NEWS FROM THE ROAD 📰 Multiple Blue Ridge Parkway projects advance near Boone, North Carolina 🎉 Today, Aug. 4, the National Park Service reopened approximately four miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway from milepost 280.9 to 285.5, near Bamboo Gap. This opening signifies another milestone in the completion of a series of initial recovery projects currently underway along the historic route. At the same time access is restored in areas damaged by Helene, ongoing and nearby road maintenance projects are also advancing. A major road rehabilitation project, funded through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), will also begin work in an adjacent section of the park this week, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of this historic legislation. ‼️Also on Aug. 4, from milepost 276.4 to 280.9, a closure will go into effect allowing crews to continue work in a small section of this ongoing legacy project. A signed detour is in place in the area, routing traffic around the parkway on US 221, US 421, and Old 421 S to the access at milepost 280.9 (near Parkway Elementary School). Work in this section is planned to be complete in October. For safety reasons, the park asks that people continue to respect remaining closures due to both Helene recovery work as well as other repair work. Multiple seen and unseen hazards exist in closed areas, and crews and heavy equipment at work make areas unsafe. Visitors should also be aware that trail assessments are also still underway, and caution should be exercised as hikers may encounter hazards on trails such as landslides, tree debris, and washed-out sections or bridges. Visitors should plan carefully for any trip along the Parkway and consult the park’s website for a wide variety of planning tools. The park’s website provides extensive information, including current road status, multiple regional maps, and other helpful information, about the park’s recovery process. You can also learn more about the Parkway's Great American Outdoors Act projects. NPS Video: Photos, videos, and maps displaying Helene recovery and Great American Outdoors Act Projects and screenshots of website resources. #NPS #BlueRidgeParkway #Helene #GAOAAnniversary #GAOA, #GreatAmericanOutdoorsAct (fb)

The parkway has many cool moths hanging around! One example of this is the luna moth, as shown above. Luna moths can be found in deciduous forests in eastern North America. Luna moths are often noticed for their bright green wings, long tails on their hind wings, and their eyespots. Eyespots refer to the round markings on their wings that kind of resemble eyes. In this photo, you can also see the feathery antenna, which help distinguish butterflies from moths. Moths have a variety of antenna shapes, while butterflies have knobbed antenna. Have you seen any cool moths lately? NPS Photo: Luna moth on a needled branch. 📸 K. Valentine #BlueRidgeParkway #NPS #Moth (fb)