Five Miles Reopen on Appalachian Trail after Hurricane Helene Damage

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Nearly two years after Hurricane Helene, a heavily impacted section of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail on the North Carolina-Tennessee border has reopened.

This week the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service ended the closure order on 5.5 miles of the A.T. in the Iron Mountain Gap area (Northbound miles 360.6 to 366.1) after extensive salvage logging to remove downed trees left by the storm in September 2024.

“This is a significant milestone in the ongoing, long-term recovery and repair efforts of the iconic Appalachian Trail following one of the most devastating storms to hit the Southern Appalachian region,” said Franklin Tate, Appalachian Trail Conservancy southern regional director. “While the A.T. is reopened, there is still work to be done in this section to rehab the Trail. We’re grateful to the USDA Forest Service and volunteers with Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club for their continued collaboration and hard work, and to the many hikers who tackled the detour’s numerous steps during the closure.”

Work by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club (TEHCC) continues north of Iron Mountain Gap (NOBO miles 364.8 to 366.1) to repair the footpath, and hikers will need to follow a dirt road that parallels the Trail. Also, hikers should expect overgrowth on the southern section of reopened Trail (NOBO miles 360.6 to 364.8) while the Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards works to clear the Trail. More information can be found at appalachiantrail.org/trail-updates/iron-mtn-gap-detour/.

“Iron Mountain Gap took a hard hit from Hurricane Helene. Downed trees blocked much of the Appalachian Trail, making it dangerous for folks and raising the risk of wildfire for nearby homes and communities,” said District Ranger Jennifer Barnhart of the Pisgah National Forest’s Appalachian Ranger District. “We’re grateful to welcome people back to this stretch of the A.T. It took a lot of hard work to get here, and our partners—including the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club—played a big role in helping the trail recover after the storm.”

“TEHCC is looking forward to reopening the original grade of the A.T. on the north side of Iron Mountain Gap and decommissioning the reroute,” said Joe Morris with the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club. “We appreciate the collaboration and leadership from the Pisgah Appalachian Ranger District and the ATC.”

Over the past two years, donations to the ATC’s A.T. Resiliency Fund enabled repair efforts in this section and other parts of the Trail impacted by Helene. Volunteers with TEHCC, ATC’s Konnarock and SWEAT Trail Crews, and staff from Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards tackled extensive treadway damage, including root ball holes and erosion caused by major blowdowns with support from the Resiliency Fund and other Helene-related funding.

Two Helene-related closures and detours remain on the Appalachian Trail, after the storm impacted more than 800 miles of trail. North of Damascus, Virginia, 9.2 miles of the A.T. are closed by the USDA Forest Service until March 31, 2027, during construction to rebuild the Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail. And a 3.6-mile detour to cross the Nolichucky River in Erwin, Tennessee, remains in place while a new bridge is built to replace the Chestoa Bridge washed away during Helene.

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About the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Founded in 1925, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy works passionately to manage and protect the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. As the only non-profit devoted exclusively to the entirety of the Trail and its landscape, we endeavor to keep its vast natural and scenic beauty healthy, resilient, and connected, so that everyone can experience its transformative power for generations to come. Together with our supporters, partners, and thousands of volunteers, we keep the Trail alive.

Media Contact:  
Luke Weir, lweir@appalachiantrail.org