Recovery & Resilience in Damascus, VA
One Year After Hurricane Helene in A.T. Communities
October 2, 2025
On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene tore through the southern half of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.), leaving destruction unlike anything the Trail has seen in its more than 100-year history. The storm’s powerful winds and flooding impacted more than 800 miles of the Trail and surrounding lands in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia, damaging over 81,500 acres. In the immediate aftermath, 430 miles of the A.T. were closed by land managers due to downed trees, washed-out bridges, eroded treadway, and other hazards.
For Damascus, Virginia—an officially designated Appalachian Trail Community and home of the ATC’s Damascus Trail Center (DTC)—Helene’s impact was profound.
When the Creek Rose
In late September, just before peak fall tourism season, downtown Damascus and its surrounding lowlands flooded. Laurel Creek swelled to 18 feet before the gauge was swept away, carrying with it trucks, campers, and homes. The floodwaters destroyed a road bridge, dammed up another, and left the town without power, water, or cell service for days.
Image shows severe flooding in the A.T. Community of Damascus, VA
In a matter of hours, the storm destroyed the upper 17 miles of the Virginia Creeper Trail, washed out portions of US-58 and Route 91, and impacted over 400 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Approximately 140 structures in Damascus were damaged or destroyed, creating an estimated $10 to $12 million in losses for residents, businesses, and public infrastructure. Recovery crews later removed over 12,000 cubic yards of debris, everything from collapsed buildings to uprooted trees, to clear the way forward.
The Town Comes Together
Even in its hardest moments, Damascus embodied its role as Trail Town USA. The Damascus Trail Center quickly became a hub for recovery, where volunteers gathered before heading out to help their neighbors and repair damaged sections of the A.T.
Volunteers gathered at the DTC before heading out to begin clearing the Trail. Photo by Tyler Irving.
In just the first month, community members and visiting volunteers donated more than 20,000 hours to search and rescue, debris removal, temporary repairs, and resource distribution. Their efforts reflected the same spirit of service that defines the Trail itself: people from all walks of life pitching in for the good of the whole.
Volunteers gather outside of the DTC before the Hardcore work day. Photo by Ben Earp.
Amid the destruction, Damascus’s leaders also looked ahead. By October, they announced that the Appalachian Trail Days Festival would still take place in May, bringing much-needed joy and an economic boost to the town. The ATC was thrilled to once again celebrate Trail Days with members of the A.T. community and welcome them to the DTC.
ATC staff and volunteers welcomed 688 visitors to the DTC during the 2025 Trail Days festival.
Finding Beauty in the Storm
This September, one year after the hurricane, the DTC hosted the Reconnecting the People’s Trail: A Celebration of Resilience and Community event in conjunction with National Public Lands Day.
Photo courtesy of the Town of Damascus.
Eight partner organizations welcomed more than 140 visitors with educational booths, stewardship displays, and opportunities to reflect on the past year. The event featured the closing reception of the Hurricane Helene Exhibit and a silent art auction, raising funds for recovery efforts in Hot Springs, NC; Erwin, TN; and Damascus, VA. The evening ended with live music celebrating Appalachian culture and the resilience of its people.
Photo by Drew Hines shows event attendees enjoying live music on the DTC lawn.
Julie Kroll, the town’s recreation director, captured the spirit of the year: “We’ve been doing what we can to find beauty in the storm. We could either sit around and be sad, or we could do something about it, and so we decided to do everything we could to bring Damascus back.”
Recovery in Damascus is ongoing. With an estimated $3.5 million in planned, grant-funded projects stretching through 2028, efforts will include streambank stabilization, park restoration, urban forestry, and stormwater infrastructure improvements.
Image courtesy of the Town of Damascus.
Beyond Damascus: A More Resilient Trail
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, in partnership with local A.T. Clubs and federal and state agencies, led an unprecedented rapid response effort across all storm-affected areas. Together, we coordinated emergency communications, assessed damages, cleared downed trees, mitigated fire risks, advocated for federal support, and mobilized more than 680 volunteers from across the country and abroad.
Within five months, nearly the entire Trail was reopened from Georgia to Maine, with only a few short detours remaining around the Nolichucky River and Iron Mountain Gap. Today, only five miles of Trail remain in need of repair from Helene’s devastation, a testament to what coordinated action and community determination can achieve.
Looking Forward
Communities like Damascus remind us that the A.T. is not just a trail, but also a network of towns, volunteers, and supporters who come together in times of hardship.
As recovery continues, so does the work of protecting and sustaining this shared treasure. You can learn more about the role of A.T. Communities and read the full Hurricane Helene impact report for a deeper look at the impacts and recovery efforts.
Learn more about Damascus and plan your visit.