How the storm reset Old Fort’s plans

Old Fort, North Carolina, had been marketing itself as a gateway for mountain biking and outdoor tourism. Then Hurricane Helene’s 2024 floods submerged downtown, scouring new trails and damaging small businesses. A year later, crews are still clearing debris from rivers and rebuilding the trail network that local groups and volunteers had painstakingly cut. Leaders say the work is about more than sport—it is central to a Main Street revival.

Tourism hopes vs. climate reality

Fall foliage season and the Blue Ridge Parkway typically bring visitors and cash. This year, trail closures and repairs have forced detours and slower recovery timelines. Residents remain determined, citing community grants, volunteer days and phased reopenings as lifelines. The town’s push captures a wider adaptation story across Appalachia: climate-charged storms can erase progress overnight, so economic plans now build in redundancy, flood-proofing and better river management.