If your nose is itching, it means company is coming. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, encompassing some of the oldest mountains on earth, is located in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. Many of these mountain folklore sayings were passed down by my great-grandparents, but still live on a century later. The northwestern half of the range gives way to a series of elongate ridges known as the "Foothills," the outermost of which include Chilhowee Mountain and English Mountain. Michael Rivers, lead investigator of the Smoky Mountain Ghost Trackers and an author who has written extensively about Appalachian folklore, says that the Appalachian Mountains are ripe with paranormal activity. [10] Other post-hurricanes, including Hurricane Hugo in 1989, have caused similar damage in the Smokies. 107 Park Headquarters Road All campgrounds have running water, flush toilets, picnic tables, and firepits . Smith says that what makes the Flatwoods Monster so interesting is that there werent many UFO sightings back in the 1950s. Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You stand frozen in place, eyes locked to that shadowy spot in the woods, waiting for the animal to move. For more information on this infamous Appalachian monster, visit the Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant, where you can take a selfie with the massive Mothman statue displayed prominently outside. [19], By the end of the Paleozoic era, the ancient ocean had deposited a thick layer of marine sediments which left behind sedimentary rocks such as limestone. [11], Strong damaging winds (80 to 100mph (130 to 160km/h), or sometimes greater) are observed a few times each year around the Smoky Mountains during the cool season (October through April), as a result of a phenomenon known as mountain waves. Throughout her life, Mavis was always wary of staying out in the rain and she never slept in a metal bed, fearing that it would act as a lightning rod. READ MORE: The 10 Best Haunted Houses inNorth Carolina. The glorious sunrises are a great way to start the day in the Smokies KenCanning / Getty Images, First-timer's guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Many believe it is a depiction of the Moon-Eyed People. The village of Oconaluftee, which was situated along the Oconaluftee River near the modern Oconaluftee Visitor Center, was the only known permanent Cherokee village located within the national park's boundaries. Hiking trails are well-marked in the national park, though its wise to pick up a good map (available in the visitors centers) before setting out. While you have a chance of seeing wildlife throughout the park, the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is an excellent route if youre hoping to peep the parks animal residents, especially in winter time, at dawn, and in the evenings. [71], In 1802, Edgefield, South Carolina resident William Ogle (17511803) arrived in White Oak Flats where he cut and prepared logs for cabin construction. The Flatwoods incident was only the second or third of its kindand probably the first with so many witnesses. Legend says that the local Native American tribes waited for the full moon to drive the Moon-Eyed People from their underground caves. A walking stick also comes in handy. The land for Great Smoky Mountains National Park was acquired in large part through small-scale grassroots fundraising rather than donations from wealthy stakeholders, despite much of the area already being broken up into small family farms and parcels earmarked by loggers. Numerous Archaic period (c.80001000 B.C.) There are many communities in the Smoky Mountains with strange names, but none of them rival Boogertown. This fog is caused by the vegetation emitting volatile organic compounds, chemicals that have a high vapor pressure and easily form vapors at normal temperature and pressure.[6]. Is it a bear? Pseudoscymnus tsugae, a type of beetle in the ladybug family, Coccinellidae, has been introduced in an attempt to control the pests.[56]. Then, the Bells two daughters began complaining of something trying to pull at their bedcovers and pinch them while they slept. For the canoeing crowd, Fontana Lake - in Bryson, North Carolina - is loaded with turns without rocky hindrances. The Mesozoic era saw the rapid erosion of the softer sedimentary rocks from the new mountains, re-exposing the older Ocoee Supergroup formations. Demand for parking often exceeds capacity. If you do see a black bear on vacation, consider yourself lucky because it happened by chance! And the Mothman sightings continued. THE SCARIEST TRAIL IN THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS . Last but not least, the Blue Ridge Parkways southern terminus links the Smokies to Shenandoah, in case you want to get the most out of your national parks pass. The Smoky Mountains are home to over 1,500 black bears, and they can become used to being around people, making them less scared to go near areas with large concentrations of people. There are 2,900 miles of streams in the Smokies but only about 800 miles contain fish. Cades Cove and Smokemont campgrounds are open year-round, and the rest are open seasonally. With such biodiversity, how can park visitors and researchers learn where to find plants, animals and other organisms in the park? Or you happen to catch something out of the corner of your eye and you swear its a ghost. In one tale, a Civil War soldier was riding through the area when he saw a pair of mysterious eyes peering at him through the bushes. [27], The mean annual temperatures in the higher elevations in the Smokies are cool enough to support forest types more commonly found in the northern United States. As with much of the southern Blue Ridge, the area qualifies as part of the Appalachian Rainforest. The U.S. National Park Service preserves and maintains 78 structures within the national park that were once part of the numerous small Appalachian communities scattered throughout the range's river valleys and coves. The Catawba rhododendron has purple flowers in May and June, while the rosebay rhododendron has longer leaves and blooms white or a light pink in June and July. In addition, there are over 100 backcountry campsites and shelters, the park offers exceptional possibilities for multi-day treks. Over time it seems this thing, whatever it was, fed off of attention and peoples fears, says Fitzhugh. The largest stream entirely within the park is Abrams Creek, which rises in Cades Cove and empties into the Chilhowee Lake impoundment of the Little Tennessee River near Chilhowee Dam. These wolves were removed from the park and relocated to the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina. Smoky Mountain Ghost Stories. In the Late Precambrian period, this ocean expanded, and the more recent Ocoee Supergroup rocks formed from accumulations of the eroding land mass onto the ocean's continental shelf. According to another version of the story, mentioned in Smoky Mountain Living Magazine, there really was some sort of monster haunting the area. Before long, people all over the east and southeast knew about it, says Fitzhugh. Residents of predominantly Union Cades Cove and predominantly Confederate Hazel Creek routinely crossed the mountains to steal one another's livestock. Born and raised in town, Wamsley was only five years old when the Mothman showed up and began terrorizing his neighbors. Ancient physicians erroneously thought the tooth-like projections on the white rhizome of the Toothwort meant that it could cure a toothache. It liked to argue religion and make fun of people, except for Mrs. Bell. If cows are laying down, or leaves are upside down, its going to rain. [44] Red-tailed hawks, the most common hawk species, have been sighted at all elevations in the range. Appalachian Folklore, Monsters and Superstitions - Blue Ridge Mountains Spread across 500,000 acres in the Southern Appalachian range, the park is a four-season wonderland, famous for both its colorful spring wildflowers and the fiery blazes of autumn. Flash flooding often occurs after heavy rain.[9]. The relative humidity in the park during the growing season is about twice that of the Rocky Mountain region. Bears in the park are wild and their behavior can be unpredictable. Like much of Appalachia, the Smokies were targeted by logging companies seeking rich stands of timber. From hiking to kayaking, here are the very best activities in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Most of the forest is a mature second-growth hardwood forest. 5.0 out of 5 stars . With over 150 known cemeteries dotting the misty ridge lines, the Smokies are a regular backdrop to spooky tales. Large stands of dead Fraser Firs remain atop Clingmans Dome and on the northwestern slopes of Old Black. Today you can celebrate this mythical Appalachian monster at the Bigfoot Festival in Marion NC. Less than a year after Mavis died, Basil married Trulie Jane Lawson, a young woman who also lived in Cades Cove. National Park Mysteries & Disappearances: The Great Smoky Mountains Instead, the word referred to a ghost or hobgoblin. [89] In the early 1920s, several Appalachian Club members, among them Knoxville businessman Colonel David Chapman, began seriously considering a movement to establish a national park in the Great Smokies. Although much of the tribe was forced west along the Trail of Tears in 1838, a fewlargely through the efforts of William Holland Thomasmanaged to retain their land on the Qualla Boundary and today comprise the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Skeptics accused the Bell family of doing it by knowing how to act and using ventriloquism. If you're looking for a good fright, check out three of our favorite Smoky Mountain ghost stories. [88], Wilson B. Townsend, the head of Little River Lumber, began advertising Elkmont as a tourist destination in 1909. At this annual festival you can expect educational panels, a Bigfoot calling contest, a costume contest, and Bigfoot-themed dishes. She talked Betsy into breaking off the engagement with Joshua. A short time later, the poltergeist said she was going to leave but promised to return in seven years. [78], While no major engagements took place in the Smokies, minor skirmishes were fairly common. This legend centers around the Bell family. [15], The climate of Clingmans Dome is hemiboreal (Kppen Dfb, Trewartha Dcb[16]). In 1964, a hairy ape-man (who sounds suspiciously like Bigfoot) was reported to be roaming around US 70. Notable splash dam and boom operations included the English Lumber Company on Little River, the Taylor and Crate operations along Hazel Creek, and the ambitious operations of Alexander Arthur on the Pigeon River. There are plenty of accommodation options outside the park, too. There is also exceptional wildlife watching year round in the Smokies. But what makes the legend so shocking is that it dates back hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus discovered America. [40], The Smokies are home to a diverse bird population due to the presence of multiple forest types. We have restored 30.25 miles of brook trout habitat in 13 streams since 1981. When I asked my Tennessee-based family about the most common Appalachian superstitions, I was shocked by how many we still practice today. Cambrian sedimentary rocks are found among the outer reaches of the Foothills to the northwest and in limestone coves such as Cades Cove. By 1925, the federal government was ready to move forward and create one of the first national parks in the eastern United States, along with Shenandoah National Park to the north. The brook trout is the only trout species native to the range, although northwestern rainbow trout and European brown trout were introduced in the first half of the 20th century. The range is roughly bounded on the south by the Tuckasegee River and to the southeast by Soco Creek and Jonathan Creek. 37738, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Here are three of our favorite tall tales from the Smokies: In their book The Granny Curse and Other Ghosts and Legends from East Tennessee, authors Randy Russell and Janet Barnett share the story of a marital spat with supernatural consequences. People have written down and passed through the generations accounts of what this thing allegedly said, says Fitzhugh. The parks hiking opportunities include a 71 mile portion of the Appalachian Trail, which runs right through the center of the park between Fontana Dam and Davenport Gap. The Wampus Cat (a.k.a. [74] The Cataloochee area was first settled by the Caldwell family, who migrated to the valley in 1834.[75].
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