“Our Town Has Been Decimated”: More Details Emerge About Status of AT Trail Towns in Helene’s Aftermath

Hurricane Helene has wrought devastation across the southeastern United States, with mountain communities in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia — including several Appalachian Trail towns — among those hard-hit by the storm. Although the rains have largely subsided, much of the region remains under a flood warning and the full extent of the damage is still unfolding.

Here’s what we know about the status of some of the hardest-hit Appalachian Trail communities.

Hot Springs, NC (AT Mile 275)

Photo: Illuminated Crow

The town of Hot Springs saw severe flooding on Friday and remains under a flood warning through Sunday afternoon. Local business owners have posted pictures showing water inundating town streets and pouring through the establishment’s closed doors.

Inside Iron Horse station during (left) and after flooding. Photo: Iron Horse Station

A Saturday Facebook update from Iron Horse Station, a restaurant and inn popular with thru-hikers, included photos of torn-up streets and piles of debris. “Our town has been decimated. We are devastated,” the post reads in part. “But through all of this, it’s mind-blowing … how this town comes together. I wish people could experience what we’ve experienced over the last, (sic) several hours.”

Spring Creek Tavern, a popular eatery, sustained heavy damage from Helene. Photo: Illuminated Crow

Erwin, TN (AT Mile 345)

Left: the inundated Chestoa Bridge (it would later collapse and wash away completely); right: the bridge under normal conditions

Erwin also experienced severe flooding on Friday. More than 50 people were stranded on the roof of a local hospital as rapidly rising floodwaters submerged most of the building; all have since been rescued.

Eight people remain missing in the aftermath of the flood. The county has reported no deaths so far. Officials say about 75 percent of the water has now receded.

The Chestoa Bridge, where the Appalachian Trail crosses the Nolichucky River, has collapsed and washed away. A shocking photo comparison posted on Facebook shows the bridge under normal conditions, elevated dozens of feet above the water level, side-by-side with the now-inundated stretch of river the bridge spanned until yesterday.

Drone footage posted on YouTube yesterday shows the extent of the devastation in Erwin, including shots of the washed-out bridge, part of which appears to have lodged in the stream bank downstream of its original position (the clip below starts playing from the Chestoa bridge):

Photos posted on social media on Friday evening appear to show at least the main red-roofed structure of Uncle Johnny’s Hostel still intact, although the beloved establishment, which is located right next to the collapsed bridge, looks to have sustained heavy damage.

Extensive damage at Uncle Johnny’s Hostel (click to enlarge)

Roan Mountain, TN (Mile 396)

Photo: Mountain Harbour Hiker Hostel

Mountain Harbour Hiker Hostel in Roan Mountain posted an update to Facebook to let followers know that they are safe, but that the hostel has been devastated by the flood and will remain closed until further notice.

The town of Roan Mountain evacuated on Friday morning. Flooding significantly impacted parts of the community.

Damascus, VA (Mile 471)

Still from done footage showing extent of flooding in Damascus. Photo: Tyler Eugene

Damascus and other southwestern Virginia communities underwent voluntary evacuation due to Helene. Residents are now beginning to take stock of the damage in the town of roughly 800.

Downtown Damascus sustained heavy flood damage, with photos emerging in the aftermath of the storm showing destroyed and debris-strewn streets and collapsed buildings.

Photo: Bobby Marshall

The Dancing Bear Inn, a popular Damascus hiker hostel, announced that it would be closing its doors to hikers indefinitely. “The Dancing Bear Inn has sustained catastrophic flooding and will be closed for the foreseeable future.”

Flloodwaters seen from the porch of the Dancing Bear. Photo: Dancing Bear Inn

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service estimates that the storm dropped nearly a foot of rain in nearby Grayson Highlands State Park.

Status of the AT

All national forests in Georgia and North Carolina, as well as Great Smoky Mountains National Park, have urged hikers to stay out until further notice. Meanwhile Virginia has declared a state of emergency and has additional closures in effect. This affects roughly the southernmost 865 miles of the AT. Besides downed trees and continued flooding, the region remains at a high risk of landslides. Furthermore, help may not be readily available in emergencies.

“The devastation left by Hurricane Helene across the Southeast, including across the Southern Appalachians and western Florida, is heartbreaking,” said ATC President and CEO Sandi Marra in a written statement. “More than a third of the Appalachian Trail is currently inaccessible, and we expect sections of the Trail will be closed for sometime (sic) because of bridges that have washed away and downed trees and mudslides obstructing the treadway … Needless to say, it will be weeks, months, and even years to see recovery from this event.”

Marra went on to pledge that the ATC will do what it can to assist local communities with short- and long-term recovery. “Resilience in the face of great challenge is the defining quality of our A.T. family. We will see the other side of the disaster, together.”

Read the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s full alert regarding Helene here.

This is an ongoing situation, and we will continue to update this story as we learn more. If you have updated information regarding the status of affected AT communities in the aftermath of Helene, please let us know!