How Asheville’s Outdoors Are Doing, One Year After Helene

Short version: The outdoors are very much Open & Ready. You’ll find vibrant river trips, hundreds of miles of hikeable trails, and newly reopened access on the Blue Ridge Parkway from Asheville to Mount Mitchell—plus lots of ways to pitch in.

Trail Country: Biodiversity on full display

“Asheville is one of the most biodiverse places in the world,” says Jennifer Pharr Davis—record-setting hiker, author, and guide. That richness means every season (and every hike) reveals something new: salamanders, mushrooms, spring ephemerals, fall color, winter views.

Post-Helene reality:

• Early recovery focused on clearing access roads and reopening trail corridors. Clubs, bike groups, outfitters, and everyday hikers showed up with saws and shovels.
• Many favorites are open now, with ongoing work on others. “Trails became a place to heal—and to help,” Pharr Davis says. Check out our list of open hikes for some ideas on where to go first.

How to hike smart this year:

• Check conditions before you go. Alltrails is a great resource. Check the reviews section for recent conditions!
• Consider a guided hike, especially if you’re short on research time—guides know what’s open and can share the story of recovery along the way.
• If you’re hiking with kids or want a contained experience, The North Carolina Arboretum has well-marked loops and family-friendly amenities—plus Thomas Dambo’s “Trolls: A Field Study” coming this winter.

“Asheville is the best place to hike—period… and this year there’s even more meaning in being out there together.” — Jennifer Pharr Davis

Blue Ridge Parkway: Newly reopened from Asheville to Mount Mitchell

On September 15, 2025, the National Park Service reopened a 26-mile section of the Blue Ridge Parkway from Asheville (milepost 382) to the Ridge Junction Overlook near NC 80 and Mount Mitchell State Park (milepost 355.3). This milestone completes the first round of post-Helene recovery work, restoring access to some of the most beloved scenery north of Asheville.

What’s open now:

• Craggy Gardens Visitor Center
• Craggy Pinnacle Trail
• Short sections of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail
• Mount Mitchell State Park and adjacent Forest Service lands (check their sites for trail specifics)

Still closed (for now): Craggy Gardens Picnic Area and parts of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail between the Craggy Trail Shelter and Snowball Mountain Trail.

Why it matters:
“There should really be nothing stopping anyone from planning a Parkway trip this fall,” says Lisa Brandon, External Affairs Specialist. Sweater-weather overlooks, migrating wildlife, and the region’s famed fall color now link seamlessly from Asheville up to Mount Mitchell, creating one of the most spectacular scenic drives in the East.

Good to know:

• Construction continues at other sites along the Parkway; plan ahead and consult go.nps.gov/Helene for current conditions.
• Even in open sections, hikers should watch for lingering hazards like downed trees or washed-out footbridges.

The French Broad River: Old as the mountains, renewed for the future

“It’s an amazing opportunity to recreate on a river this ancient,” says John Stamper, River Cleanup Coordinator with MountainTrue. The French Broad—flowing south to north for ~219 miles—supports everything from whitewater rafting to kayak touring, tubing, and fishing.

And thanks to an unprecedented cleanup effort, the river’s ready for visitors again. “If you didn’t know a hurricane came through, you might not notice on the water today,” says Devin DeHoll, co-founder of Asheville Adventure Company.

Post-Helene highlights:

• MountainTrue, partners, and volunteers have removed over 3 million pounds of debris, including 750,000 pounds hand-picked—everything from PVC pipes to personal items returned to their owners.
• Outfitters paused operations until May 2025, then relaunched cautiously. By summer, rafting, tubing, and kayak tours were running at high quality and high safety standards.
• Water quality monitoring shows conditions are back to recreational levels, with testing available online.

Good to know: If you’re new to the river, book with a reputable outfitter—they’re tuned into current conditions and access points. And if you’re a visitor who wants to give back, MountainTrue and other nonprofits host volunteer cleanups where you can roll your outdoor adventure into service.

“You’re not only having an incredible experience—you’re participating in the comeback.” — Devin DeHoll, Asheville Adventure Company

Planning Your Trip

Pick your flavor of outside:

• On water: Whitewater rafting, mellow kayak tours, tubing, and guided fishing on the French Broad and its tributaries.
• On foot: Blue Ridge Parkway staples like Black Balsam and Graveyard Fields; waterfall loops in Dupont; kid-friendly trails at the Arboretum.
• By car: Parkway overlooks north and south of town, plus easy add-ons in Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley for coffee, galleries, and post-hike bites.

Quick tips:

• Check conditions before you go.
• Go with a pro if you’re unsure—outfitters and guides will put you in the right place at the right time.
• Give back if you’d like: join a cleanup, donate to trail groups, or tack a volunteer hour onto your itinerary.
• Leave No Trace—the mountains say thanks.

The spirit of the comeback

From river crews returning photo albums and mugs to their owners, to hikers swapping trail-clearing shifts and stories, to Parkway teams clearing dozens of landslides—the last year has been about care. Care for each other, and for the places that make Asheville, Asheville.

The invitation is simple: come be part of it. Float a quiet bend on the French Broad. Hike a reopened mountain ridge. Wander a fog-washed overlook. Then raise a glass in town to the people who helped make your day possible.

Asheville’s outdoors are Open & Ready. We’ll see you out there.