Blue Ridge Parkway officials preach patience for Memorial Day travelers amid Hurricane Helene recovery
Hurricane Helene dropped up to 30 inches of rain – about four months’ worth – in three days in some areas along the Parkway, specifically in western North Carolina.
FILE: Stretch of Blue Ridge Parkway reopens for first time after Helene
Naaman Horn, of the National Park Service, talks about the reopening of a nearly 20-mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway for the first time since Hurricane Helene devastated the region.
National Park Service officials invite visitors to enjoy many sites along the Blue Ridge Parkway this Memorial Day weekend but noted the need for flexibility and patience as some areas are still recovering from Hurricane Helene and a winter storm.
The NPS said Helene caused at least 57 landslides that wiped out stretches of the 469-mile parkway and brought peak sustained winds of up to 60 mph that downed trees and destroyed many park facilities.
The Linville Falls Visitor Center in western North Carolina before and after Helene.
(Recreation.gov (left) / NPS (right) / FOX Weather)
While repairs are continuing along the Blue Ridge Parkway, many parts of the road have been repaired and many campgrounds, picnic areas and visitor centers have reopened for park visitors.
SECTIONS OF BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY REOPEN IN NORTH CAROLINA
However, some reopened areas may still be feeling the impacts of Helene, with facilities adjusting their hours and several sections being closed for safety.
"Visitors must exercise caution around road projects and refrain from entering areas marked as closed- even on foot," the NPS said in a statement.
The Blue Ridge Parkway at Gooch Gap - Milepost 336.
(NPS / FOX Weather)
Park visitors are asked to plan ahead of their visit to make sure their trips are not impeded by these closures.
Helene dropped up to 30 inches of rain – about four months’ worth – in three days in some areas along the Parkway.