CEDAR MOUNTAIN, N.C. (828newsNOW) — When Hurricane Helene roared ashore in Florida with 140 mph winds on Sept. 26, Western North Carolina residents had little idea what was coming.
Deadly flooding laid waste to several Buncombe County communities, destroying roads and bridges, buildings and homes. Parks, forests and other natural areas were damaged, too.
Following weeks of recovery efforts, damage assessment and removal of storm debris, some of those natural areas are setting reopening dates.
DuPont State Recreational Forest will partially reopen Friday, Nov. 1, allowing visitors to enjoy limited recreational opportunities.
“We’re incredibly thankful to the numerous professionals who came to Western North Carolina to assist with the restoration of critical infrastructure in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” DSRF forest supervisor Jason Guidry said in a news release. “Dedicated N.C. Forest Service Incident Management Team and chainsaw crew personnel helped us cover the forest to remove storm debris. Additionally, we received tremendous support from the N.C. Department of Emergency Management, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, Oregon Department of Forestry and volunteer crews from the Friends of DuPont Forest with assessing and repairing trail conditions, tirelessly working to remove fallen trees and clearing materials from landslides.”
Despite significant recovery efforts, several forest features remain closed, and it’s imperative visitors adhere to all closures, officials said. Using a closed trail is an enforceable offense under the N.C. Administrative Code, which provides regulation for North Carolina state forests.
Grassy Creek Bridge remains closed, which will significantly impact visitors entering DSRF from the Lake Imaging or the Guion Farm access areas. The bridge closure will also result in the closure of Buck Forest Road from its intersections with Lake Imaging Road and Conservation Road. Visitors are advised to plan alternative routes.
“We’re making daily progress with clearing and repairing trails,” DSRF recreation specialist Jane Dauster said in the release. “Visitors need to comply with trail closures as they are designed to protect the public from numerous hazards while allowing our crews to continue safely and efficiently repairing our trails.”
Visitors should expect to encounter changes to trail conditions such as increased erosion, uneven surfaces and narrowed trail treads where tree damage has occurred. While DSRF staff have mitigated as many hazards as possible, visitors are advised to be cautious, allow extra time for their visit and plan alternative routes.
For a full list of remaining trail and road closures, click here. Information is also available at the visitor center and parking area kiosks.
Other parks to reopen
Five other North Carolina state parks are also set to reopen on Nov. 1 after suffering Helene-related damage.
- Crowders Mountain State Park: Trails and day-use open; camping closed.
- Gorges State Park: Grassy Ridge Access is open; backcountry is closed.
- Grandfather Mountain State Park: Most trails and campsites are open; some trails remain closed.
- Lake Norman State Park: Day-use areas and campsites are open; select mountain bike trails are closed.
- Rendezvous Mountain State Park: Fully open.
Please note, Chimney Rock State Park and Mount Mitchell State Park will remain closed.
Click here to see the latest updates on parks.