AVERY COUNTY, N.C. — A western North Carolina campground is asking for help after many of its facilities were washed away in the devastating floods from Helene.

Growing up, Christopher Caudle loved camping in RVs with his family.

“In the 70s, we had an Airstream and used to camp in the South Carolina coast,” Caudle said.

Later in life, while looking for a place to make an investment, his parents bought the Buck Hill Family Campground in Avery County. By 2009, the family asked Caudle and his wife if they wanted to take it over.

“Even though it’s been in the family since 2003, in 2009, that spring, I had never laid eyes on it, never stepped foot here,” Caudle said. “We came up, my wife and I and our little newborn. Spent one weekend, and we fell in love with it.”

Caudle and his wife slowly renovated the campground that had hosted families since the 1970s. They envisioned a seasonal oasis.

“Things were just about perfect finally, where we wanted it,” Caudle said.

Through their efforts, they fostered a close-knit community of campers.

“Everybody knew how lucky we were that this was home for all of us, and everybody would help each other,” Caudle said. “When somebody had an awning that would rip, you’d see families come over. ‘Okay, let’s help them out.’ You know, never asking anything in return. It really was a beautiful community.”

Until Helene, a fierce storm, tore through the Avery County Valley, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

“We sent out an email to all of our campers and just said, it looks like this could be very severe,” Caudle said. “And you know, you don’t want to scare people unnecessarily. But we told them I would take precautions. Assume the worst.” 

Caudle added they prepared the best they could. They moved up equipment away from the river’s edge and moved campers against the base of their mountain.

“We never dreamed 70 yards back from the 2004 hundred year flood. We thought, ‘oh, it’ll be fine back there,’” Caudle said.

Even so, the storm proved too powerful for the campground. 

“It was horrifying, because it’s such a helpless feeling,” Caudle said. “We couldn’t get out and we could only sit up there from my house and watch cars and campers and cabins wash away.”

Caudle watched the RV of long-time visitors Russell and Charlene Wilbur wash down the mountain. Caudle heard from their family a few days later.

“They told us they were going to ride out the storm in the camper, and the camper washed away,” Caudle said. “So unfortunately, we did lose two really sweet people.”

While the loss of the Wilburs hits hard, Caudle added he’s just thankful everyone else got out okay.

“We are blessed that everyone else made it and that my family’s intact and my house was intact,” Caudle said. “Many people in this community can’t say that, so we try to keep that perspective.”

Blessings have continued since the storm. Caudle said volunteers from all over the country have stopped in to help them navigate an unprecedented disaster.

“Scripture tells us, ‘Jesus said they will know me by how you treat and love each other.’ You’re seeing that right now,” Caudle said. “People that don’t know each other, they have nothing to gain. Literally being the hands and feet of Christ.”

Giving him the courage and the determination to rebuild. One concrete slab at a time.

“If we have to do it by sections, by years, by pieces, we will,” Caudle said. “I hope it won’t take 16 years like it did the first time to get where we were. But our resolve is to bring it back, and make it even, maybe even better.”

Caudle said because of the location of their land along the riverbank, their bath houses and arcade on the property are not covered by insurance.

A GoFundMe page has been started for the Campground from some of their seasonal campers with the permission of Caudle. You can find the link here.

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