Linville Falls Site Plan

The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most visited units of the National Park System, welcoming over 16.7 million visitors each year. Visitation to the area is a mix of local rural North Carolina residents, as well as visitors from all 50 states and around the world. Linville Falls is one of the parkway's most iconic destinations, and is the third most visited location, known for its dramatic waterfall views, scenic trails, and opportunities for hiking, picnicking, and camping. Gateway communities consider the parkway's Linville Falls area a significant contributor to the health of local economies. Linville Falls is also an integral part of the Blue Ridge Parkway's nationally significant designed landscape, which is recognized as a National Historic Landmark. In September 2024, Hurricane Helene brought severe rain, wind, landslides, and flooding to the region; causing major impacts to the visitor access area, campground, picnic area, and trail system. Linville Falls represents the area with the highest levels of emergency response, search and rescue efforts, and technical carry-outs in its district, owing to the nature of the steep and rugged terrain and its trail and backcountry connectivity to the Pisgah National Forest Linville Gorge Wilderness area.

The Linville Falls area is reachable by car and is currently open with limited services. Visitors can access the falls via the National Park Service and the National Forests partially restored trail system. The former visitor center was demolished due to extensive storm damage, so porta-johns are the only restrooms available and the campground, picnic area, and several roads remain closed due to hurricane impacts. The National Park Service is developing the Linville Falls Site Plan to guide how the area will be rebuilt and improved. Planning for the Linville Falls Site Plan is fully funded and will move directly into design and construction, with construction anticipated to break ground in 2027.

This plan will explore how best to redevelop the main visitor access area, rebuild the campground and upgrade its water and wastewater systems, repair the picnic area, and restore damaged trails. It will also provide appropriate area improvements for maintenance and operations support necessary for visitor use management, as well as the provision of storage for interagency emergency supply caches and emergency contact measures to ensure public safety. The plan will assess different alternatives, carefully consider the preservation and rehabilitation of the historic landscape, evaluate environmental considerations, and determine the most resilient and accessible future for the site. Even before the storm, the area faced challenges such as crowded trails, aging facilities, and limited parking; this effort provides an opportunity to address those needs while ensuring the park remains open and accessible for current and anticipated future visitors and meets visitor expectations for a unit of the National Park Service.

Overall, this project aims to restore safe, high‑quality recreation opportunities at Linville Falls while improving resilience and preserving the natural and cultural setting that makes the area so special.

From September 1-30, 2026, we invite you to share information with the study team. Starting September 1, click on "Open for Comment," then "Newsletter," then "Comment Now."