CANTON, N.C. (WLOS) — The entire Blue Ridge Parkway was closed after Helene caused what the National Parks Service described as “catastrophic” damage.

As a result, the quaint Pisgah Inn, located on the parkway at milepost 408, was also forced to close.

The Pisgah Inn is quiet and the staff would normally be preparing the building for the long winter. On a typical October day, hotel room balconies are filled with leaf peepers taking in the incredible views, but this year is different.

HENDERSON COUNTY, POST HELENE: Curfew lifted, city water system substantially restored

Bruce O’Connell, the owner of the Pisgah Inn, accompanied our crews to the now vacant buildings to discuss the economic impact on his business.

Before Helene reached the mountains, O’Connell explained that his staff was simply preparing for another storm.

“We battened down all the hatches … and just prepared for what was coming,” O’Connell said.

The inn had minimal damage, but that wasn’t the problem.

“No electricity is a big problem; Lack of roads is the biggest problem,” he said.

The Pisgah Inn is an integral part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Guests stay overnight or have dinner in the restaurant with breathtaking views.

But with no way to get there, O’Connell made the unprecedented decision to close the company.

North Carolina lawmakers pass a $273 million Helene relief bill with voting changes for more counties

“We lost the last week of October, we’ve never lost the entire month of October,” he said.

Mike Litterst, a spokesman for the National Parks Service, put the damage to the park path into perspective.

“We are tracking about three dozen rock and mudslides that have covered the road; “Nine of these slides caused severe damage to the roadbed,” Litterst said. “You have a mountain on one side and a valley on the other; you just can’t drive around where the damage occurred,” he said.

Litterst also recognized the loss of one of Asheville’s favorite fall activities.

“We recognize how important the Parkway is to the entire region, not only as an economic asset but also as a place for recreation, especially during these challenging times,” he said.

However, Litterst emphasized that the parkway is closed and people need to heed road closure signs and stay away for their own safety.

As of Oct. 9, Litterst could not provide a timeline for reopening the North Carolina portion of the parkway.

While the economic impact of Helene in WNC is difficult to estimate, some experts have already suggested that the loss will reach billions of dollars.

“My employees are suffering, all the hotel and restaurant employees in this area, I can’t imagine how they’re feeling,” O’Connell said.

After the closure, the remaining Pisgah Inn staff was busy winterizing the buildings and getting a head start on renovations and projects. O’Connell said he is confident the Blue Ridge Parkway will be reopened and fully operational by its opening date of April 1, 2025.

More information about the Pisgah Inn can be found here website.