The Asheville region of western North Carolina is slowly making a comeback from the devastating damage caused by Hurricane Helene on Sept. 27, 2024.
After months of cleanup and rebuilding, campground owners in the area are beginning to reopen at least portions of their parks, welcoming campers back to one of the most popular outdoor regions in the U.S.
“It’s been a struggle,” said Dee Witting, executive director of the Carolina Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (CARVC). “There was very little money available to the campgrounds to help them rebuild. A lot of the impacted campgrounds are on the tops of sides of mountains, so they didn’t see a need for additional flood insurance. They have basically had to use their own funds to get their parks up and going.”
She said most campgrounds in the area are smaller, mom-and-pop family operations with limited resources…