Smokies reopen 0.8 miles of Caldwell Fork Trail, rebuilt after Hurricane Helene; the rest stays closed
WATE's report (via Yahoo) has the crew photos; the park's closures page is the live status for every Cataloochee trail.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has reopened the 0.8-mile section of Caldwell Fork Trail up to the Boogerman Trail junction, on the North Carolina side south of Cataloochee Valley, WATE reported on Nov. 5. Trail crews replaced two footbridges and rebuilt treadway that washed out in Hurricane Helene in 2024.
The rest of Caldwell Fork beyond the junction stays closed because it has not been rehabilitated; the park says large sections of trail surface washed away, rockslides and debris block the path, and lost bridges made crossings unsafe. Hiking Boogerman Trail is not advised: its first foot log, 55 feet long, was washed away, and the water there is usually more than two feet deep even at low flow.
Instead of trying to link up with Boogerman, treat the reopened section as an out-and-back, and check the park's Current Cautions and Closures page for each trail before you go.
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Effects of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina
After exploring Portion of Smokies trail damaged during Hurricane Helene reopened, for the storm that did the damage, read about the Effects of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.
Wikipedia on the wind and flooding that devastated western North Carolina on Sept. 27, 2024, with at least 108 reported deaths and major damage to infrastructure.
Wikipedia · Swim · 30 min
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