The Virginia Creeper Trail between Damascus and Whitetop Mountain remains closed due to significant safety concerns and ongoing recovery work following Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread damage in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee 11 months ago.
Crews are working throughout the 17-mile corridor with heavy equipment in use or being staged for future use. As work progresses, more machinery and personnel will move into the area, which will further increase the risk to anyone who enters the closed zone.
The closure is in place for the protection of the public. Not only is unlawful entry into the work zone dangerous, but it also causes delays. Construction must stop when people are seen in the area, which slows progress and could impact the timeline for reopening the trail.
The section of the Virginia Creeper Trail from Damascus to Abingdon remains open, and the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area offers a variety of scenic hiking, biking, and equestrian trails.
A recreation map and trail updates are available on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests website at fs.usda.gov/r08/gwj.
Forest Service officials are nearing the selection of a contractor for the redesign and rebuild of the trail.
The final contract is expected to be awarded in the coming months.
To expedite the trail’s recovery and reopening, Forest Service officials have used smaller contracts to perform preliminary work. Earlier this summer, contractors removed 30,000 cubic yards of debris from the trail between Damascus and Konnarock.
Another contract will soon be awarded for additional debris removal and replacement of two smaller trestles.
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Chris Graham
