North Carolina State Parks is working to reopen the Profile Trail at Grandfather Mountain State Park after damage sustained from Hurricane Helene. The trail, parking area, and campsite remain closed while the repair and recovery work continues. We will continue to update this blog post with the latest information.
With regards to Grandfather Mountain, especially Profile Trail, the repair and restoration project involves a larger effort to strengthen the trail for long-term sustainability — improving trail alignment, reinforcing structures, and ensuring the trail is accessible and safe for visitors. We recognize that the prolonged closure has been disappointing, inconvenient, and/or frustrating to our visitors, but we want to create a resilient and sustainable trail that can withstand future storms, reduce maintenance needs, and ensure a high-quality experience for generations of hikers.
Remember: the trail is closed for your safety and the safety of our staff. And because of the severe damage, staying off the trail means you are not contributing to making an already complex project even more difficult or challenging. Cooperating with the closures means respecting other park visitors and protecting our natural resources!
What happened to the Profile Trail?
In fall 2024, Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina and caused extensive damage across the state parks system. At Grandfather Mountain, the Profile Trail sustained significantly greater storm damage than other areas of the park, due to strong prevailing winds that caused extensive tree fall on the northwest side of the mountain. Because the trail is naturally steep, uprooted trees pulled entire sections of the trail downhill. In addition, multiple slope failures removed additional portions of the trail. The lower loop of the trail that runs adjacent to the stream was completely washed away.
At the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025, park staff and partner agencies worked quickly to clear the trail initially. However, most of the debris needs to be professionally removed due to the significant fire and safety hazards, and the erosion and widespread trail damage caused by the disrupted water flow. The professional removal of debris has been delayed largely due to logistical challenges, including funding and contracting. As of early spring 2026, the debris removal process has begun.
What happens after debris is removed?
Once debris removal is complete, the trail repair process begins. Profile Trail is an iconic, heavily used trail within a sensitive ecological area, which means:
- Repairs must minimize disturbance to rare plant communities and wildlife habitat.
- Construction techniques must follow best-practice sustainability standards to protect the environment.
- Long-term durability is essential to reduce future impacts from heavy foot traffic and severe weather.
Can I help with repairing the trail?
We frequently receive inquiries about volunteering to assist with the trail repair. Because of the extent of the damage, the trail repair will need us to contract with a professional trail builder. The repair will involve:
- Technical reconstruction of trail tread where sections were lost to slope failures or uprooting.
- Reroutes in areas where the original alignment cannot be repaired and where a new alignment will be more sustainable long-term.
- Slope stabilization in locations where reroutes are not feasible, using specialized techniques to prevent future failures.
- Drainage improvements to restore proper water flow and reduce erosion risks.
- Repair and rebuild of damaged structures, including steps, switchbacks, and other essential trail features.
- Backslope reshaping to prevent sloughing, keep loose material off the thread, and maintain a stable trail corridor.
- Tread repair and reconstruction where the trail surface was washed out, displaced, or destabilized.
- Installation of additional structures such as steps, cribbing, and rock armoring to manage water flow and increase durability.
- General maintenance and improvements to address pre-existing wear and support long-term trail sustainability.
Where can I hike in the meantime?
Thankfully, the rest of Grandfather Mountain State Park remains open for day use and camping!
Hikers can park at the Boone Fork Parking Area on Blue Ridge Parkway, milepost 299.9, for the best access to the Asutsi Cragway, Daniel Boone Scout, Nuwati, and Tanawha trails (including the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail). There is also the smaller Asutsi Parking Area on U.S. 221 / Blowing Rock Highway. All campers need to utilize Boone Fork or Asutsi parking areas. The National Park Service manages these areas, and there is no cost to park here.
Note: As of March 23, the National Park Service, which manages the Blue Ridge Parkway, has been intermittently closing Boone Fork parking area for Helene repairs. We anticipate this closure to last a few weeks. When the parking area is closed, registered campers need to use the Asutsi Trail parking area on U.S. 221 / Blowing Rock Highway.
Hikers can also visit the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation (entrance fee charged) for the best access to Black Rock, Grandfather, Grandfather Extension, and Underwood trails. The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation does not allow overnight parking.