Nearly two years after Hurricane Helene, a heavily impacted section of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail on the North Carolina-Tennessee border has reopened.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service ended the closure order on 5.5 miles of the A.T. in the Iron Mountain Gap area (Northbound miles 360.6 to 366.1) after extensive salvage logging to remove downed trees left by the storm in September 2024.
“This is a significant milestone in the ongoing, long-term recovery and repair efforts of the iconic Appalachian Trail following one of the most devastating storms to hit the Southern Appalachian region,” said Franklin Tate, Appalachian Trail Conservancy southern regional director. “While the A.T. is reopened, there is still work to be done in this section to rehab the trail. We’re grateful to the USDA Forest Service and volunteers with Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club for their continued collaboration and hard work, and to the many hikers who tackled the detour’s numerous steps during the closure.”
