News release date: October 10, 2024

Contact: Mike Litterst

Asheville, NC – The Blue Ridge Parkway from milepost 0 to milepost 198 in Virginia, which is closed due to the effects of Hurricane Helene, will reopen at 8 a.m. on Friday, October 11. This includes the 190-mile scenic byway from Shenandoah National Park south to Virginia Route 685 – Skyview Drive/Turkey Ridge Road (at Fancy Gap):

• The Humpback Rocks, James River and Peaks of Otter Visitor Centers will reopen as power and water have been restored to all facilities where they existed before the storm.

• The Mabry Mill Cultural Site will be open and the Eastern National/America’s National Parks sales point will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Peaks of Otter and Rocky Knob campgrounds will operate on a first-come, first-served basis until October 14. Existing reservations will then be honored again. Otter Creek Campground was closed for the season prior to the storm and will remain closed.

• Peaks of Otter Lodge will continue to operate (it did not close after the storm)

The National Park Service hopes to reopen the remainder of the Parkway in Virginia within the next two weeks.

“Thanks to the hard work of Blue Ridge Parkway crews, we are able to open nearly 200 miles of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Parkway, a vital and scenic route that embodies both the natural beauty and cultural heritage of our region and is a vital role in the local economy through tourism and community involvement,” said Tracy Swartout, Superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway “While we celebrate this achievement, we also recognize that there is still much work to be done in North Carolina We are committed to restoring all parts of the Parkway to the highest standards of safety and accessibility for our visitors.”

Visitors should be aware that trail assessment has not been completed in all areas and caution should be exercised when hiking. In addition, they may find fewer shifts than normal as many workers are assisting operations in North Carolina, where the storm’s effects were much more severe. Areas closed for pre-storm work will remain closed.

The entire length of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Parkway remains closed as crews continue emergency stabilization and damage assessments following Hurricane Helene. Updates will be posted on the Blue Ridge Parkway website at www.nps.gov/blri and on the park’s social media platforms at @BlueRidgeNPS (Facebook, X and Instagram).

NPS