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A handful of trails in the Appalachian Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest are open again following a massive effort to clear debris and evaluate damage from Hurricane Helene.
Current estimates suggest that Hurricane Helene caused upwards of $53 billion in damage across the state of North Carolina – or three times the amount of the hurricane that struck in 2018. By those numbers, Hurricane Helene is the tenth costliest weather disaster to take place in the last 44 years, and the deadliest inland hurricane in history. More than 100 storm-related deaths have been reported across the state, the majority of which came from Buncombe and Henderson counties. Although the evaluation and repair of local trails is likely to take years, some areas are open to the public again.
Kimberly Lindeman, US Forest Service (USFS) support service specialist for the Appalachian Ranger District told Backpacker that 119 miles of trails have recently reopened, including 84.5 miles of the Appalachian Trail. At this time, a total of 147 miles of trails in the region have been evaluated and cleared of fallen trees while 156 miles of trails are still inaccessible within the Appalachian Ranger District..
All sections of the Appalachian Trail in Pisgah National Forest north of Bald Mountain Shelter (mile 327.7) remain closed. There are also a number of sections that remain closed in and around Cherokee National Forest.
“Both forests are cooperatively working with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and clubs maintaining the AT in these areas, such as Carolina Mountain Club and the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club,” Lindeman said. “Significant progress has been made; however, there are still hundreds of trees down per mile and conditions are extremely hazardous in many areas.”
Newly open USFS roads include Ephraim in Mitchell County, and Flat Top, Devils Creek, Spivey Creek, Colbert’s Creek, and White Oak Flats in Yancey County. Trails that currently remain closed include the Jerry Miller, Fork Ridge, White Oak, Hickey Fork, and Green Ridge Trails in Madison County. Most trails in the eastern part of the Appalachian Ranger District, Avery, Buncombe, Mitchell, and Yancey counties remain closed as officials continue to evaluate the region.
“Areas within Mitchell, Avery, Yancey, and Buncombe counties were some of the hardest hit on the Appalachian Ranger District,” Lindeman noted. “The Forest Service is actively working to assess and safely reopen these damaged areas. Beyond the naturally occurring storm-damage conditions, crews removing trees or running heavy equipment may pose an additional hazard on closed trails and roads.”
“My heart goes out to all of the residents and communities in the continued recovery efforts during the aftermath of Helene, and we hope that reopening areas will provide opportunities to recreate and enjoy public lands in a safe manner,’ District Ranger Jen Barnhart said in a press release. “We are very excited to open portions of the Appalachian Ranger District. Though some areas are now open, please use caution while [sic] on the Forest because there are still widespread roads, trails and trees with damage.”
Those who are considering recreating in these areas should proceed with caution even on recently reopened trails, since some hazards could be present and emergency response efforts could take longer than usual.
“We ask the public to continue staying off areas of the Pisgah National Forest that are still closed for their own safety,” said Lindeman. Hikers can monitor National Forest trail conditions in North Carolina here.
From 2024