Archived Outdoors
Section of parkway closed to vehicles
A 21-mile section of the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina is closed — from Ox Creek Road to Mount Mitchell State Park.
The closure is the result of structural damage to a section of the road and shoulder areas caused by recent heavy rains.
Federal Highway Administration engineers are helping park managers to determine the extent of the damage and will make recommendations for necessary repairs.
A detour route is available, which directs traffic from Asheville along Interstate 40 to U.S. Route 221. However, pedestrians and bicyclists are allowed on the parkway until construction begins or if conditions change. Mount Mitchell State Park remains open and accessible from the northern approach along the parkway.
