Blue Ridge Parkway reopens 26-mile section from Asheville to Mount Mitchell

Today, the National Park Service announced the completion of two landslide repair projects, allowing the reopening of the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 382 at Asheville to milepost 355.3 at Ridge Junction Overlook near NC 80 at the entrance to Mount Mitchell State Park.  

The reopening provides access to locations such as the Craggy Gardens area and Mount Mitchell State Park, offering recreational opportunities.  

The reopening marks the completion of the initial round of recovery projects to repair landslides that occurred on the Parkway as a result of Hurricane Helene. The park has implemented a phased system to prioritize restrictions, maximizing the use of recreational areas. The high concentration of overall roadway construction projects is between Linville Falls and Mount Mitchell State Park. There are still 45 locations across the Parkway that remain closed. 

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 resources, such as details about the park’s recovery process, at go.nps.gov/Helene.