Several roads and trails closed due to damage from Helene will reopen Friday.
Great Smoky Mountains Natl. Park — The National Park Service will be reopening some roads, trails and facilities in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that have been closed for more than half a year in the Cataloochee area.
NPS said portions of Cataloochee Valley will reopen to the public on Friday, April 4. The area has been closed since September 2024 after the remnants of Hurricane Helene significantly damaged trails and roads in the park.
NPS said Cataloochee Valley saw the worst impacts from Helene. Crews have re-graveled sections of roads around the entrance road and parking areas near the Palmer House and addressed downed trees that were blocking parts of the area.
The NPS said the following roads will reopen on April 4:Â
- Cataloochee Entrance Road up to Beech Grove School.
- Cataloochee Creek Road to the Old Cataloochee Entrance Road Bridge
- Old Highway 284. Visitors will be able to drive Cataloochee Valley Entrance Road up to Beech Grove School.
Visitors can park near Beech Grove School and walk up the Upper Cataloochee Valley Entrance Road. NPS said people should be extremely cautious on the road because it is still “very uneven and has large ditches.”
Some 60 miles of trails were impacted. Crews were able to reopen most of the trails and address conditions, but hikers are being told to use extreme caution because there are still downed trees and damaged areas. You can check the latest trail conditions on the GSMNP website and find hiking safety tips here.
“Most trails in Cataloochee Valley are open, but hikers should exercise extra caution as there are still downed trees, rutted or damaged sections of trail, exposed tree root balls, and landslides,” NPS said. “Hikers should also plan for stream crossings on trails—most foot logs in Cataloochee Valley were lost during Hurricane Helene and have not been replaced. Several Cataloochee trails are closed to horses due to unstable trail surfaces and tree debris.”
The park said there was also significant erosion around the Caldwell Barn and Beech Grove School that crews had to address.
The campgrounds and horse camp in Cataloochee will remain closed. The park said it would open them “if operational capacity allows.”
â–ºRelated Story:Â Several campgrounds face extended closures in the Great Smoky Mountains
