As rescue and recovery transitioned to reopening and rebuilding, the place of trails in the whole scheme of things became clear. Trails are the backbone of Western North Carolina's economy. They're a place for bettering our mental health and desperately needed for that in this time of hardship. As some like to say, few people come to the region to visit outlet malls. There's no Carowinds, no beach. The outdoor beauty of The Great Trails State is one of its biggest assets, and it's one of the most important pieces of the economy for the western part of the state. Whether it's a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a visit to Looking Glass Falls, a hike on Grandfather Mountain, or a mountain bike ride in DuPont State Forest, the trails are almost always at the forefront of WNC.

Knowing this, a lot of people have been working incredibly hard to get the trails open, and many of them are open and in good shape. In the first 10 days after the Pisgah Ranger District opened, volunteers and trails staff with Pisgah Area SORBA, the local mountain bike advocacy group, cleared dozens of multi-use trails in Pisgah of more than 300 downed trees and put in over 1,500 volunteer hours to get the vast majority of the District open, passable, and ready for  visitors. Multiple other groups have been working tirelessly to do the same across the Ranger District, in our State Parks, and in other trail systems. Another great example of volunteers making a difference is Rocky Knob Park in Boone, which was cleared and opened in one weekend with over 30 volunteers. 

While this bubble of Pisgah, along with communities south and west of Asheville, are open and welcoming visitors, the situation is far different in the Grandfather and Appalachian Ranger Districts of Pisgah National Forest and the hardest hit communities within them. According to some estimates, 30% of the infrastructure – including roads, bridges, and developed recreation sites in the Pisgah Ranger District between Asheville and Brevard – was damaged or destroyed. In the Grandfather District, including the Old Fort area, Wilson Creek, and Linville Gorge, that number is closer to 70%. The Appalachian District, which includes Mount Mitchell, Burnsville, Big Ivy, and Hot Springs, was the hardest hit, with an estimated 90% of forest infrastructure taken out.

The recovery in these harder-hit areas will take years and a lot of support. The Grandfather and Appalachian districts of Pisgah remain closed. The trails and roads in this area are completely unsafe at this time. The biggest thing that everyone here is asking is for people to visit the areas that are open, and to support officials and the organizations working to make more areas accessible to the public as soon as possible. It's not the time to go in and explore unopened areas – there are roads and ground that are unstable, along with crews and heavy equipment working to help rebuild infrastructure in and around the communities in these zones. Sightseeing in these off-limit areas not only creates substantial personal risk but also delays progress in rebuilding and restarting lives. 

It's been incredible to see the trail community rally around our region. From the Great Outdoor Provision Co. coat drive to volunteers coming up and helping organizations here on the ground, the outpouring of help is appreciated and needed. This need isn't going to go away anytime in the near future. While our SORBA, alongside others, was able to clear much of one zone of Pisgah in a couple of weeks, the group is now focusing on how they can help neighbors and trail partners in the other regions. 

What can you do to help? Visit and support local businesses in the many places where it is appropriate. Some things are different, so certainly proceed with some caution. The biggest difference noted is that while many things are open, it feels as if no one is here. The leaves haven't been crunched down quite as much as they typically are, and there's a bit of anxiety hanging in the air with many people not knowing what the future holds, especially after missing the visitors who support their families and the economy on top of the devastation brought by Helene. Your continued help and support is the way to recovery. 

Written by Daniel Sapp: WNC Resident, Communications, and Media for The Great Trails State Coalition.