Special to IFN
RALEIGH — Lake Norman State Park is one of five N.C. state parks that will reopen at least partially on Friday, November 1.
The others are Crowders Mountain, Gorges, Grandfather Mountain and Rendezvous Mountain, the Division of Parks and Recreation announced. These parks were temporarily closed through October after impacts from Hurricane Helene.
The following areas are open at each park:
• Lake Norman — Day-use and tent/trailer/RV and group campsites will reopen; some sections of mountain bike trail may be closed; cabins remain closed to new reservations; existing reservations are being honored.
• Crowders Mountain — Trails and day-use will reopen, all camping will remain closed through November.
• Gorges — Grassy Ridge Access (visitor center, trails to Rainbow and Upper Bearwallow Falls, RV/trailer/tent camping and cabins) will reopen; the backcountry area (Frozen Creek Access, including Auger Hole and Canebrake trails and backcountry campsites) will remain closed.
• Grandfather Mountain — Most trails and campsites will reopen; Profile Trail, Profile Connector Trail, and Profile Campsite will remain closed.
• Rendezvous Mountain — All areas open.
“We are very excited to be able to reopen these parks, and we hope to open additional facilities in November,” said State Parks Director Brian Strong. “We know our visitors have been missing our closed parks, and we hope these reopenings will help our neighbors, local towns, and communities.”
“Our priority first and foremost is visitor and staff safety,” Strong said. “There are areas that will be marked closed due to hazardous trees and branches with a high likelihood of falling as well as unsteady bridges and washed-out trails. We ask that visitors follow signage and do not attempt to access areas that have been closed off.”
The following parks remain closed entirely: Chimney Rock, Elk Knob, Lake James, Mount Mitchell, New River, South Mountains, and Stone Mountain state parks, as well as Mount Jefferson State Natural Area.
The division continues to assist with emergency and rescue efforts in Western North Carolina. To date, over 150 division staff have been deployed with the N.C. Emergency Operations Center as well as to assist with Incident Management Teams and with cleanup projects at western state parks.
Some of the remaining closed parks may reopen partially in November, depending on progress with cleanup and hazard mitigation.
Chimney Rock, Mount Mitchell, and South Mountains will be undergoing extended closure.
Reservations for campsites anticipated to be closed have been refunded in full.