Hurricane Helene
Bryson City is open to visitors and welcoming tourists Electricity, water, and other utilities are all operational. Restaurants are open and receiving their regular food deliveries from their suppliers. Shops are open and fully stocked. WiFi and cell service are working. For a geographical perspective to where Bryson City is located in western North Carolina, in connection with the areas damaged by Helene to our east:
Week of November 11, 2024
The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is open. The Polar Express train ride starts on November 7.
The Smoky Mountain Christmas Light Spectacular Drive Through show opens on November 7.
The Nantahala Outdoor Center and Nantahala River are open for rafting, zip lining, restaurants and retail.
The Nantahala National Forest is open.
Fontana Dam, Fontana Village Resort (Including dining and retail) and Fontana Marina are open and operating. Fontana Lake is open for recreational use.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park:
- The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open
- US 441/Newfound Gap Road from Cherokee to Gatlinburg is open.
- Kuwohi Road (formerly Clingmans Dome Road) is open. The road to Kuwohi closes seasonally from December 1 - March 31.
Scenic Drives:
Most sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway are now open in our local area, including:
- From Cherokee at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (milepost 469) to NC 215 near Waynesville at milepost 423. This includes Heintooga Spur Road, Waterrock Knob, Cowee Mountain Overlook, Richland Balsam and more.
- From US 276 in Waynesville (milepost 421) to Black Balsam (milepost 411.8), including Graveyard Fields and Black Balsam (Art Loeb Trail)
The section from milepost 421 to 423.2, between the two open sections and including Devil’s Courthouse, remains closed for all uses due to a significant landslide that impacted the roadway during Hurricane Helene. The NPS expects the Devil's Courthouse closure to be in place for an extended period as plans for permanent reconstruction are developed and implemented.
These scenic drives (including the National Park mentioned above) are also open in our area: Nantahala Gorge Scenic Byway: Cherohala Skyway, US 129, and the Hellbender 28 to Fontana Dam. More scenic drives can be found here.
Check our downtown webcam for a live view of downtown Bryson City, the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, and the Nantahala River.