Is the Blue Ridge Parkway open near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? What's open, closed after Helene
The southernmost section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is open again to visitors.
The National Park Service announced the reopening of nearly 55 miles of the parkway on Oct. 30, including the section nearest to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Travelers can now access the parkway from mile marker 469, U.S. Route 441 near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, through mile marker 423.2, Beech Gap, according to the park service.
Additionally, the parkway has reopened from mile marker 421, Black Balsam, through 411.8, U.S. Route 276.
The area between the recently opened sections of America's Favorite Drive, called the Devil’s Courthouse, remains closed. The road was damaged due to a "significant" landslide, according to the National Park Service.
Today, Oct. 30, the @NatlParkService restored access to nearly 55 miles of the Parkway from:
Milepost 411.8 to 421, from US 276 to Black Balsam.
Milepost 423.2 to 469, from NC 215 to US 441 in Cherokee, NC, near the @GreatSmokyNPS entrance.
Read More⬇️https://t.co/9f8EPWR4ZJ pic.twitter.com/pVLbO0oAUM— Blue Ridge Parkway (@BlueRidgeNPS) October 30, 2024
More than a month after the remnants of Hurricane Helene devastated East Tennessee and Western North Carolina, about 60% of the Blue Ridge Parkway is open. National Parks Service spokesperson Naaman Horn is encouraging visitors to drive the open route.
East Tennessee floods: Everything to know, from rescues to recovery to Helene resources
"Where it's open, we love to see people coming back onto the parkway and enjoying it, Horn said. "Tourism is an important factor for the community and we are aware of that."
The additional openings come in the peak fall color, painting the Blue Ridge Parkway in shades of vibrant red, orange and yellow.
Word from the Smokies: Where the Smoky Mountains saw the most Hurricane Helene damage
When is the peak of fall color on the Blue Ridge Parkway?
Typically, fall color is at its best in early to mid-October across the parkway, though this varies on elevation and location along the route.
When is the peak of fall color in the Great Smoky Mountains?
Fall colors are at their peak in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from mid-October and early November at the points of lower elevation, according to the park service.
Where is the Blue Ridge Parkway open?
In addition to the recently opened segment near the Great Smoky Mountains, visitors can access 20 miles of the road from 285.5 (the Bamboo Gap) to mile marker 305.1 (US Highway 221).
The parkway is also open through a majority of Virginia, mile marker zero (Shenandoah National Park) through mile marker 200.1 (Sunbelt/Autumnview Road).
How long is the Blue Ridge Parkway?
America's Favorite Drive is 469 miles long. However, only about 275 miles have reopened to visitors since Helene hit the region on Sept. 27.
Map of the Blue Ridge Parkway
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Blue Ridge Parkway reopens near Great Smoky Mountains National Park
