Craggy Gardens, one of the most popular spots along the Blue Ridge Parkway, will be closed for at least a year according to the National Park Service. Due to the poor structural integrity of the highway and a 500-foot retaining wall built in 1942, the area will be closed to all hiking, biking, and road traffic at mile marker 364.6. The mortar joints in the retaining wall have been seeping water for years and have finally weakened to the point where the National Park Service is concerned about user safety.
Craggy Gardens is one of the most popular destinations along the Blue Ridge Parkway due to its scenery, user-friendly hiking trails, and proximity to Asheville. While engineers repair the faulty retaining wall, day hikers and day trippers will have to look elsewhere for a quick Parkway fix.
For more information go to www.nps.gov/blri/
