NC Route 18 and six miles from milepost 405.5 near NC Route 151 to milepost 411.8 at NC Route 276 was restored of Friday morning.
The 16 miles between milepost 201 and 217.3 mean the Blue Ridge Parkway is now continuously open from milepost 0 at southern terminus of Shenandoah National Park to milepost 217.3, just south of the North Carolina/Virginia state line.
Additionally the the Blue Ridge Music Center located at milepost 213 will open on Saturday, November 2. Museum exhibits, the park store, and Midday Mountain Music will be available to the public with the Center open from 10:00am to 5:00pm daily until November 10.
The six miles running from 405.5 to milepost 411.8 extends a section previously opened from milepost 411.8 to milepost 421 near Mount Pisgah in North Carolina. All campgrounds, picnic areas, and other visitor services in the newly opened area will remain closed for the rest of 2024. Routes adjacent to the parkway may still be heavily damaged, and visitor caution is advised.
“We are pleased to open the final section of the Parkway in Virginia that had been closed since the storm. I want to acknowledge the hard work of park staff, incident team members, and local communities as we cleared storm debris, evaluated damage to infrastructure, and placed roadway barriers to allow for safe visitor travel.” – Tracy Swartout, Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent.
The conditions on both roads and trails along the parkway are expected to change throughout the next weeks and months. Visitors should be aware of the possibility of route closures and detours as recovery efforts continue. Additionally, trail assessments have are yet to be completed by the National Park System. Those hoping to utilize the area’s trails should do so with caution, understanding that they may encounter hazards created by landslides, downed trees, wash-outs, and more.