Support the Blue Ridge Parkway’s gateway communities recovering from Hurricane Helene while viewing the vibrant autumnal transformation
Last year, Hurricane Helene left a lasting mark on Western North Carolina. In the face of devastation, these communities responded with unwavering resilience, a testament to the deep-rooted connection between the people and the land they call home. As autumn returns and the mountains turn to the vibrant colors of peak leaf season, there’s no better time to experience the beauty of this region while playing a role in its recovery.
This fall, you can view the fall foliage and mountain scenery while supporting the Parkway’s gateway communities that are actively rebuilding. By visiting local shops, dining at family-owned restaurants, and staying in family-run lodges or inns, you help strengthen the local economies that form the backbone of this cherished landscape.
Thanks to the incredible work of NPS staff, volunteers, Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina, local organizations, and recovery crews, most sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway have reopened. To view the latest updates on road closures and status, check out the National Park Service Blue Ridge Parkway Alerts and Conditions Map.
The “peak week” of fall foliage varies by location and elevation, so it’s important to plan ahead to ensure you can view the leaves at the optimal time. Check out this article for a fall photo tour of the Parkway with milepost locations. This website shares a fall foliage map with the projected timing of peak leaf colors by region.
From our partners at the National Park Service: “Whether leaf color for any given year is classified as ‘spectacular’ or simply as ‘average,’ the display will nonetheless be pleasing to the eye somewhere along the parkway. One reason is the parkway’s amazing diversity of trees. Some 100 species of native trees grow in the southern Appalachians and the majority of these are deciduous. Various species change color at different times over a long fall season.” Read more about when and why the leaves change here.
By permanently protecting critical forestland along the Blue Ridge Parkway, CTNC ensures the land continues to produce clean air and water, safeguarding vibrant plant and animal communities, sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, and providing space for the diverse tree species that produce the extraordinary autumn colors Western NC displays each year.
While you’re on the Parkway this fall, check out a few overlooks and locations with views you helped CTNC protect.
To see the full map from the National Park Service click here.
Be sure to check the Blue Ridge Parkway’s road status closures page before making the trip.