In Asheville, Hot Springs and other towns that cater to hikers, many restaurants, hotels and Airbnb’s have reopened. Road repair work in the mountains is still underway, the N.C. Department of Transportation has established detours where necessary.

Nearly five months after Hurricane Helene devastated a portion of the Appalachian Trail in Western North Carolina, hikers can once again tackle the trail.

The U.S. Forest Service has reopened several trails and roads in the Appalachian Ranger District. The U.S. Forest Service has cleared 137 miles of trails, including over 114 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Crews have also surveyed and reopened about 240 miles of roads across the district.

A part of the Appalachian Trail in Western North Carolina has reopened nearly four and a half months after Helene.

The popular Max Patch hiking trails and the Harmon Den area of the Pisgah National Forest in Haywood County — including the Appalachian Trail — have reopened following Helene damage.