Grandfather Mountain announces reopening date after temporary closure due to Hurricane Helene

By Chyna Blackmon

October 22, 2024 12:28 PM

Grandfather Mountain in Linville, North Carolina, which closed after Hurricane Helene, will reopen Oct. 23. Shown here is Swinging Bridge. Leslie Restivo Courtesy of Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation

Hurricane Helene Aftermath

Hurricane Helene swept across the Southeast, causing major flooding and destruction throughout North Carolina. Here is ongoing coverage from The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer about Hurricane Helene and the aftermath, particularly in Western North Carolina.

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Nearly a month after Hurricane Helene swept through western North Carolina, one of the state’s most popular attractions is set to reopen.

After temporarily closing on Sept. 26, Grandfather Mountain will reopen Wednesday, Oct. 23.

“The Grandfather Mountain nature park was extremely fortunate to receive only minor damage. A small number of trees fell during the storm, and only a few washouts or small landslides have been discovered,” the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation stated in a release. “The mountain was impacted by the electricity, internet and cell signal outages that were widespread across the region in the weeks following the storm. A few days after Helene, the park was able to confirm that all staff and the mountain’s resident habitat animals were safe.”

While park operations were on pause, the foundation said its focus has been on supporting local and even international nonprofits working to help those in need in the surrounding communities while the leadership team worked with officials on a reopening plan for the park.

“The decision to reopen Grandfather Mountain following the regional impacts of Hurricane Helene is not a responsibility that we take lightly,” said Jesse Pope, president and executive director of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “As some nearby towns open their doors to tourists, our intention is to help the community by giving these visitors an additional place to go and to not put a strain on those areas that can’t accommodate outside travelers at this time.”

[Tweetsie Railroad theme park in Western NC to be closed longer than expected after Helene]

First phase of Grandfather Mountain reopening

Beginning Oct. 23, the park will be open seven days a week, including the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery, Mildred the Bear Environmental Habitats, Top Shop and Mile High Swinging Bridge, Woods Walk, Bridge Trail, Black Rock Trail and Grandfather Loop.

Weather permitting, park entry will be open to guests from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with trails closing at 5 p.m. and the park closing at 6 p.m., the team said in the reopening announcement.

“We look forward to welcoming guests back to Grandfather Mountain,” Pope said. “Our reopening will enable us to keep our entire staff employed this season and will benefit Avery County by way of tax dollars paid on admission tickets to the park. Our staff have worked tirelessly since the storm to help out the community, and I couldn’t be more proud of, and thankful for, them.”

Grandfather Mountain in Linville, North Carolina, which closed after Hurricane Helene, will reopen Oct. 23. Leslie Restivo Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation

Helene disaster relief fund

During this time, the park will only be selling a limited number of tickets so guests are encouraged to book online in advance. The foundation is also still running its Hurricane Helene disaster relief fund, which guests can donate to when buying admission tickets online or in the park at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery, Top Shop and Mildred’s Grill.

“A lot of thought and consideration was put into this decision, and we hope that Grandfather Mountain’s reopening will provide a sense of hope for our surrounding communities and local businesses,” Pope said. “We know firsthand through our Helene relief work that our entire region still has a long road to recovery ahead of them and that there will be a delicate balance to strike throughout this process.”

The Grandfather Mountain nature park and preserve is a separate entity from Grandfather Mountain State Park, which has not yet been reopened. Along with the state park portion of Grandfather Mountain, all state parks and recreation areas west of I-77 in Western North Carolina will be closed until at least the end of October.

This story was originally published October 22, 2024 at 12:28 PM with the headline "Grandfather Mountain announces reopening date after temporary closure due to Hurricane Helene."

Chyna Blackmon

The Charlotte Observer

Chyna Blackmon was a service journalism reporter for The Charlotte Observer. A native of the Carolinas, she grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from Queens University of Charlotte. She’s also worked in local television news in Charlotte, NC, and Richmond, VA. Support my work with a digital subscription