Officials urge hikers to stay away from Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests
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By Katie Myers

Posted 13 hours ago
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Destruction from Helene in Boone, N.C., on Sept. 30, 2024. Photo by Water Mission non-profit.
Destruction from Helene in Boone, N.C., on Sept. 30, 2024. Photo by Water Mission non-profit.
As of this week, all recreational areas administered by the Forest Service are closed. The Forest Service would ordinarily conduct assessments to determine the extent of the damage in the area, but it’s impossible right now. Conditions are too hazardous to allow crews in. If it’s not safe for crews, it’s not safe for hikers.

“The public can help us in our efforts to reopen both the Pisgah and Nantahala by staying off both forests until our work is complete,” Forest Service public information officer Adam Rondeau said in a statement.

Rondeau added that emergency services have no access to the National Forest land at the moment, and any stranded hiker, camper, or off-roader would be totally on their own.