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.
This website provides a local perspective of the Damascus-Whitetop corridor and the significance of the trail to our area.
Photos show a work in progress. This is not the final version. Completion date is late Fall 2026.

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NEW ACTIVITY

Trestles 38 and 39 Flyover

Have a close look at the iconic Trestles 38 and 39 which soar above Creek Junction. Will they be replaced?

Trestle 29 Flyover

Trestle 29, near Taylor's Valley, was washed away. Kiewit is widening the trail and packing it down as they haul rocks further up the valley to repair washouts. You can see the new bridge foundations being built.

Videos by Scott Shifflett
Local resident provides an up-close view of ongoing reconstruction



Shorts by Curated Properties


Videos by Beautiful Virginia
Local residents document the rebuilding of the trail

Link to Kiewit's Creeper Trail Recovery Website
The official project website dedicated solely to the Virginia Creeper Trail rebuild

Summary of 2-20-26 Kiewit website update: Trestle 16, the existing steel truss trestle, is going to be rehabilitated and remain in place. The existing wood will be replaced with new wood decking. Trestle 17 is being removed because rehabilitation of the steel structure was not feasible due to Helene damage. The bridge being put in place of the existing trestle will be a Contech bridge.

Innovative Bridge Company

The Innovative Bridge Company LLC is providing temporary trestles for Kiewit to let them move their heavy machinery across the creeks.
Here is a link to their video moving a temporary bridge to the Trestle 30 washout.

Link to the page of temporary bridges being delivered

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Bridges and trestles destroyed or damaged.
Click on the map for a larger image.

Link to drone videos page

Access to the Creeper Trail for reconstruction crews.
Click on the map for a larger image.