Last Updated on March 7, 2017 3:46 pm
ROAD CLOSURE UPDATE Tuesday March 7 2017 6:44pm – Craggy Gardens Picnic Area to Mount Mitchell State Park – Preliminary site assessments have revealed that due to the size of debris in the roadway and potential for additional material sloughing off, the closure of this section will be in effect for several weeks, according to the Blue Ridge Parkway Facebook page. Parkway engineers are working with the Federal Highway Administration to develop a plan for removing the debris in such a way that protects the safety of visitors and Parkway resources.
Additional updates will be provided by Parkway officials when they are available.
March 7, 2017 – The Blue Ridge Parkway is closed from Craggy Gardens Picnic Area (Milepost 367.5) to Mt. Mitchell State Park (Milepost 355.5) due to a rockslide, according to the National Park Service. The road is closed to all traffic, including cyclist and hikers, due to the potential for additional rock fall. The slide occurred on Sunday while the Parkway was open and luckily no one was injured, according to the Blue Ridge Parkway Facebook page. The page went on to note that, “Spring is an especially common time for slides as the daily freezing and thawing of ice on rock faces makes them unstable. Please be cautious and take your time when driving. You never know what is around the next bend.”
As of Tuesday there was no estimated time for reopening.
Photos: Blue Ridge Parkway Twitter feed and Facebook Page
