Last Updated on September 18, 2025 3:17 pm
NC/VA — On Saturday, September 27, the National Park Service invites park neighbors and visitors to participate in multiple service projects and a wide variety of programs to mark both National Public Lands Day as well as the one-year milestone of Hurricane Helene’s impacts to the Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding region. National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation’s largest single-day volunteer event in support of public lands, and with this year’s NPLD falling on Helene’s one-year mark, events planned commemorate the park’s continued recovery and the region’s resiliency.
Numerous single-day volunteer opportunities will be held across the park on September 27. Park staff will host Citizen Science Bioblitz events at various locations from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and use the iNaturalist app to document biodiversity Participants will explore various Parkway locations, as listed below, to record observations of plants, animals, and fungi, contributing valuable data to help park staff understand species distribution and ecological recovery following Hurricane Helene. No advance registration is needed, however volunteers under the age of 18 require parental consent and signature on the Volunteer Service Agreement. Bioblitz locations are as follows:
- Waterrock Knob Visitor Center – milepost 451.2 (Meet at VC and work along the Waterrock Knob trail and MST areas)
- Mt Pisgah – Buck Springs Gap Parking Overlook- milepost 407.7 (meet at Buck Springs Gap Parking Overlook and work along the Buck Springs/Mt Pisgah area overlooks/trails)
- Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center/AVL Area -milepost 384 (Meet at VC and work along the VC loop trail)
- Museum of NC Minerals Visitor Center- milepost 331 (Meet at Minerals Museum and work along the Overmountain Victory Trail to Lynn Gap)
- Moses Cone Estate -milepost 294 (Meet at the Manor House and work the Cone service road area near the Manor House)
- Peaks of Otter- milepost 85.9 – (Meet at the VC and work will take place on the Elk Run Trail)
On that same day, the Parkway also plans to launch new and returning volunteer roles related to visitor education and preventative search and rescue at Linville Falls, Craggy Gardens, and Devil’s Courthouse. These positions are crucial to keeping visitors and park’s resources safe. Information about these positions can be found on volunteer.gov. Additional service projects will take place at Doughton Park, Julian Price Campground, and the Museum of North Carolina Minerals.
In addition to volunteer opportunities, the Parkway will host Ranger led programs and demonstrations at various locations in Virginia and North Carolina, including Peaks of Otter, the Blue Ridge Music Center, and Flat Top Manor at Moses Cone Memorial Park. Information on these programs is available on the park’s online calendar.
Since September 27, 2024, the Parkway has cleared and restored access to hundreds of miles of the historic, recreational route. Additionally, significant clean-up and repair efforts continue along impacted trails and recreational areas with the help of park staff, trail crews and volunteers. Trail work will continue in the coming months, and anyone interested in getting involved with trail maintenance on the Parkway can email blri_volunteers@nps.gov.
On NPLD and everyday, visitors should plan carefully for their trip along the Parkway and consult the park’s website for a wide variety of planning tools. The park’s website provides extensive information, including current road status, multiple regional maps, and other helpful information, including details about the park’s recovery process at go.nps.gov/Helene.
