BOONE, N.C. — With its famous winding roads and unbelievable overlook views, it’s easy to see why the Blue Ridge Parkway is known as "America’s Favorite Drive."

But when Helene went through western North Carolina, the heavy rains and winds caused trees to topple and sent entire mountainsides sliding, causing not only catastrophic damage to the road but to the tourism industry across western North Carolina.

“It was a devastating time for it to hit in North Carolina,” Wit Tuttell said. “It was the peak of leaf season. Sort of like a hurricane hitting the coast on July Fourth weekend. You know, that's the busiest time.”


What You Need To Know

  • The Blue Ridge Parkway was heavily damaged during Helene

  • Crews from the National Park Service have been working nonstop to repair a number of landslides and downed trees along the famous route

  • Visit NC leaders say that shouldn't stop visitors from coming to western N.C. this spring

  • Plenty of towns are reopened and waiting for visitors to return

Tuttell is the executive director of the state’s tourism office, Visit NC. He said western North Carolina, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, brings in about one third of the tourism dollars to the state every year.

“The great part about the parkway is that it feeds all these little rural towns and brings visitors to them,” Tuttell said. “And they're spending those dollars. That was just completely cut off right at the heart of the season. So that's a really hard thing to make up for.”“The great part about the parkway is that it feeds all these little rural towns and brings visitors to them,” Tuttell said. “And they're spending those dollars. That was just completely cut off right at the heart of the season. So that's a really hard thing to make up for.”

The National Park Service said there's about 150 miles of the parkway still under construction. But since the storm, crews have been able to reopen about 95 miles of the parkway for tourists to enjoy once again. 

“You know, it's known as 'America's Favorite Drive,' but it's also such a unique, piece of the United States landscape,” Tuttell said.

And even if you have to get off the parkway to take a detour to the next section, Tuttell said the little towns in between are anxiously awaiting visitors to return.

“You know, Asheville is rocking and rolling,” Tuttell said. “You get a place like Chimney Rock, it’s going to be a little longer. And little towns like Hot Springs and Marshall are coming back, but it’s a slower build. It’s going to take a while longer."

But without visitors' support in the next few months, Tuttell said it will be much harder for these smaller mountain communities to bounce back.

“A vast majority of the roads, including I-40, are open,” Tuttell said. “But we still want people to check and just make sure, because some things aren't quite the same. If you went there last year, there might be some differences from this year. And so that's the key for us is to get people to call ahead and be ready when they come out.”

Tuttell said they have a list on Visit NC’s website that explains what is open and what may take more time.

But he encourages everyone to plan a trip to the mountains this year.