Positive outlook: Biltmore and Asheville one year after Helene

As we reflect on the one-year anniversary of Tropical Storm Helene, we have a positive outlook that’s filled with gratitude and optimism for the resilience, strength, and joy that continue to shine throughout our community.

Over the past year, countless efforts have taken place both on Biltmore Estate and in the greater Asheville area to recover from Helene. Everywhere you look, there are positive signs of progress and shared commitment to building back stronger than before.

We invite you to take a behind-the-scenes look at a few projects our teams have undertaken, each guided by a passion for preservation, connection to community, and our 130-year legacy.

A September to remember

Fields along the French Broad River flooded during Tropical Storm Helene.

On the morning of September 27, 2024, Western North Carolina got its first clear look at the region in the wake of Helene.

“We took stock of the situation and began making plans. Guest and employee safety was our highest priority, which meant closing the estate until we could eliminate storm debris and restore water and power. It was also important for us to offer our assistance to neighbors in need, sharing resources for care and comfort, and lending expertise in cleaning and restoration initiatives,” said Chase Pickering, Vice President of Guest Experience.

Staying positive

While recovery efforts occurred on the estate, Biltmore’s team members were also actively helping our community.

In the days and weeks following the storm, we were able to provide food donations to Meals on Wheels, potable water to World Central Kitchen, cold-weather supplies to ABCCM, and temporary canopies for FEMA sites. In addition, Biltmore established the Biltmore Relief Fund for WNC with a financial commitment of $2 million to aid in Helene relief efforts.

Biltmore reopened on November 2, just in time for our annual Christmas at Biltmore celebration.

“It was an important milestone for us and for the community,” Chase said. “With the estate open again, we could invite our guests to return and see for themselves that despite the storm, Biltmore and Asheville were moving in a positive direction.”

Preservation and progress

Wood from white oaks damaged by the storm was repurposed into staves for Biltmore wine barrels.

In the 12 months since Helene, Biltmore and Western North Carolina have continued efforts to repair, restore, and rebuild the region. Regional tourism is trending upwards toward pre-storm levels, and the mood remains positive as we see how far we’ve come in a year.

• Main entrance restoration
  • Floodwaters crested at about 27 feet at the estate’s main entrance. The large tulip poplars lining the roadway from Biltmore Village to Lodge Gate were removed after water receded and in March 2025, new trees were installed along with new lighting options, brick walkways, and a larger monument sign to welcome you when you arrive.
    
• Preserving community history
  • Estate teams helped remove and clean 46 original quarter-sawn oak pews from the Cathedral of All Souls in Biltmore Village. The pews have been returned, while more than 100 boxes of archival materials continue to be safely stored until the church is able to take them back.
    
• Turning white oaks into wine barrels
  • Tens of thousands of trees fell or were damaged across the estate, but we found positive ways to repurpose some of them so they could continue to be part of Biltmore’s story. We partnered with a local WNC business to mill fallen white oaks into staves to create about 850 wine barrels for aging our handcrafted wines at Biltmore Winery.
    
• Creating compost from debris
  • Loss of topsoil was another issue, but we were able to incinerate storm debris into biochar and ash to mix in as an extra amendment for the compost we’re already creating in our onsite facility. Post storm, we have spread 2,000 cubic yards (roughly 1.6 million pounds) of compost back onto our crop fields along the river.
    
• Cottage care
  • The Market Gardener’s Cottage—an original structure that is part of our National Historic Landmark designation—was heavily damaged during the storm. Estate experts cleaned and removed debris, and we’re partnering with a firm that specializes in historic architectural design and site engineering to plan the rehabilitation of the cottage.

Silver linings

New landscaping at Biltmore’s entrance includes new tulip poplars lining the entrance, fully renovated Gate House Shop, and new “welcome” sign.

“Work continues at Biltmore to restore, repair, and recover from Helene,” said Chase. “If there’s any silver lining to a situation like this, it’s that it gives us an opportunity to make positive improvements to the guest experience. That’s a legacy we’ve been preserving for 130 years, ever since my great-great-grandfather George Vanderbilt welcomed friends and family to visit him at Biltmore for the first time in 1895.”

We’re excited to welcome you!

1 year after Helene, Biltmore’s entrance in historic Biltmore Village stands ready to welcome you.

No matter when you plan your visit, we’re excited to welcome you to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. There’s no better time to visit than now as we continue to build on the preservation and progress of the last 12 months.

Learn more about ticket options, overnight stays, special offers, and more, including Luminere, our all-new outdoor evening experience beginning in Spring 2026. We’re positive you won’t want to miss out on this unforgettable event!