Fallen rock causes Parkway closure near Asheville
Tanbark Tunnel on the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed until further notice after pieces of the tunnel’s natural rock ceiling began to come loose. To effectively route visitors away from the tunnel, the Parkway will be closed from milepost 355.3 at N.C. 128 north of Montreat to milepost 375.6 at Ox Creek Road near Weaverville.
The detached rock fragment, found during a weather-related closure earlier this month, is about 4 feet by 3 feet and up to 12 inches thick. The rock has not fallen to the road and is currently being held up by a steel netting and rock bolt safety system installed on the tunnel ceiling for the purpose of catching any falling rock. Due to the rock’s significant weight, however, repairs are necessary before reopening the tunnel to visitors.
The National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration are in the process of determining what repairs are needed. Weather permitting, Mt. Mitchell State Park will remain open and accessible while tunnel repairs are underway.
Find real-time information about Blue Ridge Parkway closures at www.nps.gov/maps/blri/road-closures.
