198 miles of Blue Ridge Parkway reopening in Virginia

ROANOKE, Va. ( WFXR ) — After the impacts of Hurricane Helene forced its closure, the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia will be reopening on October 11.

“Due to the hard work of the Blue Ridge Parkway crews, we are able to open nearly 200 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, a vital and scenic route that both embodies the natural beauty and cultural heritage of our region and plays a vital role in the local economy through tourism and community engagement,” said Tracy Swartout , superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway. “While we celebrate this achievement, we also recognize that significant and, in some areas, long-term work remains in North Carolina. We are committed to restoring all sections of the parkway to the highest standards of safety and accessibility for our visitors.”

The announcement made on Thursday states the reopening will occur from milepost 0 to milepost 198 at 8 a.m. on Friday.

This includes the Shenandoah National Park south to Virginia Route 685 – Skyview Drive/Turkey Ridge Road near 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 it existed before the storm.
• The Mabry Mill Cultural Site will be open, and the Eastern National/America’s National Parks sales outlet will operate from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
• Peaks of Otter and Rocky Knob campgrounds will operate on a first-come, first-served basis until October 14, at which time existing reservations will again be honored. 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 wants to alert visitors that trail assessments are still ongoing and that fewer park services are available as many employees are assisting with operations in North Carolina. Visitors are advised to be cautious when hiking and to be aware that areas closed due to construction prior to the storm will remain closed.

“Virginia is excited to announce that the Blue Ridge Parkway, the nation’s most-visited park, is once again open for business. This is fantastic news for our communities, especially for the small businesses that rely on parkway travelers for their livelihoods. The prolonged closure due to Hurricane Helene has had a significant impact during fall foliage season, and this reopening will provide a much-needed boost to our local economy,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin . “I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved, particularly the National Park Service, who have worked tirelessly during this challenging time to make this opening a reality. As we continue to recover from Hurricane Helene, we look forward to once again welcoming visitors from all 50 states and around the world, and I encourage all visitors to support our local businesses that celebrate and highlight the beauty of Virginia’s Blue Ridge so we can help them rebuild and thrive once again.”

The remainder of the Parkway is expected to be reopened within the next two weeks according to the National Park Service.

The entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina 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).

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