RECONSTRUCTION AND RECOVERY
OF THE VIRGINIA CREEPER TRAIL
On September 27 2024 Hurricane Helene,
in addition to wrecking multiple communities throughout the Southeast,
destroyed 19 trestles, damaged several more and tore up miles of surface on Virginia's famous and beloved Creeper Trail.
The U.S. Forest Service has announced the award of the design-build contract for the Virginia Creeper Trail
to Kiewit Corporation, headquartered in Peachtree City, Georgia.
This contract will encompass the full rebuild of the devastated upper 17-mile section of the trail between Damascus and Whitetop Station.
Watch this space for a link to Kiewit's Creeper Trail Recovery Website.
This website will attempt to document as much of the recovery as we can, and will work closely with Kiewit's Communication Specialist.
We are volunteers and will comply with United States Forest Service, local law enforcement and Kiewit regulations.
Our audience includes the thousands of bike riders, hikers, horse riders, fishermen and kayakers who love the Creeper and adjacent Laurel Creek.
Kiewit diagram showing access points for work crews.
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We will document the rebuilding of the Creeper Trail in four sections, beginning at Trestle 16 Damascus and continuing to Green Cove. The section between Green Cove and Whitetop sustained minimal damage.
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Section One: Damascus to Straight Branch
Trestles 18, 19, 20, 21.
All are scheduled for replacement.
Trail surface heavily damaged and missing in places.
Section 1 Updates
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Section Two: Straight Branch to Taylor's Valley
Trestles 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27: all destroyed.
All are scheduled for replacement.
Trail surface heavily damaged and missing in places.
Section 2 Updates
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Section Three: Taylors Valley to Creek Junction
Trestles 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37: All destroyed.
All are scheduled for replacement.
Trail surface heavily damaged and missing in places.
Section 3 Updates
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Section Four: Creek Junction to Green Cove
Trestles 42 and 44, destroyed. 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 45 heavily damaged.
All are scheduled for replacement.
Trail surface heavily damaged and missing in places.
Section 4 Updates
Other Resources
Our website on The Destruction of the Virginia Creeper Trail was used as a prime reference by the USFS for contractors.
NEW! Restoration details: Access to Forest Service documents.
NEW! Progress a year later: Adventure Time with Bane
Forest Service - Virginia Creeper Trail RecoveryNational Forest Disaster Recovery
Virginia Creeper Trail Conservancy
https://recovery.vacreepertrail.org/
Facebook - Fans of the Virginia Creeper Trail
Local Lodging Lodging for Contractors
Destruction video by James Millsused as a resource by the National Forest Service
Beautiful Virginia - Mike and Janice
Click here to see before and after photos of the 19 destroyed trestles and examples of surface damage.
For questions concerning this website contact admin.
This website is created and managed by volunteers.
It is not officially connected to any organization.
It is provided as a public service.