Read our update from December 19

December 9 update:

Our hearts go out to everyone who has experienced loss and the communities affected by the unprecedented devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. The trail connects so many of us to the communities of western North Carolina, and in this moment we share a greater connection beyond the trail.

As a result of the storm, much of the MST from Kuwohi through Stone Mountain State Park is closed. Even where land managers have officially reopened areas, in most cases the trails have not been fully assessed or cleared. From what we know, thousands of downed trees, washouts, landslides and other hazards have made many sections of the MST in the mountain region impassable. For your safety, we recommend you find other places to hike.

In many areas, our volunteers, although willing, have not been given permission to access the trail. In recent days, land managers have begun granting volunteer access to a few areas. As this happens, we are surveying the trail and assessing damage and will begin repair and/or reroutes. As we learn of trail conditions, information will be posted on our trail updates page. You can also see the current trail status on this Google Map.

In addition, the Blue Ridge Parkway has created a detailed Hurricane Helene page with information about the road status, including before and after images of a few cleanup locations.

Stay informed about future volunteer opportunities to cleanup and repair the MST:

We have been hearing from many people who want to help repair the trail. At this point, most land managers are restricting or prohibiting volunteer trail maintenance and restoration, including simple brush clearing. This may be frustrating, but there have been several significant injuries to people – both authorized and unauthorized – trying to work on the trail (including at least one that required an airlift), so safety is the paramount consideration for all of us at this point. Until the trails have been properly assessed and the most dangerous conditions cleared, it’s simply too risky to allow volunteers to work.

If you are interested in helping on the MST in the impacted areas when the time is right, we have a couple of options. If you know you want to work in a specific area, you can visit our Trail Crew Leader page and directly contact the leader for that area. If you are unsure or are willing to go wherever help is most needed, please fill out this form and we will be in touch when opportunities are available.