MADISON COUNTY, N.C. (WJHL) – In this week’s Destination Vacation, we head to Madison County, North Carolina.

It’s been a favorite of Tri-Cities travelers for decades, but this summer has brought dramatic changes to some beloved spots from Hurricane Helene.

Madison County, like much of Western North Carolina and East Tennessee, bore the brunt of Helene’s floodwaters and winds.

But despite all the damage and devastation, much of what was damaged is making a big comeback for the summer.

Madison County Visitor Center Director Bill Downey said it has been a trying 9+ month process, but the county is ready to welcome visitors again.

“We’ve still got a ways to go, but it’s been significant progress,” Downey said. “It’s a little different. You might see a couple businesses that are not quite open yet, but [are] working real hard to get there.”

The Town of Marshall is known for its thriving art scene, inspired by the natural beauty of Madison County.

After months of lost revenue, many business owners said this summer and the months to come will be critical for their future.

In Marshall, several businesses were inundated with water and coated in mud after Hurricane Helene.

More than 15 businesses have since reopened, including art store Flow Gallery, where co-owner Connie Molland said some places were hit harder than others.

She said they were able to save most of their artwork, but suffered damage to some furniture and the building itself.

“Madison Natural Foods, which is a grocery store, lost all of its equipment,” Molland said. “We were fortunate that our recovery was a little bit easier than what they had to deal with. We all need people to come in and support us.”

Molland arrived back at her business on Sept. 29, two days after Helene swept in.

She found the town in shambles, but immediately, people were there to help.

She recalled groups of strangers, some as young as teenagers, coming to her business to take bucket after bucket of mud out of her basement.

“I have no idea where they were from or what their names were, but it was really beautiful,” Molland said. “At the end, I took a picture of them and they were all smiling. It was like one of the most beautiful things of humanity, helping others just because they could.”

With plenty of that volunteer help, Flow reopened on the six-month anniversary in March.

At Flow, you can find a variety of items like pottery, paintings and wearables made by local crafters.

“A lot of the art is going to be tied to nature,” Molland said. “It seems to be a really normal connection for the artists at Flow.”

Outside of Flow, Marshall has restaurants, shops, breweries and a bike shop back open.

When it comes to outdoor recreation, those opportunities to go hiking, biking and rafting are returning too.

“You can still enjoy the outdoors to their full ability,” Downey said. “We have the Appalachian Trail in Madison County. Some people say it’s one of the most beautiful sections of the entire trail.”

That includes popular spots like Max Patch and Big Bald.

Plus, there are plenty of places to camp or rent a cabin to get outdoors.

If you’re looking for relaxation or recovery after a long day on the trails, Hot Springs Resort and Spa has you covered.

Private cabanas with a hot tub offer shade right off a tributary of the French Broad River, fed by natural hot springs below the property.

“The tradition of hot springs is long here in the river valley,” Resort General Manager Heather Hicks said. “This has been a hot spring relaxation property since the early 1800s.”

Guests can rent the cabanas by the hour, which is perfect for soothing the muscles.

“Mother Nature does the work,” Hicks said. “It’s high in magnesium, which really speaks to muscle relaxation.”

It’s located just walking distance from the town of Hot Springs, which has the Appalachian Trail running right through it.

There’s also grounds for camping on the property.

“We have naturally what other places try to emulate artificially,” Hicks said. “This is a great spot for people to just be. Get away from the asphalt and the city and really take in Western North Carolina.”

Helene did have a devastating impact on the resort. They lost about 75% of their baths, given their proximity to the river.

The rebuilding process is already underway, far from the first time it has happened at the resort.

“This property has a history of fire and flood,” Hicks said. “Prior to September, we were on version 5.0 of Hot Springs Resort and Spa. After September, we got charged with building [version] 6.0 of Hot Springs.”

The resort is changing some things around, by looking at things that did not work as well before and moving some things to higher ground.

“With disaster comes opportunity,” Hicks said.

If you want to check out the hot springs, you will need to make a reservation ahead of time.

For more information on Hot Springs Resort and Spa, click here.

For more information about what’s open in Madison County and more travel ideas, check out the county’s tourism website here.