ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — More of the Blue Ridge Parkway is open as leaf season brings visitors to Western North Carolina, with crews completing additional Tropical Storm Helene repairs and wrapping up other major road projects.
The National Park Service said 458 of the Parkway’s 469 miles are now accessible. Of 60 slide repairs needed after Helene, 48 have been completed and work is underway on the remaining 12.
The latest reopenings mean visitors can drive uninterrupted from the James River at milepost 63.7 in Virginia to Little Switzerland near milepost 344 in North Carolina.
Two more Helene recovery projects were recently completed in North Carolina. Those sections stretch from milepost 317.5, south of Linville Falls, to milepost 324.7 and from milepost 333.9 in Little Switzerland to milepost 340.2 at N.C. 80.
The reopenings come at an important time for communities along the route as visitors head to the mountains for fall color.
“October is an especially important time for tourism throughout the region, and these openings mean visitors can experience more of the Parkway’s fall scenery while having greater access to the communities, businesses and destinations along the way,” Parkway Superintendent Tracy Swartout said in a news release.
Helene repairs are being paid for through federal disaster and emergency highway funding.
More Helene repair work remains between Little Switzerland and the Mount Mitchell area. The Park Service said final road repairs between mileposts 344 and 355 are expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
Not all of the recently completed work was related to Helene.
In Virginia, the Parkway recently reopened mileposts 115 to 121 near Roanoke following a multiyear repaving and rehabilitation project.
Another major reconstruction project covering about 75 miles from milepost 229.6 north of Doughton Park to milepost 305.1 near Grandfather Mountain was completed in September. Both projects were funded through the Great American Outdoors Act’s Legacy Restoration Fund.
Other openings include the Deep Gap Bridge at milepost 276.4 near Boone and Blowing Rock. That section had been closed for scheduled maintenance this summer.
Loops B and D at Julian Price Campground at milepost 297 also have reopened after being closed because of Helene. Crews of arborists and volunteers helped restore access to the campground, where reservations are available through Oct. 30.
The National Park Service plans to mark the progress with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at the Museum of North Carolina Minerals in Spruce Pine. Interior Department, National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration officials are expected to attend.
Travelers should continue to check current Parkway road conditions before heading out because construction, maintenance and weather can affect access.