The Blue Ridge Parkway will reopen Friday after being closed due to Helene impacts

RICHMOND, Va. – According to Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin's office, the Blue Ridge Parkway will gradually reopen this week after being closed indefinitely to clear debris caused by Hurricane Helene.

Blue Ridge Parkway employees and National Parks Service (NPS) personnel from 32 states and the District of Columbia were involved in the recovery effort, according to NPS spokesman Mike Litterst.

The Blue Ridge Parkway will open in phases according to the following schedule:

• Soft opening from Milepost 1 to Milepost 198 on Thursday October 10th, formal reopening on Friday October 11th.
• Milepost 198 to Milepost 217 at the North Carolina state line will reopen the following week. The exact date will be announced later.
• National Park Service campgrounds will operate on a first-come, first-served basis through October 14; At this point, existing reservations will be taken into account.

The press release also states that trail assessments have not been completed in all areas and caution is advised when hiking. Due to staffing shortages, visitors may also experience limited services as many employees assist with North Carolina operations. Areas of the Blue Ridge Parkway previously closed for construction remain closed.

Visit Virginia.org for the latest travel updates.

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