Some of the Linville Gorge trails are gone.
That’s what Lisa Jennings, a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service, said about trails along the Linville River in Burke County after Hurricane Helene caused rivers to overflow their banks and high winds toppled trees.
“We’ve been assessing our road and trail conditions really over the last month, and there is a lot of damage in the (Pisgah) National Forest,†Jennings said. “We’re estimating that about 70% of the Grandfather Ranger District had moderate to catastrophic damage, and that includes the areas around Linville Gorge.â€
Lisa Jennings of the US Forest Service climbs over a downed tree on the Pinch In trail in the Linville Gorge.
She said in the Linville Gorge, the eastern edge around Shortoff Mountain has the least damage. The areas around Old N.C. 105, such as Pinch In trail, took the brunt of the wind damage, with trees down all around the area. Trails that run along the Linville River were washed out.
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“In places, the trail’s just gone,†Jennings said. “We have 30-foot holes in the trail where the river took it out. Folks have been on the Linville Gorge trail — it was kind of steep and sketchy to start with — and those areas were made a lot worse. So, very dangerous conditions down there.â€
A closed sign is stapled to a tree at the Pinch In trailhead in the Linville Gorge on Nov. 15.
Even weeks after the storm ripped through western North Carolina, hazards remain, Jennings said. “Trees are weakened, they’re in different condition than they used to be,†Jennings said. “Any gust of wind could bring down more trees, so folks, even if they’re driving around the woods, need to be careful.â€
Trails like Pinch In are covered in downed trees. Cleanup will not be quick.
“The Linville Gorge Wilderness Area is a special place, and because of that, there are special rules, like not using chainsaws in the wilderness, and that makes it even more complex to assess the conditions in there and then to figure out what we’re going to do to make sure that folks can still get back out on the trails in the future,†Jennings said.
Dozens of downed trees litter the forest alongside Old NC 105 and the Pinch In trailhead weeks after Hurricane Helene ripped through western North Carolina.
She said the Forest Service is considering emergency options to allow special tools to be used to clean up some trails. No emergency measures have been taken yet.
The Linville Gorge already is a difficult place for rescuers to access when someone needs help. Helene made it worse.
“We’ve heard from our rescue folks that areas that were taking an hour to get folks out are now taking up to four hours, so it’s critical that folks respect these closures and don’t go into dangerous areas,†Jennings said.
Shortoff Mountain rises above the Linville Gorge as seen from an overlook on Old NC 105 on Nov. 15.
All recreation areas in the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests remained closed Friday afternoon. Jennings said some trails are expected to reopen in the coming weeks, but she said it will be a while before things are back to normal.
“Across the Grandfather Ranger District, our trail system, post-Helene, is going to look different than what folks are used to,†Jennings said. “And that’s kind of the sad reality is we’re going to have to move trails. We might have to decommission some trails that we can’t get back, but we’re hoping to get back as much as we can.â€
