GA-VA – Hurricane Helene UPDATED 11/7/24
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Current Conditions
11/7/2024, confirmed at 8:45 a.m. (no changes since 11/4/2024)
Please see the table below for the most recent guidance from the ATC, National Park Service (NPS), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and the latest information about Trail closures from USFS. We also have this information organized into a map below as a visual aid below.
11/4 Update: After conversations with USFS, ATC staff, and local partners, we can confirm that the A.T. will not be removed, either temporarily or permanently, from Damascus, VA. The Trail may have to be temporarily routed onto some roads north and south of town, but the footpath will continue to go through downtown.
Storm Damage Conditions in Open Sections:
Hikers who want to avoid the worst of the storm damage can visit the A.T. from Great Smoky Mountains National Park south to Springer Mountain, and Pearisburg, VA north through Virginia. Reports indicate that these sections have only minor storm damage or only small pockets of moderate storm damage.
However, sections of the A.T. that are open in northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia have severe storm damage. Please be aware that:
- Storm debris and drought have led to elevated fire danger in some areas.
- Much of the Trail in this area has not been cleared yet.
Just because an area is open does not mean it is safe. You are likely to encounter dangers like tangles of downed trees with hidden tension points that can cause them to snap suddenly, severe erosion, washed out bridges, and loose rocks and boulders. These hazards will make it extremely difficult to follow the Trail in certain sections, so all hikers should bring a map and compass and know how to use them together. Open roads may still have soft shoulders.
Please note that the ATC has received confirmation from federal partners that areas listed as closed below are officially closed. Updates to agency websites may be delayed because agency staff are focused on recovery.
See also ATC’s Hurricane Helene’s resource page.
A.T. NOBO Mileage | A.T. Section | Status | Land Manager |
---|---|---|---|
0.0 to 78.3 | Springer Mountain to GA/NC line | Open. Partial closures elsewhere in the forest**; hikers warned of potential storm damage. Visitors are also warned of elevated fire danger due to storm debris and drought. | Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest |
78.3 to 166.6 | GA/NC line to Fontana Dam | Open. Partial closures elsewhere in the forest; hikers warned of potential storm damage. | Nantahala National Forest |
166.6 to 239.4 | Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap | Open. Partial closures elsewhere in the park; hikers warned of potential storm damage. | Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
239.4 to 392.6 | The A.T. follows the border of NC/TN from approx. Davenport Gap to Doll Flats | Closed. | Pisgah National Forest* |
239.4 to 395.6 | The A.T. follows the border of NC/TN from Davenport Gap to approx. Doll Flats (just south of U.S. 19E). From Doll Flats to the TN/VA line, the A.T. is entirely in TN on the Cherokee NF | Open but please continue to postpone visits; see *note below. | Cherokee National Forest* |
395.6 to 428.9 | U.S. 19E to U.S. 321 (Dennis Cove area) | Closed. | Cherokee National Forest |
428.9 to 467.3 | U.S. 321 to TN/VA line | Open. Partial closures elsewhere in the forest; hikers warned of limited emergency services and storm damage. | Cherokee National Forest |
467.3 to 495.2 | TN/VA line to Elk Garden/VA 600 (Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area) | Closed. | George Washington & Jefferson National Forest - Mt. Rogers National Rec Area |
495.2 to 704.9 | Elk Garden/VA 600 to VA 624 | Open. Partial closures elsewhere in the forest/in Grayson Highlands SP; hikers warned of limited emergency services and storm damage. | George Washington & Jefferson National Forest Grayson Highlands State Park |
704.9 to ~732.1 | VA 624 to approx. U.S. 11 (McAfee Knob area) | Open. | National Park Service |
~732.1 to 864.6 | Approx. U.S. 11 to Rockfish Gap | Open. Partial closures elsewhere in the forest/Blue Ridge Parkway; hikers warned of potential storm damage. | George Washington & Jefferson National Forest Blue Ridge Parkway |
864.6 to 972.4 | Rockfish Gap to approx. U.S. 522 | Open. | Shenandoah National Park |
Notes From the Table
*Single Star Note
*The A.T. follows the NC/TN border for most of its length through these national forests. Pisgah National Forest land is on the NC side and Cherokee National Forest land is on the TN side. The state line is not clearly marked on the Trail. Cherokee National Forest has reopened most of their lands, including large sections of the Trail. However, Pisgah National Forest remains completely closed to the public. Since extended hiking trips in this section are not possible without crossing closed Pisgah National Forest land, backpackers and long-distance hikers should continue to postpone trips to this area. It is up to you to know whose land you are on. Official maps will show National Forest boundaries.
Day hikes via side trails from the Tennessee side may be possible so long as hikers remain entirely within Cherokee National Forest. Keep in mind that many areas of Eastern Tennessee are still recovering from Hurricane Helene and might not be able to accommodate visitors.
**Double Star Note
**“Closures elsewhere in the forest/park” means that there are closures in the National Forest or National Park that do not impact the A.T. (campground closures, visitor center closures, etc.) but may impact some services or visits to other places within that area.
Map
Road Conditions
Many access roads for the A.T. may be gone, washed out, or inaccessible. Many access roads for the A.T. in these states are Forest Service roads. For state road conditions, visit the following links.
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