Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Tracy Swartout and her staff met with HCCA leaders on February 11 to discuss the trail closure in Masters Park. Signs indicating the trail is closed as it enters National Park Service land have been illegally removed. This poses a danger to hikers who may be unaware that Helene-related repairs are underway.

Parkway staff are facing numerous challenges. Along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a roughly 150-mile stretch was impacted by Helene. Within this area 57 landslides have been identified with 12 of those considered catastrophic. In many cases the roadway itself has collapsed or been undermined. The repair process — slope stabilization, debris removal, drainage repair, guardrail replacement, and repaving the road — will likely take until this fall.

As Haw Creek and the larger Asheville region continue to recovery from Tropical Storm Helene, a less-noticed impact of the storm has affected area hikers. Many popular trails have closed for storm related repairs, with some expected to take several months to complete.

The primary trail along the Parkway is the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, which includes the section accessed via Masters Park in Haw Creek. For those reliant on this route for their hiking fix, the prospect of going months without this popular trail connection can be disheartening.

Some may ask, if we are only hiking why can’t we use the trail? Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Swartout reports that heavy equipment will be working seven days a week to complete repairs as rapidly as possible. Workers may not see you or your pets if you trespass, putting everyone at risk. Closure signs and barriers are there for a reason, to protect you and to allow crews to work efficiently and safely. 

Significant work remains before the Parkway and the Mountains-to-Sea Trail are reopened north of Tunnel Road as both are currently closed to Mt. Mitchell State Park. The goal is reopening this section by fall 2025. It’s imperative that everyone honors the barriers and signs to allow restoration work to proceed swiftly and safely. 

In the meantime, the Parkway and Mountains-to-Sea Trail remain open in Asheville between US-70 on the east side and Hwy 191 on the west side. Also, Warren Wilson College has a trail system that is open to the public and there are open trails at the Arboretum and Bent Creek. 

To learn more about storm damage on the Parkway and the slide near Haw Creek visit Helene Impacts and Recovery - Blue Ridge Parkway (U.S. National Park Service).