The famed Blue Ridge Parkway – spanning more than 400 miles – remains closed with no reopening date, according to the National Park Service (NPS).

The entire Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile stretch running through North Carolina and Virginia, is closed until further notice. Why it matters: Prime leaf-peeping and hiking season just began. The big picture: Hurricane Helene wreaking havoc on America's most-visited national park is a triple threat — it's rendered roads impassable,

The National Park Service has deployed its Eastern Incident Management Team to help Blue Ridge Parkway staff with emergency needs and damage assessments.

The full 500-mile length of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed to all uses due to damage from Hurricane Helene, according to an alert from the National Park Service. Closures will remain in place until staff can safely assess the park and clear any storm damage,