News Release

Completion of road project at milepost 401.5 provides access to a 38-mile corridor on the Blue Ridge Parkway between Asheville and Mount Pisgah

Newly completed road section and slide repair at Ferrin Knob Tunnel No. 3.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: August 22, 2025

Contact: BLRI Public Affairs

ASHEVILLE, NC – On August 22, the National Park Service announced completion of a landslide repair project located at milepost 401.5, near Ferrin Knob Tunnel No. 3, on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Completion of this project restores access from milepost 393, near US191 in Asheville, NC, to milepost 420, two miles south of the Graveyard Fields area. Thirty-eight miles of continuous access is now available from milepost 382, near US 70 and the Folk Art Center to milepost 420. This corridor also includes locations along the Parkway such as the Mount Pisgah Inn, campground, picnic area, and many popular hiking trails. 

Today’s opening is another important step in completing in an initial round of recovery projects underway across the Parkway in North Carlina addressing multiple landslides that occurred on the Parkway as a result of Hurricane Helene. The remaining repair project along the Parkway’s southern section is for a slide that occurred near milepost 421; and that repair is expected to be complete this summer as well.   

The park is prioritizing restoring road access through a phased system to provide both public access to newly opened areas as soon as possible, and access to previously unreachable areas by contractors. Parkway construction activity is complex and highly technical, including factors such as remoteness, challenging terrain, and reduced construction seasons due to ice and winter weather at higher elevations. 

For safety reasons, the park asks that people continue to be patient and respect remaining closures. Multiple seen and unseen hazards exist in closed areas, and crews and heavy equipment at work make areas unsafe. 

Visitors should also be aware that trail assessments are also still underway, and caution should be exercised as hikers may encounter hazards on trails such as landslides, tree debris, and washed-out sections or bridges.   Visitors should plan carefully for any trip along the Parkway and consult the park’s website for a wide variety of planning tools. The park’s website provides extensive information, including current road status, multiple regional maps, and other helpful information, about the park’s recovery process at go.nps.gov/Helene.