A large fallen tree and root ball with uprooted dirt and rocks blocks Ewing Trail in Cumberland Gap / NPS
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, at the convergence of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, was hit hard by Hurricane Helene at the end of September. Much of the park was closed for days while crews worked to clear roads and campgrounds from fallen trees and other debris.
"Hundreds of trees have fallen on trails in the park, and additional trees are still at risk of falling," a release from the park said after the storm blew through. "Trail washouts, damaged bridges, and other, unpredictable hazards are also likely. Park staff and resources are stretched thin and emergency response may be delayed. All horse trails and bike trails are closed. All backcountry campsites are closed."
But as of this week, park crews and a 12-person sawyer task force have cleared 10 miles of trail. They've had to clear 500 trees from the trail system to do so.
“I really appreciate all the work from our staff and the sawyer crew that has gone into restoring safe access to our trails” said Superintendent Lisa Baldwin. “We know how important Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is to the community for recreation, exercise, and as an escape from the everyday chaos."
The 12-person crew is made up of team members from Arches National Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Fire Island National Seashore, First State National Historical Park, Grand Teton National Park, Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, and Shenandoah National Park. They've been focusing on clearing trees from trails so people can access the park's backcountry and wilderness area.
There are still a few trails in the park that are blocked and have dangerous conditions. Most of the park's buildings survived intact, but the Pinnacle Restrooms were heavily damaged.
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