A popular mountain bursting with rhododendrons and endangered species in Mitchell County is set to reopen June 20, nearly nine months after Tropical Storm Helene brought 100 mph winds and severe damage to the beloved recreational area.
The Roan Mountain Recreation Area, a scenic Pisgah National Forest site known for its rhododendron blooms, will reopen on Friday, June 20, the U.S. Forest Service announced June 18. The reopening coincides with annual rhododendron festivals in Bakersville and Roan Mountain, Tennessee, on June 20-22.
The site was closed for several months to repair infostructure after significant damage from Helene, the forest service said. Winds blasting at 100 mph during the storm “heavily impacted” the spruce fir forest atop the mountain, causing loss of tree canopy and hazardous conditions, according to the release.
The reopening comes after a series of major improvements, the forest service said. Crews paved the garden’s parking lot, replaced culverts, rehabilitated well and waterlines and redecked scenic overlooks. Some recovery efforts are ongoing, including debris removal and forest restoration to reduce wildfire fuels and protect the high elevation ecosystem, which is not fire adapted.
Roan Mountain on the North Carolina-Tennessee line is famous for its mid-June Catawba rhododendron blooms.
Roan Mountain is home to some of the world’s most unique plants and animal species, including rare spruce fir forests, rhododendron gardens, and over 250 rare or endangered plants, according to the forest service. Several threatened species, like the Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel and Spruce Fir Moss Spider, rely on this rare and important habitat to survive.
Forest Supervisor James Melonas noted the importance of the rhododendron festivals, which bring thousands of visitors every year, for Western North Carolina’s economic recovery in the wake of Helene.
“Celebrating the Roan’s natural beauty is even more special this year as we see the renewal and recovery of this special place,” Melonas said.
The Roan Highlands, located in the Pisgah and Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee, are a cluster of high-elevation mountains home to dozens of rare, threatened and endangered species, according to the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, which works to protect and conserve land in the Roan.
The region represents “one of the richest repositories of temperate zone diversity in existence,” according to the Asheville-based nonprofit land trust, which transferred 91 acres, known as the Roan Mountain Gateway, to the U.S. Forest Service in 2021. The property was the last privately-owned land on N.C. 261 before reaching Carvers Gap, so its conservation helped to forever protect the scenic views from Round Bald and Jane Bald, much-loved mountaintops covered in grasses, rock slabs and shrubs along the Appalachian Trail.
Previous repairs: US Forest Service: Roan Mountain areas to close for $2.5 million federally funded repairs
Some work left to be done
To reduce wildfire risk, the U.S. Forest Service is removing downed trees and debris across 25 acres in the Roan Mountain area, the release said. Crews are using specialized equipment and techniques that minimize disturbance to the landscape. Experts are developing plans to replant and rehabilitate the area.
Though the area reopens on June 20, work will continue Mondays through Thursdays until the end of July, according to the forest service. Cloudland Trail between the Cloudland and Gardens parking lots will remain closed.
The forest service warned visitors to use caution when traveling near active debris removal zones and brush trucks.
Additional paving on the road to Roan Mountain is expected later this summer after the debris removal is completed, according to the release. The forest service said this repaving should tentatively begin by the end of July.
This story will be updated.
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Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Roan Mountain to reopen after Helene damage: See rhododendron blooms