What Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge want visitors to know after Helene: We are open

With East Tennessee communities hit hard by destructive floods from Hurricane Helene, fall break tourists have been worried about conditions in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

But the truth is pretty simple: Gatlinburg is open and welcoming visitors.

“We’re receiving several inquiries from potential visitors about conditions in Gatlinburg. Our businesses were unaffected by the recent hurricane and Gatlinburg welcomes those who can safely travel using open, clear routes,” Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau notes at the top of its website.

Though the Little Pigeon River through Gatlinburg is prone to flooding, that was not the case as Helene passed through the area.

Is Gatlinburg affected by Helene? Was Pigeon Forge?

Both sides of the street and the crosswalks along Parkway/U.S. 441 in Gatlinburg were packed with visitors when Knox News drove through to see how the area was faring post-Helene. Popular sites such as Anakeesta, Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, Ober Mountain and the Gatlinburg Space Needle were very busy this week.

David Stanfill, who works at the Sevierville Welcome Center, said the phones have been ringing a lot more than usual with people asking if the area is flooded.

“We’re just telling them, ‘Hey, business as usual here. It's our friends to the east that got whacked really bad. But here, it's business as usual,’” he told Knox News Oct. 1.

Minimal flooding in Pigeon Forge had receded in most areas soon after the storm, according to an update by the Pigeon Forge Chamber of Commerce . There were no major issues on Sevier County roads, either, spokesperson Tyler Basler told Knox News.

Local officials do suggest visitors call ahead to hotels and vacation rentals directly to confirm their status or if they had any damage related to Helene, though. A small pocket east of Gatlinburg is without water, but hotels and rental owners have notified guests.

Why visitors should keep their plans Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge plans

East Tennessee communities have mobilized to provide support and necessities for their neighbors in the aftermath of Helene. Visitors will be critical to rebuilding and recovery efforts, too.

“When people come and visit us, you know, obviously tourism is so important to our economy, but it just helps the whole community,” Sevierville Visitors Bureau spokesperson Amanda Marr explained. “We just want to make sure that people know that they are absolutely still welcome to come and keep their travel plans with us.”

As travelers come to the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville areas, check updated online maps to help find alternate routes with parts of Interstates 26 and 40 shut down , along with some other road closures.

Much of the damage is closer to the North Carolina border.

Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com . On X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208 .

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: What Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge want visitors to know after Helene: We are open