All North Carolina state parks west of I-77 will remain closed through at least Oct. 31, the Division of Parks and Recreation said. These parks include Chimney Rock, Crowders Mountain, Elk Knob, Gorges, Grandfather Mountain, Lake James, Lake Norman, Mount Mitchell, New River, South Mountains and Stone Mountains SPs as well as Mount Jefferson SNA and Rendezvous Mountain.
In addition, all events and programs at all state parks were canceled through Oct. 31, with a few exceptions for ENC events.
The division is assisting with the statewide emergency and rescue efforts in WNC in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. About 30 staff were sent on law enforcement assignments requested through the N.C. Emergency Operations Center. Scaling back operations across the state allows staff to continue to assist with deployments. In addition, the closure of western parks can help limit travel in the area while roads and other infrastructure are closed for repairs. The Blue Ridge Parkway in N.C. and Va. also is closed while roads are cleared and repairs made.
Jordan Minor Flooding
Jordan Lake received about 4 inches of rain from Helene over four days, raising the lake level more than 8 feet and causing minor flooding. WRC fishing areas at Beaver Creek and Bell’s Church fishing pier (CSN, Sep 2024) and some campsites were closed by high water, along with the Red Mill boat ramp on the Eno near Falls Lake, Durham.