Four Reasons NOT to Come to Asheville, NC, Right Now

A month after Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina and Asheville, the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) started inviting tourists back.

As a Buncombe County and City of Asheville resident, I think this is a bad idea. I recognize tourism is an important part of the Asheville and Buncombe County economies, but now is not the time to come to Asheville. Here are four reasons why I believe tourists should stay away.

Travel. While this is leaf season here in WNC, many roads in Western North Carolina are still impassable due to landslides, washouts, and destroyed bridges, including I-40 to the west at the North Carolina—Tennessee border. I-26 West just opened, but it is only one lane and inaccessible for large, wide loads. Check out https://drivenc.gov/ for up-to-date information on road closures.

The Blue Ridge Parkway has numerous closures from mile markers 234 to 405. You can check the road status at https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm.

It is estimated that Buncombe County has 240,000 truckloads of debris. After 9/11, there were 41,000 truckloads of debris from the World Trade Center. This is one of 27 counties in Western North Carolina that were impacted by Helene. Debris and dirt are piled up along our roads, waiting to be transferred and dealt with.

One of the two hardware stores I frequent for supplies is gone due to flooding, and I have to go a very circuitous route to reach the other. My normal drive to Black Mountain for a haircut requires a different and more time-consuming drive.

Give the workers working hard to open roads the safety to do their work well and quickly!

Sites. Would you go to Disney World in Orlando if the Magic Kingdom and Epcot were destroyed and needed rebuilding? I love Valencia, Spain, but I would not consider traveling there with the devastation they have experienced.

While The Biltmore reopens tomorrow, November 2nd, getting there through washed-out Biltmore Village is unpleasant. Toxic dirt covers the entrance grounds of Biltmore. Wearing an N95 mask is recommended in this area. Again, lots of workers are in the area trying to clean up and figure out what, where, how, and when to rebuild not only Biltmore Village and The River Arts District but also other charming towns and villages destroyed by Helene.

The U.S. Forest Service reports that Helene moderately to catastrophically damaged nearly 200,000 acres of the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests, impacting 800 miles of trails. Many hiking trails are closed. The North Carolina Arboretum has reopened its gardens on October 28th, but trails and most outdoor areas remain closed.

Water. We are still without potable water. If you come, you must be mindful that you cannot drink the water from the faucet. Do not shower if you have an open wound. Buncombe County Health and Human Services has seen an uptick in gastrointestinal illness due to water, hygiene, and food handling. If you can go out to eat, you will be asked if you’d like bottled water. Hand sanitizer is essential. Use it often and regularly, even after washing your hands.

While we are known as Beer USA, many breweries are not open due to water issues.

Large portable tankers and tanks are all over Western North Carolina and the City of Asheville. That classy picture you might want to take of the iconic Art Deco City of Asheville building will have a huge water tanker in front of it.

Attitude. Yes, we are Asheville Strong, but life in Western North Carolina and Asheville is far from normal. We are dealing with trauma and grief. We cry a lot. Why would you come to Asheville for fun when many of us are cleaning, rebuilding, and healing? We already have a housing crisis in the area, and Helene has added to this. We don’t need disaster tourism. We don’t need gawkers viewing the destruction. Tourism resources need to be reallocated to residents of Western North Carolina.

What can you do? Do not send clothing or food here. Send money to organizations directly involved in our recovery. Send money to favorite restaurants to help pay their out-of-work staff. Send money to local artists whose shops and art were destroyed by flooding. More ways to help at Give Local and Always Asheville.

*Note: The picture is of Rec Park pool where I swam laps in the summer not far from our home. The bridge over the Swanannoa River is in front of the pool. Swanannoa River Road on the right, no longer exists.