WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. — Campgrounds in the High Country are fully booked for the July 4th weekend as visitors return following Hurricane Helene.
The popular Steel Creek Campground, north of Morganton, is among the sites that have been fully booked for months. The campground reopened a few weeks after the hurricane, which caused significant damage and closures in the area.
“We lost our other camper, golf cart, everything we had so we had to rebuild and start all over this year,” said Stan Kale, a visitor who experienced flash flooding at Steel Creek last September.
“We got spirits lifted high and tourism started back which was very important to us to make sure people knew that this place was open for business,” said Madison Wakefield, manager of Steel Creek Campground.
In the Pisgah National Forest, some smaller camping sites are still available, although most private campgrounds are fully booked.
Michael Farmer, a visitor, arrived early to secure a spot for his family.
“I came yesterday morning,” Farmer said. “Got here at 6:30 a.m.”
He said he didn’t take any chances.
“That’s why I took a couple days off,” he said.
Along the Blue Ridge Parkway, many sites at Price Park and Linville Falls remain closed due to storm damage, affecting the availability of camping spots in the region.
Lake Lure, another popular destination, has seen a drop in holiday tourism after the lake was drained to remove storm debris, leading to the cancellation of its usual July 4th celebrations.
Chimney Rock State Park, however, is open Fridays through Mondays, offering another option for visitors looking to enjoy the holiday weekend.
As the High Country recovers from Hurricane Helene, visitors are eager to return to their favorite camping spots, though many are advised to plan ahead due to ongoing closures and high demand.
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