Gatlinburg, TN (WOKI) Parts of Cataloochee Valley, the hardest-hit area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, are set to reopen, months after Hurricane Helene’s storms.
Helene brought damage and death to many parts of East Tennessee, including the national park.
Park officials say portions of the valley will reopen Friday, April 4 at noon for the first time since September of 2024.
According to the park, the following work has been done to reopen the valley:
- Re-graveled sections of Cataloochee Entrance Road, Cataloochee Creek Road, parking areas near Palmer House and Cataloochee Group Camp Road.
- Completed emergency stabilization of Hiram Caldwell Barn.
- Addressed many downed and hazard trees around roads, campgrounds and buildings throughout the valley.
- Assessed trail conditions across 60 miles of trails and completed some trail restoration.
- Addressed significant erosion around Caldwell Barn and restrooms and Beech Grove School.
In addition, the park says the following roads are set to reopen:
- Cataloochee Entrance Road up to Beech Grove School.
- Cataloochee Creek Road to the Old Cataloochee Entrance Road Bridge
- Old Highway 284. Visitors will be able to drive Cataloochee Valley Entrance Road up to Beech Grove School.
Regarding trail conditions, the park says most trails in Cataloochee Valley are open, but hikers should exercise extra caution as there are still downed trees, rutted or damaged sections of trail, exposed tree root balls, and landslides. Hikers should also plan for stream crossings on trails—most foot logs in Cataloochee Valley were lost during Hurricane Helene and have not been replaced. Several Cataloochee trails are closed to horses due to unstable trail surfaces and tree debris.
As for camping and picnic areas, officials say the campground, group campground, and horse camp in Cataloochee are all currently closed. The park will open additional campgrounds if operational capacity allows.
Although parts of the valley are reopening, park officials warn visitors to be extra cautious as there are still plenty of downed trees and other hazards in the area.
