Now, we’ll be honest, everything is not back to normal, but we’re getting closer every day. You will see damaged buildings and debris piles alongside signs of resilience as businesses and individuals continue to rebuild their lives. You might also wait a little longer at your favorite restaurant because they aren’t fully staffed yet or have a traffic delay because trees overhanging the roadway are being removed, but most areas are open and welcoming the return of visitors. We’ve missed you! 

As you are considering your Spring Break getaways, we hope you’ll head up the mountain and maybe even do a little volunteer work while you’re here – we sure could use the help. 

Attractions 

There is some exciting news. There are a few attractions in the mountains that were unable to open until just recently. 

Linville Caverns re-opened at the end of January. Located off U.S. Highway 221, they are North Carolina’s only show caverns. The schedule at the Caverns is open Thursday-Monday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. 

WNC Nature Center is re-opening on Monday, March 17. The Center is on the Swannanoa River and suffered significant damage from the storm, but they spent their down time focusing on updating the Gateway to the Southern Appalachians which will include play areas and a reenvisioned butterfly garden. Their main bridge has not been replaced, so a new route to enter the attraction is being used now. Follow this LINK to learn more. This attraction is currently cashless. 

Tweetsie Railroad was open for its annual Christmas celebration and will open for the 2025 season on April 5. This year’s special events include Day Out with Thomas, Railroad Heritage Weekend, and, of course, Ghost Train. 

Biltmore Estate and Winery is open and welcoming the treasures of King Tutankhamun starting on March 21 and running through January 4 of next year. It’s also time for Biltmore Blooms with thousands of tulips, daffodils, and other spring blooms welcoming the season to the mountains. Learn more and purchase tickets HERE. Biltmore is currently cashless.  

Grandfather Mountain was able to re-open in mid-October and is open daily (weather permitting). You’ll engage with nature at new heights at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery and the Conservation Campus, then head up to the Mile High Swinging Bridge – maybe, if it’s clear enough, you’ll see the skyline of Charlotte (100 miles away). Purchasing tickets ahead of time is recommended.  

Asheville’s River Arts District, a vibrant community of artists, studios, and galleries, is rebuilding after Helene and recently announced that Upper River Arts District and Downtown Outpost are open. The artist community is the heart of Asheville, so we are excited about the news and marvel at their resiliency. You can learn more and donate to recovery efforts HERE.  

For information on other destinations, attractions, and things to do and see, visit these websites: 
Explore Asheville  
Explore Boone  
High Country Host  
Visit Haywood County (Waynesville)  
Visit Hendersonville NC  

Also, as of Saturday, March 1, 2025, one lane of I-40 is open in each direction. There is also a reduction in speed in this section. Highway 221 through the community of Woodlawn - north of Marion and south of Linville Falls - is also open.

State and National Park Information 

Most of the state parks in the mountains have re-opened at least partially. The exceptions are Mount Mitchell State Park and South Mountains State Park; they will remain closed until further notice. Chimney Rock State Park is partially open with the hiking trails at Rumbling Bald being accessible. Chimney Rock Park is closed until further notice.  

To check on the status of the North Carolina State Parks in the mountains and across the state, click on over to this WEBSITE.  

Blue Ridge Parkway  
The Blue Ridge Parkway has many hurricane recovery projects. The landscape is unstable, so when an area is closed, it is closed to drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, cross country skiing, etc. In areas where the park is open, trails should be hiked with caution. Some areas, like Linville Falls, will be closed for some time until a plan for infrastructure replacement is developed.  

According to our contacts with the National Park Service, they are not using volunteers for the work being done currently for safety reasons. The Volunteer page is updated regularly and is a good place to check for opportunities to help out. Projects that are storm-related will be listed as general maintenance. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park  
Balsam Mountain, Cataloochee, and Big Creek areas, campgrounds, and roads are closed while staff continues to assess and address damage caused by Hurricane Helene. There are many opportunities to volunteer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – from trail maintenance to having an information presence at popular Park destinations. You can learn more about the myriad places to help HERE and to apply for any of the positions, send an e-mail to the volunteer coordinator HERE.  

Pisgah National Forest  
Closures remain in effect in the Appalachian and Grandfather Districts resulting from Hurricane Helene with downed trees, washed out bridges, landslides, and rough terrain requiring high ground clearance. These roads are closed to motor vehicle traffic – Avery Creek Road, Yellow Gap Road (between Wolf Ford and North Mills River), Headwaters Road (from 475 to the Sunwall TH), Catheys Creek Road (northern portion).  

The Pisgah Conservancy, a “friends” group that works in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to provide key resources for the benefit of Pisgah and its visitors for generations to come, has a workday scheduled for Saturday, April 26, 2025. The Pisgah Project Day is a multi-faceted volunteer day for people of all ages and includes work to clean-up trash, remove non-native invasive plants, and clearing and improving trails. Registration opens in mid-March.  

Volunteer patch image courtesy of the National Park Service.

How to Volunteer 

In the first weeks and months after Hurricane Helene, the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee were filled with volunteers doing everything from clearing roads and delivering supplies to restoring power and communications and organizing the beginnings of the rebuilding efforts. Volunteer work is still underway in almost every mountain county.  

According to Rene Shuford, the volunteer coordinator for Ashe County’s long-term recovery efforts, “We have had volunteers of every age – from teenagers to youngsters around 5 years old and up. They are all helping in ways they can make a difference.” 

It is important to make arrangements ahead of time if you plan on volunteering during your visit to the mountains. By creating a volunteer profile or contacting the organization you’d like to volunteer with, you are allowing that organization to more effectively schedule their paid staff or permanent volunteers and have needed supplies, materials, and equipment ready for the day’s work. Most of these organizations will have some form of online training to complete ahead of time that acquaints you with expectations, explains the work process, and shares the ethos of the group.  

Volunteer image courtesy of Ashe County Recovery & Restoration.   

Volunteer Opportunities 

Western North Carolina Region 

Baptist on Mission – Working in most counties in WNC to get people back in their homes. Construction skills are needed and welcomed but not necessary. Young people and youth groups can help out, but the minimum age is eighth grade and there should be at least 1 adult per 3 youth. Please register on the website at least four (4) days before you plan to go. Meals and lodging may be available, but if you can provide your own, more funds will go toward building. To learn more, follow this LINK. 

Samaritan’s Purse – Working in Watauga, Yancey, and Buncombe Counties in WNC. The minimum time to volunteer is one week with the maximum time two weeks. Work groups arrive on Sunday evenings and depart on Friday after work. No construction skills are required to help out and the minimum age to participate is 14. Work opportunities are currently filled through June 2025, but there are opportunities available to volunteer through December 2025. You can register HERE. Also, watch for future opportunities that may be a lesser time commitment on the Samaritan’s Purse website.  

MountainTrue – MountainTrue is an organization dedicated to championing resilient forests, clean waters, and healthy communities in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. They have several volunteer opportunities available to clean up streams and riverbanks, document landslides, and live staking along stream banks. There is no minimum age for volunteers, but youngsters need to have a parent or guardian helping them. You can learn about upcoming events HERE, including an opportunity to join Mast Store employees on March 21 – World Water Day – as we live stake the banks of Dutch Creek near the Mast Store Annex and Valle Crucis Park.   

There are many agencies and non-profits at work in the WNC mountains. You can learn about more volunteer opportunities by visiting the North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters WEBSITE. 

East Tennessee Region 

Appalachian United Initiative – There are several options to help in Roan Mountain, Chuckey, and other small towns in East Tennessee. Volunteer opportunities are made available through the United Way Volunteer United website. Each one will have different requirements and limitations on ages, etc. Learn more HERE. 

More Volunteer Opportunities

Ashe County (Jefferson/West Jefferson/Lansing) 

There are two organizations working to repair bridges, driveways, homes, etc. in Ashe County - Lansing’s Bridge to Recovery and Ashe County Recovery & Restoration. The goals of both these organizations is to build back stronger than before, to “bridge the gaps” to recovery left by state and federal efforts, and to keep residents in their homes. Volunteer opportunities are numerous, and they welcome any contribution of time from an afternoon to a week.  

Boone Area 

Hunger & Health Coalition – The Hunger & Health Coalition couldn’t exist without its volunteers who re-stock shelves, re-package food donated by restaurants, and pack food boxes. Spending some time volunteering with this organization is always rewarding because you’re making a difference in so many lives. Opportunities are available for people of all ages, including children (those younger than 13 will need a parent/guardian with them during their time). They will need to schedule your volunteer time, so it is important to create a volunteer account to sign up (it’s easy) and pick your time to be on the HHC campus.  

New River Conservancy – The Conservancy has a number of river cleanups and planting events scheduled in the next couple of months. HERE’s where you’ll find the schedule along with a description of the work to be done during the scheduled volunteer time, and HERE's a list of volunteer opportunities along the New River in Virginia where Helene clean-up is also taking place. Our rivers and waterways are an important part of our ecosystem and our economy, so stabilizing the banks and retrieving the debris and trash that is cluttering them is important.  

Asheville Area 

MANNA FoodBank – MANNA can always use help repackaging bulk foods, sorting produce, and putting together food boxes. They ask that potential volunteers create profiles and register online before coming to their facilities. There are two shifts to volunteer each day – 9 a.m. until noon and 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. Click HERE to learn more and to create your volunteer profile. NOTE: At this time, volunteers must be at least 16 years old. 

Hands On Buncombe – This is a hub with volunteer opportunities ranging from helping with administrative work and preparing meals to helping rebuild homes in the Swannanoa area (CORE Response). Each opportunity will have different requirements – for instance, CORE Response has a minimum age of 18 with activities including hanging drywall, installing insulation, etc. You can learn more by following this LINK.  There is also a separate tab for YOUTH FRIENDLY OPPORTUNITIES.   

Waynesville Area 

Haywood Waterways Association – Stream clean-ups and plantings are the activities this organization is undertaking related to damage caused by Helene. At the time of this writing, they don’t have any activities slated, but one of their partners, Maggie Valley Fly Shop, has a cleanup on Jonathan Creek scheduled for March 22 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Call 828-476-6710 if you want to sign up.

Bleujays Guide is organizing a cleanup along Allens Creek on April 5 from 10 a.m. until noon. This clean up is very kid friendly! Bags, gloves, and grabbers will be provided - be sure to wear old clothes and shoes. RSVP to [email protected]. Watch the HWA website for future events or add your name to their volunteer contact list to be notified of upcoming opportunities. 

Avery County Area 

Feeding Avery Families – FAF can use help on Thursdays and Fridays to unload trucks, stock shelves, pack boxes, and distribute food to clients. Please call 828-783-8506 to get more information or to sign up to volunteer. Here’s a LINK to the Feeding Avery Families website.   

Environmental Cleanup after Helene – This event is organized by Trashy Girl Services and Appalachian Mountain Counseling and will take place on Saturday, April 5 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. along Highway 221 in Linville. Park at the business park (3616 Mitchell Avenue, Edward Jones Financial Advising). Bring trash bags and work gloves and wear sturdy shoes. To learn more, here's the Facebook EVENT.   

With Your Help, We Are Mountain Strong 

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, the Mast General Store began selling Mountain Strong shirts and stickers to raise money for organizations helping the region recover from the storm. We are humbled by the response to the design, which was created by one of our on-staff graphic artists. Its heart rising on the mountains is a symbol of hope and a reminder that we will, in time, emerge stronger and even more beautiful than before. 

Our Mountain Strong funds have supported five organizations thus far (through February 2025) with contributions totaling $110,000 to MountainTrue ($25,000 – an organization that advocates for clean waters, resilient forests, and health communities), BeLoved Asheville ($20,000 – a community working to create Home, Health, Equity, and Opportunity for all in our mountain home), Asheville Chamber for Small Businesses ($20,000 – this group is helping small businesses who may not qualify for other funds get back on their feet), River Arts District Foundation ($20,000 – helping restore the creative heart of Asheville), and Boone Area Chamber Small Business Grants ($25,000 – helping businesses in Watauga County recover from loss of business and infrastructure). 

Mountain Strong apparel and stickers are still available for those wishing to purchase and show support for the mountain communities. Each purchase helps make a difference and impact the future of Western North Carolina.