Shown is the newly reopened section of the Blue Ridge Parkway at Devil’s Courthouse after Helene slide repairs. (NPS Photo)
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – On Aug. 29, the National Park Service announced completion of a landslide repair project located at milepost 422, near Devil’s Courthouse. Completion of this project restores continuous access to over 85 miles of the park from milepost 382, in Asheville, N.C., to the southern terminus of the park at milepost 469, near Cherokee. The Devil’s Courthouse overlook and trail are also now open.
Today’s opening is another important step in completing in an initial round of recovery projects underway across the Parkway in North Carlina addressing multiple landslides that occurred on the Parkway as a result of Hurricane Helene. This first round of projects is planned for completion across the summer and into the fall of 2025.
The park is prioritizing restoring road access through a phased system to provide both public access to newly opened areas as soon as possible, and access to previously unreachable areas by contractors. Parkway construction activity is complex and highly technical, including factors such as remoteness, challenging terrain, and reduced construction seasons due to ice and winter weather at higher elevations.
For safety reasons, the park asks that people continue to be patient and respect remaining closures. Multiple seen and unseen hazards exist in closed areas, and crews and heavy equipment at work make areas unsafe. Visitors should also be aware that trail assessments are also still underway, and caution should be exercised as hikers may encounter hazards on trails such as landslides, tree debris, and washed-out sections or bridges.
Visitors should plan carefully for any trip along the Parkway and consult the park’s website for a wide variety of planning tools. The park’s website provides extensive information, including current road status, multiple regional maps, and other helpful information, about the park’s recovery process at go.nps.gov/Helene.
- National Park Service release
