Virginia officials describe Helene recovery for state parks, trails and farms; DCR outlines funding and program changes

Matthew Wells, director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, told the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee on Oct. 1 that Hurricane Helene caused widespread damage to state parks, long-distance trails and agricultural land in Southwest Virginia, and that the agency and partners have put in new program flexibilities and funding to accelerate recovery.

Wells said the governor declared a state of emergency on Sept. 25 and the president issued a federal emergency declaration by Oct. 1, and DCR staff deployed across the region to help with evacuations and damage assessments. "We probably had — we had over a dozen state parks that were initially impacted and 4 natural area preserves," Wells said. He added that most park facilities were brought back online quickly, but several large sites and longer trails will take months to repair.

DCR emphasized why the damage matters: parks and trails are economic anchors for rural communities and a quick reopening helps local recovery. "All but 4" of the impacted facilities were back open within days, Wells said, and staff worked with the Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies on debris removal and repairs.

Key impacts and costs

- New River Trail State Park: Wells said the 57-mile trail, which draws about 810,000 visitors annually and has a stated annual economic impact of about $37 million, suffered washouts, damaged bridges and lost primitive campsites. He estimated approximately $4,000,000 in damage to New River Trail and said 11 miles remained closed, with full reopening expected late this year or early next year.

- Virginia Creeper ("Creeper") Trail: The roughly 34-mile trail that runs from Abingdon and Damascus to Whitetop lost 16 trail bridges and suffered damage to about 14 others. Management responsibilities are shared with…