Cataloochee Valley — After months of closure due to severe damage from Hurricane Helene, a portion of the beloved Cataloochee Valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park will officially reopen at noon on Friday, April 4, 2025.
Park officials and locals alike are celebrating this partial return of access to one of Western North Carolina’s most scenic and historic regions.
The reopening is a significant milestone following the storm’s devastating impact last September, which triggered landslides, washed out roads, and uprooted large swaths of forest. For months, the area has been off-limits to the public while repair crews worked to stabilize infrastructure and ensure safety…