US 74A Is Closed Between Gerton and Fairview After Overnight Flooding Opens a 12-Foot Hole in the Road

Photo by Leslie Cross on Unsplash

By Jon Tharp, Broker  ·  May 26, 2026

Crews responding to a downed tree on Charlotte Highway near the Henderson County line discovered something worse than a fallen tree early Tuesday morning: an estimated 12-foot void beneath the roadway, left behind by floodwaters that had quietly eaten through the ground underneath the highway overnight.

US 74A is now closed between the Continental Divide in Gerton and Fairview. It is also closed at a second location farther east, where a 48-inch culvert collapsed between Sugar Hollow Road and the county line overnight. NCDOT said emergency repair crews are working that section and expected to reopen it Tuesday, weather permitting. The Charlotte Highway washout near Fairview is a longer fix, requiring full excavation of the roadway before repairs can begin.

The overnight storm responsible for the damage was not a named system. It was a slow-moving rain event that stalled over the mountains from Monday night into Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg recorded storm totals of 3 to 6 inches across the region, with some mountain communities seeing rainfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour at peak intensity. Soils that were already saturated had no capacity to absorb that volume of water, and it went somewhere.

That somewhere, in this case, included the road corridor through Hickory Nut Gorge, where the terrain channels water directly toward the highway.

NCDOT has posted an eastbound detour that routes drivers from US 74A onto Cane Creek Road, south on US 25, east on Interstate 26, and east on US 64 before rejoining US 74A. It is not a quick detour. Anyone planning to travel between Asheville and Bat Cave, Chimney Rock, or Lake Lure today should build in extra time and check DriveNC.gov before leaving.

Several secondary roads in the area remain closed as well. In Henderson County, Konatoga Circle, Howard Gap Road, Middle Fork Road, and Kelly Hill Road are all shut down. Nix Road near Hendersonville is listed as a longer-term closure. In Buncombe County, the Charlotte Highway washout is the primary issue. Transylvania County saw flooding close Hannah Ford Road, Green Road, and Island Ford Road near Brevard.

The Blue Ridge Parkway also closed its gate at NC 191 (Brevard Road) toward Stoney Bald on Tuesday morning after multiple trees fell across the route.

The flooding adds a new complication to a road corridor that was already mid-repair. US 74A through Gerton and into the Hickory Nut Gorge had been under active reconstruction since April 2025, following the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Permanent reconstruction of the five-mile stretch from Gerton to Bat Cave was not expected to be complete until Spring 2027. The permanent repair work involves three complete roadway reconstruction sites, ten culvert replacements, and five retaining walls.

That work is still ongoing. What happened overnight adds to an already long list of challenges for this stretch of highway.

A Flash Flood Warning remained in effect Tuesday morning for northeastern Henderson County. The National Weather Service has also forecast additional showers Tuesday afternoon, with more rain expected Wednesday and Thursday before a brief break late in the week. Another weather system is being tracked for this weekend.

Bat Cave Fire and Rescue asked residents to stay off roads, particularly in Gerton, where emergency crews were actively assessing conditions Tuesday morning.

If you need to travel the US 74A corridor this week, check DriveNC.gov for the most current closure and detour information before heading out.

Living in WNC means weather like this is part of the calendar. If you want to understand what that means for a specific piece of property before you buy, Jon Tharp can walk you through it.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is US 74A open between Asheville and Bat Cave right now?

No. As of Tuesday morning, May 26, US 74A (Charlotte Highway) is closed between the Continental Divide in Gerton and Fairview due to weather-related damage from overnight flooding. A major roadway washout was discovered near the Henderson-Buncombe county line, with an estimated 12-foot void found beneath the highway surface after floodwaters caused structural failure. NCDOT said repairs require full excavation of the roadway. Check DriveNC.gov for the most current status before traveling this corridor.

What is the detour for US 74A while it is closed?

NCDOT has marked a detour for eastbound traffic on US 74A. Drivers should take US 74A to Cane Creek Road, then travel south on US 25, east on Interstate 26, and east on US 64 before returning to US 74A. This adds significant time to any trip between Asheville and the Bat Cave, Chimney Rock, or Lake Lure area. Western-bound drivers approaching from Henderson County should plan accordingly and check DriveNC.gov before heading out.

What caused the flooding in Western NC this weekend?

A slow-moving storm system dropped intense rainfall across Western NC beginning Monday night and continuing into Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service reported some mountain communities received 2 to 3 inches of rain per hour at peak intensity, with storm totals reaching 3 to 6 inches in affected areas. Flash flood warnings were issued for Henderson, Transylvania, and Buncombe counties. The French Broad River near Old Fanning Bridge Road west of Fletcher rose above bankfull and was expected to crest near 12 feet Tuesday morning.

Is Chimney Rock State Park accessible during the road closure?

The US 74A closure between Gerton and Fairview limits access from the Asheville side. Visitors coming from the east via US 64 may have more options, depending on conditions. The Blue Ridge Parkway also closed its gate at NC 191 (Brevard Road) toward Stoney Bald on Tuesday due to downed trees. Check the Chimney Rock State Park website and NCDOT's DriveNC.gov before planning a visit. Conditions may change as emergency repairs progress and additional rain moves through later this week.