jewelhawg

First, my thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by the hurricanes. I can't imagine what you are going through.

I've spent the last 6 months planning a 2 week trip (October 16th-30th) from Washington D.C. to the Great Smokey Mountains via Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway. Should I postpone it until next year? I'm hearing all sorts of stories that part of the parkway is closed and may not reopen for a year?!?

Is there somewhere I can go to get real-time updates and predictions on the parkway?

Don

According to the link below, yes, parts of the parkway are closed:

http://www.nps.gov/blri/pphtml/news.html

There was apparently about $11M worth of damage from Frances (including avalanche damage and washed-out sections of road), and they had closed some other sections in anticipation of Ivan--hasn't been updated in a few days, so I don't know whether Ivan caused more damage. It doesn't look promising, unfortunately.

I'm really sorry for the people there who suffered hurricane damage, and on top of that there's likely to be a big financial loss from the loss of the tourism dollars during the upcoming fall foliage season.

Incognito

go directly to DOT websites of those states where Blue Ridge Parkway is located

GoTravel

My mother-in-law told me she doubts the BRP will open back up this year. It does close in the winter do to road conditions.

Agree, contact DOT directly.

ronkala

For Sky Line Drive call 540-999-3500 for info. All campm grounds are open .
Big Meadow Lodge is expected to be open this evening if Power is restored today.

Litespeed_Chick

Jewel, you don't need to postpone your trip, just go to the Park Service Websites and get the detour information. Although there are sections closed, there are still sections opened. Some of those closed may reopen soon. As I understand it, it is the section near Linville that may be closed a long time.

This info is a couple of weeks old so don't rely on it, but to give you an idea:

Road closures are as follows: Milepost 317-331, between Linville Falls and Spruce Pine; mile 344-375 from NC Highway to 80 to Ox Creek, and Milepost 393-443 between NC 191 near Asheville and Balsam Gap at Waynesville.

Rockslides are at Mileposts 322, 345, 348,349, 413 and 429. Most of those between mile 322 and 349 took out portions of the motor road and this segment of the Parkway, from just south of Linville Falls to south of Buck Creek Gap at NC 80 near Marion, may be closed for up to a year. The slides at 413 and 429 are also extensive but do not appear to have damaged the road?s supporting structure significantly. Detour routes will be announced and posted.

Wildflower

Here is the latest info, as of September 21st, from the link posted by Don

Current Parkway Road and Facility Closures

Date
September 21, 2004

Situation Report Blue Ridge Parkway Tropical Storm Ivan September 21, 2004 7:00 p.m.
Aided by a third consecutive day of clear skies and mild temperatures, Blue Ridge Parkway maintenance crews continued clearing trees downed by Tropical Storm Ivan and rockfalls left by the remnants of Hurricane Frances. The heavily traveled Asheville corridor is now open.

The Federal Highway Administration has authorized Taylor and Murphy Construction Company to begin removal of the large rockslide at mile 413, south of the Parkway intersection with US 276 near Waynesville, and to construct an administrative road that would let employees of Mt. Mitchell State Park drive around the slide areas between that park and NC 80. Both projects are expected to be completed within 30-day. The construction near Mt. Mitchell will not open that section to the public, but clearing the slide at mile 413 would make it possible to open the Parkway between Asheville and Cherokee. Most visitor centers, campgrounds and concessioner lodges and restaurants are now open or will be open again by tomorrow. Exceptions are the Craggy Gardens visitor center, concession facilities at Crabtree Meadows, and the campgrounds at Linville Falls, Mt. Pisgah, and Price Park Campground. The Price Park campground should reopen when power is restored. Those who have questions about reservations or refunds for Price Park or the now closed Linville Falls campground should contact ReserveUSA.

Electric service to Parkway headquarters was also restored late this afternoon and employees who work at that office should be on duty and available by phone and email tomorrow. This ends a 5-day power and telephone outage that hampered communications and forced members of the Incident Command team, administration and other employees to work out of the Pisgah District office at Oteen.

The Parkway is now open from mile 0 to 305 at Grandfather Mountain, mile 308 just south of US 221 at the Linville community to mile 317 at Linville Falls, and from mile 325 just south north of Spruce Pine to 334 at Little Switzerland. The road is also open from 375 at Ox Creek just north of Asheville to mile 412 (US 276), and from 455 at US 19 near Maggie Valley to mile 469 at Cherokee. Additional sections between Asheville and Mt. Mitchell State Park are expected to open later this week.

jewelhawg

Thanks to everyone for keeping me updated. After reading the last two threads, we are still planning to go! If you learn of anymore information, please reply!!!