Hurricane damage impairs hiking on Appalachian Trail

ERWIN, Tenn. (WJHL)—Every year, thousands of hikers take on the over 2,000-mile trek from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail. However, the damage caused by Hurricane Helene added an extra challenge.

According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) website , multiple sections of the trail in Tennessee and Virginia are closed due to damage.

Helene destroyed a portion of the path in Erwin, Tennessee.

“They go right across the [Chestoa] bridge here,” said Terry Wise, who owns ‘Uncle Johnny’s Nolichucky Hostel and Outfitters’ located on the trail. “That’s part of the Appalachian Trail. Now, that’s wiped out.”

When hikers pass Uncle Johnny’s, they then cross the bridge and continue on the path. Wise said without that bridge, the section of the trail becomes impassable.

“Not without figuring out another way to get from point A to B,” said Wise. “And the Appalachian Trail, every year, gets rerouted in some way. So it’s common somewhere along the trail that you’re going to have reroutes along the trail. This is a pretty major one.”

Uncle Johnny’s Hostel was also affected by the flooding.

“It piled up debris and water all through the store and the hostel into the campground,” said Wise. “It knocked out a few of the cabins.”

Wise, who purchased the property a few years back, said significant renovations are necessary for the Hostel and Storefront to be fully up and running, starting with the

“It has to be rebuilt,” said Wise. “All the cinderblocks along this right side of the building over here have been washed out and are gone, and the foundation is compromised.”

In addition to the Hostel, specific jobs have become threatened.

“There’s a lot of people that made their livings on the trail,” said Wise. “The shuttle drivers here, some of the people who helped me out at the hostel, their livelihood is based on the Appalachian Trail.”

It will take time for the trail to be truly ready for hikers, but Wise said some temporary solutions are possible.

“One of the main things we need to do and start thinking about is maybe putting a footbridge across this river,” said Wise. “I don’t know when the actual concrete bridge that was massive that is now gone, who knows when that will get restored.”

Wise has started a GoFundMe to help cover the repair costs for his business.

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