Hurricane Helene one year later: Recovery efforts continue in SC parks, forests

A year after the remnants of Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction across the Upstate, most recovery efforts have concluded, and lessons learned are being applied.

But one impact likely to endure for years and continue to pose challenges is the downing of countless trees in some of the most cherished natural spaces along South Carolina’s mountainous northern rim.

There’s probably no better example of the magnitude of Helene’s damage or the resilience of those engaged in recovery efforts over the past year than the region’s state parks.

Landslides, flooding and the tens of thousands of toppled trees left in the storm’s wake caused widespread damage to some of the Palmetto State’s most popular parks. Recovery efforts are ongoing a year later, according to Adin Fell, mountain regi