Widespread flooding and destruction has decimated North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene. We’re seeing reports across social media from many top mountain bike destinations across the state — including Asheville, Brevard, and Pisgah National Forest — that mountain bike trails and public lands are completely closed at this time. Other nearby regions, such as Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, and Eastern Tennessee, have been impacted as well.
An article on APNews.com notes that the death toll continues to rise in Buncombe County, NC, which includes the city of Asheville. Buncombe county “reported at least 35 people killed.” The death toll has passed 120 people across six states.
Explore Brevard posted an update on Instagram to share that “all of our public lands are […] closed until further notice. This includes the Blue Ridge Parkway, Pisgah National Forest, DuPont State Recreation Forest and Gorges State Park. Please give the land managers time to assess the damage from Helene.” They go on to say:
Communication and power outages remain widespread throughout the county. Resources are stretched thin, here and across the region. Long lines are prevalent at stores and gas stations that have power. A public curfew remains in effect from 8 pm to 8 am for all of Transylvania County.
While we would love to have visitors in our special part of the mountains, sadly now is not the time to travel here. Please know that as soon as normalcy can be restored, we would love to have you come to Transylvania County.
The NCDOT says Helene-related dangers are still very much a factor in Western NC. At this time, you are asked to please refrain from travel for non-emergency purposes.
Pisgah Area SORBA shared on Instagram that “all Pisgah Area SORBA events are canceled until further notice.” They go on to say:
The devastation, damage, and loss our community is witnessing is unimaginable. Our current priority is the safety of our friends and family. We appreciate the outpouring of support we have received over the past 72 hours, as we all know our trails will require immense restoration, but the trails can wait. When the timing is appropriate, we will communicate planned restoration efforts as we coordinate with our land managers. Right now, please help take care of each.
Local brands, such as Industry Nine, are asking their customers “for patience, and we will be working to respond to calls and emails when we are able to.”
Cane Creek shared that “all of our employees have checked in and are safe.” However, Cane Creek is closed on Monday, September 30, 2024, as their “facility in Fletcher, NC, is still without power and other services.”
It’s still too early to know the extent of the damage to local trails or how non-locals can pitch in to help these North Carolina communities. We’ve seen reports on social media of local riders and bike industry employees banding together to take care of their neighbors and provide basic necessities, such as clean water. For now, our thoughts are with these local communities in North Carolina as they struggle to recover from this devastation.
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