The National Park Service (NPS) reopened about 11 miles of Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville Wednesday after removing 350,000 cubic feet of storm debris after Helene moved through western North Carolina, causing mudslides and fallen trees to cut access to roads.

The reopened section begins at milepost 382.5 near the Folk Art Center and ends at milepost 393.6 near the N.C. Arboretum, according to a news release from the Blue Ridge Parkway. The French Road Overlook at milepost 393.8 is also open for visitors.

The Folk Art Center at milepost 382 is scheduled to reopen on Nov. 9, and the Asheville Visitor Center at milepost 384 will reopen from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for daily visits, authorities said. Although the trails between these two mileposts are open, officials ask visitors to be cautious of dangers, such as fallen trees, washouts and landslides caused by Helene and to park in designated parking areas to avoid heavy equipment still in the area.

Left to right – Along the Asheville corridor on the Blue Ridge Parkway, before clean-up (left) and after clean-up (right). (Courtesy of the National Park Service)
Left to right – Along the Asheville corridor on the Blue Ridge Parkway, before clean-up (left) and after clean-up (right). (Courtesy of the National Park Service)

“With today’s opening, we have now restored access to over 310 miles of the Parkway. 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,” Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Tracy Swartout said in the release.

NPS continues to evaluate roadway and roadside damage north and south of the 11-mile section, authorities said. Crews are still removing debris and dangerous fallen trees south of N.C. 191 and north of U.S. 70. Updates on these sections will be provided by NPS when information is available.

Officials remind visitors that park roads and trail conditions will change over the next weeks and months. Visitors are asked to respect closures and to plan their visits carefully, sharing travel plans with others, the release said. Updates about Blue Ridge Parkway can be found at www.nps.gov/blri and on the park’s social media pages.

Related Article: Over 55 miles opened on Blue Ridge Parkway after catastrophic Helene