Biltmore Estate: What we know in the aftermath of Helene devastation in Asheville
The Biltmore Estate is assessing damage and will remain temporarily closed after devastating rain from Tropical Storm Helene caused catastrophic flooding in the Asheville area.
"Due to significant flooding, impassable roads and widespread power outages in our region from Tropical Storm Helene, Biltmore is temporarily closed," read a statement Monday on the website for the historic house and museum.
They are asking people to check biltmore.com/weather-update for the latest. As of Monday, a message on the website says all reservations for guests arriving from Sept. 27 through Oct. 3 have been canceled as they continue to assess damage from the storm and work to reopen.
"This is a heartbreaking situation for our community and region," a Biltmore post on X states. "The safety of our guests and employees is our top priority, and we appreciate your patience as we assess the damage of last weekend's storm and work to repair communication channels."
The Asheville area was devastated by flooding due to Tropical Storm Helene, leaving thousands without power and cell service. The cell and Internet outage also impacted the Biltmore Estate.
"Our area has intermittent internet access and cellular service at this time, which has also impacted our call center. We appreciate your understanding as we await repair."
Nearby Biltmore Village hit hard by floods
Biltmore Village residents experienced historic flooding due to rain from Helene.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Swannanoa River at Biltmore crested at 26.1 feet, nearly 6 feet above the record, at 3:45 p.m. Friday. As of 10:30 p.m., the river was down to 20.9 feet. The previous record for that location was 20.7 feet.
According to the NOAA’s standards, major flooding begins at 18 feet.
Many roads are closed across Western North Carolina due to flooding, fallen trees, mudslides and rockslides. North Carolina Department of Transportation and Buncombe County officials asked people to avoid traveling if at all possible. A full list of road closures can be found at drivenc.gov.
What Biltmore Estate visitors, guests should know
Guests who had tickets to visit the Biltmore Estate can use their tickets another day. They do not need to call to change their visit date at this time though.
When the estate has announced its reopening, they can call 800-411-3812 to reserve a date or time in advance or exchange their ticket in-person at the estate's Reception and Ticketing Sales Center. They can also request a refund online.
For overnight guests whose reservations were automatically canceled, please continue to check Biltmore Estate's website for further updates.
Contributing: Donovan Slack, USA TODAY
(This story has been updated to add new information.)