A beloved tourist attraction in western North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains will be demolished starting later this month. The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge sustained severe damage from Hurricane Helene last year.

The National Park Service has also reopened about four miles of the Parkway in the Bamboo Gap area near Boone following damage from Helene.

After road work was set to close large sections over the next several months, an agreement was reached to delay the shutdown until after tourist season ends in the fall.

The trail will accommodate more versatile equipment that is wider, longer or heavier than a standard bike.

National park tourism in North Carolina contributes billions to the state economy and creates thousands of jobs. But the rising number of visitors to nature areas is in some ways a double-edged sword.

The plan will help guide the county's direction for its recreational spaces, which includes 17 area parks and over 60 miles of trails and greenways.

The park, located in Greensboro, commemorates the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, which took place on March 15, 1781.

A popular sledding site in the High Country has been closed due to unsafe conditions. The area is known as “Sled Hill,” located off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock.

State and local parks in North Carolina are getting a boost thanks to nearly $14 million in end-of-year funding.

Guilford County Parks is embarking on a 14-month initiative to engage the community in shaping the future of its outdoor recreational offerings. The resulting 10-year master plan will be used to evaluate how best to improve the system which includes seven regional parks, over 60 miles of trails and greenways, and more than 4,500 acres of open space.