Hurricane Helene Information - Virginia Creeper Trail

On September 28, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane.  The intensity and size of this storm created an immense swath of damage across SW Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.   

Sections of the 34 mile Virginia Creeper Trail were impacted by Hurricane Helene:    

• TRAIL SECTION OPEN:  The Virginia Creeper Trail is open from Abingdon to Trestle 16 in Damascus.

• TRAIL SECTION CLOSED:  The remaining 17 miles of trail from Damascus to its eastern terminus at Whitetop on the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area are closed.

 

For More Information:​

• Status of Virginia Creeper Trail Trestles

  • Trestle Inventory

• Virginia Creeper Trail Map

• Photographs of Virginia Creeper Trail - October 2024

• Virginia Creeper Trail Video Updates

  • Interview with Joby Timm, Forest Supervisor 

  • Interview with crew leader from Puerto Rico on Virginia Creeper Trail

• Hurricane Helene Forest Information page

• Hurricane Helene Forest FAQs

 

 

Current Status of Virginia Creeper Trail Trestles

**All sections of trail from mile 15-34 are currently closed to public use **

Initial assessment of Virginia Creeper Trail - Updated -10/15/2024

NOTE: Written from the North Carolina Line (up trail) to the Town of Damascus (down trail). 

USFS - United States Forest Service

NPS - National Park Service    

Trestle #	Owned by	Managed by	Current Status
47	USFS	USFS	standing, no visual damage but will be presumed damaged until inspected by engineering
46	USFS	USFS	standing, no visual damage but will be presumed damaged until inspected by engineering
45	USFS	USFS	standing, no visual damage but will be presumed damaged until inspected by engineering
44	USFS	USFS	destroyed - verified by Facebook video
43	USFS	USFS	standing, no visual damage but has damaged decking, required inspection by engineering
42	USFS	USFS	Undamaged
41	USFS	USFS	damaged with significant twist and sag, broken stringer, heavy scour on trail
40	USFS	USFS	standing, no visual damage but will be presumed damaged until inspected by engineering
39	USFS	USFS	Standing – in place – requires inspection
38	USFS	USFS	Intact needs inspection- access limited by downed trestles
37	USFS	USFS	destroyed
36	USFS	USFS	Intact, needs inspection
35	USFS	USFS	destroyed
34	USFS	USFS	destroyed
33	USFS	USFS	destroyed
32	USFS	USFS	destroyed
31	USFS	USFS	destroyed
30	USFS	USFS	destroyed
29	USFS	USFS	destroyed (found at MM 20)
28	USFS	USFS	Intact and standing, needs inspection
27	USFS	USFS	destroyed
26	USFS	USFS	destroyed
25	USFS	USFS	destroyed- Confirmed by Appalachian Trail Club
24	USFS	USFS	destroyed - found at Straight Branch
23	USFS	USFS	destroyed
22	USFS	USFS	destroyed
21	USFS	USFS	Intact and standing – severely damaged – Trail washed-out between trestles 21 & 22
20	USFS	USFS	damaged
19	USFS	USFS	Destroyed – trail out from 19, 20 – roughly .5 mile washout in total
18	USFS	USFS	destroyed/impacted by T19 and large debris pile
17	NPS	Mt. Rogers National Rectreation Area	Limited opening (bikes, hikers, no horses)
16	NPS	Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area	Open
1-15	Abingdon, VA	Abingdon, VA	Open

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Virginia Creeper Trail Map from Whitetop to Damascus

 

 

Photographs of Virginia Creeper Trail - October, 2024

                      

(Photo 1 - Debris piled onto Trestle #19; Photo 2 - A section of the Virginia Creeper Trail that has eroded and fallen into the creek; Photo 3 Tree cones blocking access to trail; Photo 4 - Debris from trestle 18 piled up on trestle 19; Photo 5 - A trail bridge shifted during the flooding; Photo 6 - A section of trail tread is eroded.)

Photo credit:  USDA Forest Service

        

(Photo Left - Forest Engineers preparing to repel off bridge to inspect for damge; Middle -Forest Engineer repelling off bridge; Right - Forest engineers walking Hwy 58 to inspect bridges.)

Photo Credit USDA Forest Service, R8 Engineering -Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)

 

Return to Hurricane Helene Response Information and and Updates Page

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Video updates: 

Job Timm, Forest Supervisor, George Washington and Jefferson National Forest Update 10/10/2024 (Back to top)

Interview with crew working on the Virginia Creeper Trail from Puerto Rico (Back to top)