Weather

Rain washes out roads and closes Grandfather Mountain trails

BLOWING ROCK, NC — N.C. State Parks says Grandfather Mountain has gotten a whopping 11 inches of rain in four days - washing out nearby roads and forcing the closure of two trails.

Highway 221 near Grandfather Mountain and part of Pilot Ridge Road are closed after landslides.

The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation said Nuwati and Cragway trails will likely be closed for several weeks as state park crews continue to assess damage, repair eroded sections of trail, and clear debris.

Campsites accessed from the Nuwati Trail - Streamside, The Hermitage, Storyteller's Rock and The Refuge - are also closed until the trail reopens.

All other trails at Grandfather Mountain State Park remain open but are also severely eroded and some have sections of steps washed out. In some places, there is standing or moving water on the trails and there are many slippery areas along the trails. Park officials ask that hikers take these factors into consideration when planning a trip to the park.