The caverns have been closed since late September after Helene swept across western North Carolina.
MARION, N.C. — A popular tourist destination in western North Carolina is set to reopen this week after being closed indefinitely because of damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
Linville Caverns, located in McDowell County, will reopen to the public on Thursday, Jan. 30, the caverns announced in a Facebook post Monday. Owner Zack Medford says Helene caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage. The flooded caverns were left covered in mud and silt but the gift shop sustained the most damage. During the repair work, crews tore out the flooring, gutted the walls, replaced cabinets and retires the building. Four months later, the business is still waiting for its landline phone service to be repaired.
The tourist destination also provided directions for visitors coming to the area, as several of the normal roads to Linville Caverns are still under repair months after Helene hit the area:
“The bridge at Mountain Paradise Campground is near completion. Although the highway north of us (between Linville Caverns and Famous Louise’s Rockhouse Restaurant) has been repaired, it remains temporarily closed during week days for tree work.Â
Visitors traveling north from Marion can use Old Linville Road, accessible by turning right at the traffic light at Baxter Healthcare.Â
Visitors traveling south from Avery County should take HWY 19E towards Spruce Pine, then 226 South. After reaching the traffic light at the bottom of the mountain, turn left and follow the directions listed above.”
Linville Caverns was first discovered back in 1822 by local fishermen, and it first opened for public tours in 1937. Since then, visitors have flocked to Marion to take in the natural beauty of the limestone caves.Â
For information on tours and ticket prices, check out the caverns’ website here.
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