Blue Ridge Parkway reopens 198 miles of road in Virginia

(WSET) — Another road junction will soon be open to Virginia drivers. The Blue Ridge Parkway, which was closed indefinitely following damage from Hurricane Helene, is reopening a 198-mile stretch of road.

According to the National Park Service, the section of the parkway that will be reopened extends from Shenandoah National Park south to Skyview Drive/Turkey Ridge Road near Fancy Gap in Carroll County.

Several locations and sites along the Parkway will also reopen:

• The Humpback Rocks, James River and Peaks of Otter Visitor Centers will reopen as power and water have been restored to all facilities where they existed before the storm.
• The Mabry Mill Cultural Site is open and the Eastern National/America's National Parks Sales Office is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m
• Peaks of Otter and Rocky Knob campgrounds will operate on a first come, first served basis through October 14th. From this point on, existing reservations will be taken into account again. Otter Creek Campground was closed for the season prior to the storm and will remain closed.
• Peaks of Otter Lodge continues to operate (it did not close following the storm).

NPS said they hope to open the rest of the Parkway in Virginia within the next two weeks, thanks to the dedication of workers working to clear and make repairs.

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“Thanks to the hard work of the Blue Ridge Parkway teams, we are able to open nearly 200 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, an important and scenic route that embodies both the natural beauty and cultural heritage of our region plays an important role “As we celebrate this success, we also recognize that there is still significant and, in some areas, long-term work to be done in North Carolina.” We are committed to maintaining all sections of the parkway to the highest standards of safety and accessibility for our visitors to restore.”

Officials warned hikers to be careful on the trails as surveys have not yet been completed for each area. Additionally, NPS said visitors may expect fewer services as many staff are helping with operations in North Carolina, where the storm's impact was much worse.

“The Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina remains closed along its entire length as crews continue emergency stabilization and damage assessments following Hurricane Helene,” NPS said.

Visit the Blue Ridge Parkway website for more updates HERE.