Post-Helene Park Status and Front Lake Dam FAQ's

FAQs Post Hurricane Helene

The park is implementing a phased approach to reopening trails, barn, bookstore and historic home tours after the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene.

Phase One opened the “hikers’ lot” allowing access to grounds and trails on Dec 23, 2024.

Phase Two re-opened the barn and access to the goats at Connemara Farms on January 22, 2025.

When will the next phase begin?

We have begun opening the visitor center and bookstore on Saturdays and Sundays between 10:00am and 3:00pm and hope to expand to more days soon. This is dependent on staffing availability, and we are not able to offer house tours at this time. We do not have an estimated time to when we will be able to offer house tours again.

What is currently open and available?

The “hikers’ lot” currently is the only available parking at the park, with space for only 24 cars. The lot is busiest and can be full between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., with weekends being busier than weekdays. Please park only in designated spaces. If the lot is full, come back at another time.

There are no designated parking spaces or sidewalks along Little River Road. Visitors who require accessible parking or needs should call the phone number posted in the hikers’ lot. Limited options may be available.

The Barn, with access to the goats at Connemara, is open between 10:00am and 3:00pm daily.

The visitor center and bookstore are open on Saturday and Sunday between 10:00am and 3:00pm. *These days and hours are subject to change depending on staffing levels. Calling prior to your arrival is recommended.

Videos, passport stamps, bark ranger information, and junior ranger booklets are available in the garage near the Sandburg Home between 10:00am and 3:00pm.

Portable toilets are located at the hikers' lot, amphitheater, and by the main restrooms near the Sandburg Home. *Due to damage caused by Hurricane Helene, our regular restroom facilities are currently closed, including water sources.

Where do I buy a park pass?

You can buy a park pass in-person at the museum bookstore. The bookstore is located on the ground floor of the house museum and is open Saturday and Sundays from 10-3pm.

When should I visit the park?

Grounds and trails are open from sunrise to sunset. The Barn is currently open from 10:00am to 3:00pm. The visitor center and bookstore are currently open on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am to 3:00pm. The hikers’ lot is typically busiest between 10:00am and 3:00pm and can fill at times. Weekends tend to be busier than weekdays. Please plan accordingly.

Can I park along Little River Road?

No. Little River Road is a busy, winding county road with no sidewalks or parking spaces. For safety, please do not park or walk along it. Local law enforcement may issue citations for parking along the road as it is a no parking area. Please do not park on private property along Little River Road. The property owner may consider this trespassing.

Can I park at Flat Rock Playhouse and walk into the park from there?

The Front Lake area, which is closest to the Playhouse, is closed due to severe erosion and repairs needed to two pedestrian bridges on Front Lake Trail. The only current access into the park is from the hikers' lot, which is ½ mile from the Playhouse on a busy road with no sidewalks or parking spaces. Please do not park at the Playhouse and walk along the road.

Where can I hike/walk?

Most trails are open apart from the Front Lake area. Maps are posted in the hikers’ lot, at the Sandburg Home garage, at the barn entrance, and at restrooms by the Sandburg Home. Signs and barriers are posted by all closed areas. For your safety, please stay out of closed areas.

I need accessible parking or help getting into the park. What should I do?

Please call the phone number listed in the hikers' parking lot. Limited options may be available.

Will Front Lake dam and bridge be repaired?

Front Lake dam and bridge suffered further destruction by Hurricane Helene. The new damage is substantial. The previously approved repair plan (which included design, compliance, contracting, and a 2025-26 timetable) must be redone due to the additional, substantial damage.

What other hurricane recovery tasks are currently being done?

The park is going through the funding, compliance, and contracting processes to:

• Reinstall two pedestrian bridges on Front Lake Trail so the trail and the Front Lake parking lot can reopen. The area around the bridges suffered severe erosion, and this issue must be mitigated. This trail has been the main pedestrian detour into the park since the 2022 Front Lake Dam failure and restoring the trail is the park’s top priority. We currently do not have a specific estimated time for completion of this project but hope to have it complete by the busy summer season.
• Repair the undercut culvert where the park shuttle exits the park. This is a historic culvert and requires specific subject matter experts to properly repair. We are looking into placing a metal plate that could gap the undercut area as a temporary fix.
• Repair the park's main sewer line. This will need to be completed before water can be restored to the park. Restrooms will remain closed until this project is complete.

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Pre-Hurricane Helene FAQ's

What happened to the lake/dam? How did this happen?

Front Lake dam failed in August 2022 due to a corrugated metal pipe installed in the 1980’s, which rusted and decayed, combined with the dam’s original 1850’s construction. The left side of the dam was originally built on sand, not bedrock, and had a history of slow, normal seepage. This seepage was accelerated due to the faulty pipe and undercut the left side of the dam. Corrugated metal pipes are no longer used due to similar issues caused in dams like Front Lake’s. After the dam failure, the park closed Front Lake bridge which crosses the dam for safety reasons. Do not go into these closed areas.   

What were the pre-Helene plans to fix the dam?

In spring 2023, the park received $201,000 for the design portion of repairs. Design was the first step and was complex. Design engineers balance keeping original historic elements and appearance with adding modern materials to strengthen and enhance the dam. Design was completed at the time of the hurricane.

Over $1 million in repair money was authorized just prior to Hurricane Helene. The park would have then gone through required compliance and contracting processes. After those requirements were met, repairs would have tentatively started in mid-2025. Repairs were scheduled to take 9-12 months to complete. The estimated repair completion date was mid to late 2026.

Why did it take so long to get this funded?

We were given a range of time frames in which to expect funding. The shortest was 2 years; the longest was 10 years. We received design money in April 2023, within a year of the August 2022 dam failure. We were to receive repair money in Oct. 2024, just over 2 years after the failure. It was a long time, but on the shorter end of given options.

Where did the money come from?

Bigger national parks (such as Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite), charge entrance fees and keep 80% of fees collected. The remaining 20% of this fee money is used for smaller national parks that do not charge entrance fees. All fees collected must go to projects that benefit park visitors.

You charge a fee to go into the Sandburg Home. What is the difference between an entrance fee and a house tour fee?

Entrance fees are paid to enter a national park and use the park’s roads, grounds, trails, etc. Use of the road, grounds, and trails at Sandburg is free. The house tour fees we collect at Sandburg are strictly used to fund interpretive and preservation efforts in the Sandburg Home, including house tours, school programs, and exhibits; as well as curatorial support for the 38,000 museum objects on display in the house.

Do you have any plans to charge an entrance fee at Sandburg?

No.

When was Front Lake dam built? What was it made of?

Front Lake dam was built in the 1850’s. It includes a stone spillway (wall the water flows over, to keep the lake level) and earthen banks on the left and right sides of the spillway. Front Lake bridge was built upon the stone spillway. *The NPS has rebuilt the Front Lake bridge periodically since the park was established in 1968. The current bridge was extensively repaired in December 2021.

Why does the park provide a shuttle from the main parking lot when it is open?

The failure of Front Lake dam washed away part of the park’s previous shuttle route, which had been serviced by a golf cart. The park mapped a new shuttle route that involved driving on county roads, something a golf cart can't do. The shuttle service is free. The park is grateful to the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara for donating the $80,000 accessible shuttle. NPS staff and volunteers drive the shuttle.

What are my options if I can’t walk to the barn and main house?

Accessible parking or a shuttle is on-call during business hours. Please call the shuttle phone number posted in the parking lot if you need assistance.

Where does the on-foot detour go?

The detour goes on the unpaved .4 mile forest tail around Front Lake. Visitors then walk 1/3 mile up a steeply graded hill to the Sandburg Home and farm. *Until two footbridges are re-installed, this detour is not available.

Can I walk through the lakebed to access the park?

No. The lakebed is unstable. Do not walk through the lakebed.

Please check www.nps.gov/carl or the park Facebook page for updates.