Erwin Strong: Adventure and Community After Helene
Just north of the North Carolina / Tennessee state border is the Town of Erwin, which is the County seat of Unicoi County. With a quaint downtown area full of shops and restaurants and outdoor recreation activities that are comparable to the Asheville area, Erwin feels like a hidden gem. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Erwin wants to make it clear that they are open for business and that many of the attractions people seek in Western North Carolina exist in this pocket of Eastern Tennessee as well.
Helene and the Nolichucky
Erwin sits on the banks of the Nolichucky River, a river that spans a 115-mile path from Western North Carolina up into Tennessee. It curves through two national forests before finding its end in joining the French Broad River. The Nolichucky is a crucial piece of Erwin’s beauty, and whitewater rafting is a key recreation activity that brings in tourists, employs locals, and supports the economy. The Nolichucky provides rafters the experience of exploring Class IV rapids, which brings an adventurous, exploratory spirit to the area.
Since Helene, the Nolichucky has largely been closed for recreational use. The storm changed the shape of the river — it is wider than it used to be, the sediment sits differently, and the banks have taken different shapes. The speed and force with which the water flowed pushed large amounts of sediment and debris downstream, which were deposited randomly, and where those deposits settled contributed to the change in the river’s shape.
Rafting Will Return
Even though this region saw a summer season without whitewater rafting, this will not be the new reality. Rafting will return, as will the tourism, jobs, and energetic spirit that it brings. Whitewater rafting is integral to the Town of Erwin, and it has existed since 1972. Rafting, and other recreation pursuits, became a key piece of Eastern Tennessee’s economy in 2015, which is when the CSX closed the Erwin railyard; this closure denotes the region’s shift from coal to natural gas. The shift away from the railyard and the associated jobs marked the emphasis on bolstering recreation opportunities like the Appalachian trail, fishing, hiking, and whitewater rafting.
The plan is to reopen rafting on the Nolichucky next summer, in 2026. If you are interested in rafting one of the most pristine, unique rivers, keep an eye on the following companies to see when they start riding the river again: USA Raft Adventure Resort and Blue Ridge Paddling.
Erwin’s Downtown is Open
Beyond the water and trails, Erwin has even more to offer. The downtown was not impacted by Helene and has been open since the storm. Since other aspects of the Town were impacted, like the Nolichucky and associated businesses as well as the hospital and several factories, one way to support Erwin’s recovery is by spending time in the downtown area. You can easily spend a whole day perusing the shops and getting to learn more about Eastern Tennessee and the Appalachian region. Below is an outline of how to spend a day in downtown Erwin.
Spend a Day in Erwin
To start the morning, get a coffee or tea from Steel Rails Coffee House, which is on Erwin’s main street. For pastry accompaniment, stop by the Bellflower. If you’re more of a smoothie person, the Groovy Smoothie is located on Union Street. While your breakfast settles, you can stop by Chic & Geek Collectibles, the Village Treasures Variety Store, or Hunter Blue + Mercantile.
After some shopping, venture a few blocks away from downtown and spend some time at the Unaka Bike Park, which offers over 700 feet of elevation change in the 10 miles of trail. Then, you can head back to town for an early dinner. The Red Fork offers intentionally crafted meals, and Union Street Taproom usually has a food truck and events that allow you to immerse yourself in the community.
Get Involved
Like Western North Carolina, the Town of Erwin wasn’t supposed to be hit by a storm like Hurricane Helene, but it was, and the Town is actively trying to return the economy to its pre-Helene state. Check out everything Erwin has to offer at this tourism website and learn more about McGill’s response to disasters like Hurricane Helene by exploring our water / wastewater, civil engineering, and land planning and recreation work.
