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Great Smoky Mountains National Park, encompassing some of the oldest mountains on earth, is located in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. On the Tennessee side, 74% of Cocke Countians, 80% of Blount Countians, and 96% of Sevier Countians voted against secession. If you want to find out for yourself, the best time to see the Brown Mountain Lights is September through early November. Substantial Mississippian-period villages were uncovered at Citico and Toqua (named after the Cherokee villages that later thrived at these sites) along the Little Tennessee River in the 1960s. Having to decide whether its real or fake takes all the fun out of it.. Three days later, two young couples were driving together near an abandoned World War II TNT plant about five miles north of Point Pleasant when they saw a large flying man with 10-foot wings, and eyes that glowed red. They tried to flee the unidentified animal, speeding down the road at a reported 100 miles per hour, but the creature followed them back to Point Pleasant city limits. In the Smokies, the average annual rainfall varies from approximately 55 inches in the valleys to over 85 inches on some peaks. Read on to learn more about some of the most famous Appalachian folklore stories and superstitions. These ancient mountains are full of history, diverse flora and fauna, and breathtaking views. Streams in the Smokies are part of the Tennessee River watershed and are thus entirely west of the Eastern Continental Divide. If your nose is itching, it means company is coming. Encompassing over 800 square miles in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, no other area of equal size . Appalachian culture is full of its own myths, legends, and ghost stories, many of which were made famous by TV shows such as The X-Files and Mountain Monsters. Balds include grassy balds, which are highland meadows covered primarily by thick grasses, and heath balds, which are dense thickets of rhododendron and mountain laurel typically occurring on narrow ridges. Over 19,000 species have been documented in the park, including more than 100 species of native trees, over 1,500 flowering plant species, more than 200 species of birds, and over 9,000 different species of insects. Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of historical structures maintained by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, "Great Smokies Parkway Top List of Visitors", "Old Growth in the East: A Survey. Run a chicken over your baby to keep if from getting chicken pox. Formed in 1993, the friends group assists the National Park Service in its mission to preserve and protect the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by raising funds and public awareness, and providing volunteers for needed projects. Pseudoscymnus tsugae, a type of beetle in the ladybug family, Coccinellidae, has been introduced in an attempt to control the pests.[56]. He was out of breath and anxious, remembers Smith. Here are the top things to do in South Carolina. They saw an odd-shaped thing that appeared to be glowing red with smoke and steam coming off of it, says Andrew Smith, Executive Director of the Braxton County CVB and curator of the Flatwoods Monster Museum. Its not surprising that a 480-million-year-old mountain range would inspire legends of unexplained animals darting through the darkened forest or strange and ghostly apparitions appearing in the night sky. If youve spent any time in the Smoky Mountains, youve likely heard a tall tale or two. Activities are free and open to the public. Most of these firs were killed, however, by an infestation of the balsam wooly adelgid, which arrived in the Smokies in the early 1960s. It didnt make a sound. There is no fee to enter the park, but camping is . Great Smoky Mountains is the most biodiverse park in the National Park system. 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. Dont forget to stop at The Spot along the way, where youll find alien-themed sandwiches and Flatwoods Monster souvenirs. [34] The coyote is not believed to be native to the range, but has moved into the area in recent years and is treated as a native species. Its important to be mindful in order to protect wildlife from becoming dependent on humans for food or getting close to humans in ways that endanger both you and the animals who call the park home. When you're exploring the wilderness, it's better to be safe than to be a statistic! One could be walking into a hornet's nest, or opening a can of worms, or even, as some say around here . The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the. Dont wash clothes on New Years Day or you will wash a family member out. Smith says that what makes the Flatwoods Monster so interesting is that there werent many UFO sightings back in the 1950s. 12:00 AM. To punish him, the witch set her sights on the man, giving him a beating that had Jacksons men begging to leave. Rumor had it that Perry Shults had discovered gold in the Smoky Mountains! The Maryville-Alcoa. So, why would anyone choose a name with booger in it? Since the mid-1800s, thousands of Bigfoot sightings have been reported all over the United States (including dozens of reported sightings in the North Georgia mountains). Smith of Gate City, Virginia, is co-founder of the Blue Ridge Monsters and Legends Facebook Group where members come to share their stories of unexplained encounters with the hairy bi-pedal. The answer lies in the meaning of the word booger. When autocomplete results are available . Second, she gave Basil permission to remarry after her passing, but she implored him to never, ever put any of her quilts on a metal bed. If a black cat crosses your path, turn and go a different way. According to author Julia Montgomery Street, whose tale of this mysterious race is displayed in the Cherokee County Historical Museum, the men possessed all the land from the Little Tennessee River to Kentucky, with a line of fortification from one end of their domain to the other. The men, who lived in rounded log cabins, had large blue eyes and fair white skin and were sun-blind during the day, emerging from their homes only at night to hunt, fish, wage war and build their fortifications. Dont cut your babys hair before their first birthday. The temperatures continued warming until around 6,000 years ago, when they began to gradually grow cooler. From ancient mountain ranges and remote islands to historic forts, Virginia's national parks call out to modern-day explorers. TN Expand. history, supernatural it covers all areas! Come with a backup destination in mind and park responsibly with all wheels out of the roadway. Like most of Southern Appalachia, the early 19th-century economy of the Smokies relied on subsistence agriculture. [citation needed] According to the National Park Service, 80% of the Smokies was clear cut in the 1900's. All hosted affiliate links follow our editorial & privacy policies. Though scientists have not been able to determine what causes the lights, ball lightning and naturally occurring mountain gases are two widely accepted theories. The Wampus Cat (a.k.a. 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. Tales of wild men in the woods date back to ancient times, including indigenous cultures and medieval Europe. The Great Smokies are also home to over 450 species of non-vascular plants, and 2,000 species of fungi.[21][22]. On December 15, 1967, the Mothman was credited for the collapse of Silver Bridge, which killed 46 people. James Mooney, Myths of the Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee (Nashville: Charles Elder, 1972). [76] Religion was a central theme in the lives of the early residents of the Smokies, and community life was typically centered on churches. On September 12, 1952, Edward May, Freddie May, Neil Nunley, and Tommy Hyer were playing at Flatwoods Elementary when they spotted a light shooting across the sky. Then, the Bells two daughters began complaining of something trying to pull at their bedcovers and pinch them while they slept. [3], The spruce-fir forest consists primarily of two conifer speciesred spruce (Picea rubens) and Fraser fir (Abies fraseri). READ MORE: The 10 Best Haunted Houses inNorth Carolina. In the unlikely event the bear approaches you, stand your ground, make yourself tall and make a lot of noise which usually deters the bear. [47] A type of Jordan's salamander known as the redcheeked salamander is found only in the Smokies. Camping one of the best ways to experience the Smokies runs less than $25 a night per site and as little as $14. [37] The boars are seen as taking food resources away from bears as well, and the park service has sponsored a program that pays individuals to hunt and kill boars and leave their bodies in locations frequented by bears. After moving to Knoxville in middle school, her mom slowly introduced her to all things outdoors, including backpacking, hiking, camping, and biking. The name likely derives from the word catawampus, a mountain folklore saying that describes a boogeyman, or something that has gone badly. It makes it more than just your standard folktale.. Others say that Shults sayed in Greenbrier, but suffered a stroke before he could tell his wife where his fortune was buried. These tours are not a haunted house style attraction with actors dressed as ghosts, but a fun history lesson where you learn about the settlers, pioneers and others who came to the Smokies to find heartbreak, misery or even death! It was leaning forward making a hump where its neck and back join, says Smith. To many eyewitnesses, the lights appear as glowing orbs that hover in the sky above the mountain before suddenly disappearing or soundlessly exploding. She would often focus on Johns daughter Betsy Bell, pulling the sheets off her bed, or even physically harming her with kicks, punches, and scratches. 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. The Mesozoic era saw the rapid erosion of the softer sedimentary rocks from the new mountains, re-exposing the older Ocoee Supergroup formations. The relative humidity in the park during the growing season is about twice that of the Rocky Mountain region. Located in Sevier County, this area is officially known as Oldham, but it is far more famous for its unusual nickname. Wilma Dykeman, The French Broad (New York: Rinehart, 1955), 167-174. [43] Peregrine falcon sightings are also not uncommon, and a peregrine falcon eyrie is known to have existed near Alum Cave Bluffs throughout the 1930s. Camping details and reservation information. Local livestock were being killed by an unseen force, and the townspeople decided that a booger must be responsible. If cows are laying down, or leaves are upside down, its going to rain. Hang a horseshoe upside down to keep good luck from running out. As with much of the southern Blue Ridge, the area qualifies as part of the Appalachian Rainforest. Species have been observed and documented in the park for over a hundred years and new discoveries are being made all the time. Environmental factors such as air quality,water quality, and non-native species are monitored and fires are used as a tool to maintain healthy ecosystems. Whether youre coming for the hikes, the history, the autumn leaf peeping, the sound of silence, or the winding mountain roads, theres a little something for everyone in the Smokies. To learn more about this Appalachian scary story, visit the Flatwoods Monster Museum in Sutton WV. There is also exceptional wildlife watching year round in the Smokies. Hold your feet up when youre crossing a railroad track, or youll lose your boyfriend. [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. Though its hard to say why stories of unexplained phenomena pop up in these mountains, Rivers says that fear can easily get the best of people. Watch. If you hear things that go bump in the night and you swear you dont have a pipe rattling or anything like that, you think its a spirit, he says. He said, something is following me. 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. The beech trees are often twisted and contorted by the high winds that occur in these gaps. For backcountry sites that are accessible only via hiking trail, you can make reservations through the parks backcountry permit office either in person or online. Since settling in the mountains in the 18th and 19th centuries, Appalachian people have developed a unique blend of cultures that has its own way of thinking. Back in 1966, Point Pleasant, West Virginialocated at the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawha Riverswas a sleepy town of a couple thousand people. When the Cherokee aligned themselves with the British at the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1776, American forces launched an invasion of Cherokee territory. One reason is because they are standing, not sitting or kneeling. The reverse is true in autumn, when nearly bare mountaintops covered in rime ice (frozen fog) can be separated from green valleys by very bright and varied leaf colors. From black bears to salamanders, old-growth forests to spring wildflowers, log cabins to gristmills. The legend holds that a Cherokeefemale was cursed by tribal elders for witnessing a sacred pre-hunt ceremony. Great Smoky Mountains maintains 10 campgrounds within the park. READ MORE:The 15 Best North Carolina Mountain Towns to Visit. 1. He turned to look. Open the window when someone dies and cover the mirrors so that their soul can leave. Your baby has to fall off the bed before their first birthday. Fort Mountain, a Georgia State Park near Ellijay GA, contains the ruins of an 850-foot-long stone wall that is said to have been constructed by the mysterious tribe. The persistent freezing and thawing during this period created the large blockfields that are often found at the base of large mountain slopes. An hour later, several men armed with shotguns returned to the scene with Lemon. Ruins of Ritter's lumbering operations are still visible along the Hazel Creek Trail. Most farms included at least one barn, a springhouse (used for refrigeration), a smokehouse (used for curing meat), a chicken coop (protected chickens from predators), and a corn crib (kept corn dry and protected it from rodents). [14] Damaging winds can also be generated by strong thunderstorms, with tornadoes and strong thunderstorm complexes (also known as mesoscale convective systems) occasionally affecting the Smoky Mountains. Read on to find three of our favorite Smoky Mountain ghost stories. But a major flood in 1916 changed that theory. Basil pledged to follow Maviss wishes. Two couples Roger and Linda Scarberry, and Steve and Mary Mallette reported seeing a large flying humanoid with a 10-foot wingspan and glowing red eyes following their car. There are plenty of accommodation options outside the park, too. After attending college at ETSU and UTC, Amy moved to Nashville, where she lived and travelled in a Dodge Sprinter van for a year, before moving back to Chattanooga. [52] Other amphibians include the American toad and the American bullfrog, wood frog, upland chorus frog, northern green frog, and spring peeper. Dying giants - Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S. National Park Service)", "Why 'Knoxville' will be part of the team name when Smokies baseball moves downtown", "Best Smoky Mountain Views and Lift Ride", National Weather Service Southern Appalachian Precipitation study, Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, Cornell University study on invasive balsam woolly adelgid control, Geologic Map of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Region, Tennessee and North Carolina, The Great Smoky Mountains Regional Project, Southern Appalachian English: Transcripts, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Great_Smoky_Mountains&oldid=1150997748, Intersection of Balsam crest and Great Smokies crest, Jesse Siler, who used the mountain for grazing, The cove hardwood forests in the stream valleys, coves, and lower mountain slopes, The northern hardwood forests on the higher mountain slopes, The spruce-fir or boreal forest at the very highest elevations, This page was last edited on 21 April 2023, at 08:24. Nevertheless, the soldiers sighting of a booger gave the town its memorable name. [4] The Great Smokies are also home to the densest black bear population in the Eastern United States and the most diverse salamander population outside of the tropics.[5]. There is no train service to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The tundra vegetation disappeared, and the spruce-fir forests retreated to the highest elevations. Elevations in the park range from 850 to over 6,000 feet; a change in elevation that mimics the climate and habitat variations found from Georgia to Maine. Some stories claim that she promised to return to haunt John Bells direct descendants in 1935, but there were no reports by Nashville physician Dr. Charles Bailey Bell. Species that thrive in southern hardwood forests, such as the red-eyed vireo, wood thrush, wild turkey, northern parula, ruby-throated hummingbird, and tufted titmouse, are found throughout the range's lower elevations and cove hardwood forests. Five of the world's nine families of salamanders are found in the range, consisting of up to thirty-one species. Whether our collective imaginations are running wild or were really sensing something otherworldly, stories of ghosts, UFOs, terrifying man-sized animals, and other hair-raising tales abound in these Blue Ridge Mountains. Cherokee chief William Holland Thomas formed a Confederate legion made up mostly of Cherokee soldiers. It covers a section of Tennessee and North Carolina in the Southern USA that was once home to the Cherokee, and later by Scotch-Irish settlers. The Dyrt campers recommend Gee Creek campground, a primitive campground located on the Hiwassee and Ocoee Rivers. That would have been in 1935. [66] Other Cherokee place names in the Smokies included Duniskwalgunyi , or "forked antlers", which referred to the Chimney Tops, and kuwahi , or "mulberry place", which referred to Clingmans Dome. The spruce-fir understories of the Smokies are home to catawba rhododendron, mountain ash, pin cherry, thornless blackberry, and hobblebush. The Bell Witch (who is thought to be a woman named Kate Batts) was supposedly cheated in a land purchase by John Bell, the patriarch of the Bell family. 37738, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. 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. Less than a year after Mavis died, Basil married Trulie Jane Lawson, a young woman who also lived in Cades Cove. The cove hardwood forests of the Smokies are mostly second-growth, although some 72,000 acres (290km2) are still old-growth. In terms of weather, the park's abundant rainfall and high summertime humidity provide excellent growing conditions. Currently residing in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Amy is an English teacher and soccer coach who grew up in the Appalachian Mountains. The park contains five historic districts and nine individual listings on the National Register of Historic Places. According to legend, Jackson and his party set up their tents outside of the Bell home. On one frigid evening, Basil and Trulie decided to use one of Maviss quilts to keep warm. The largest logging operation in the Smokies was the Little River Lumber Company, which logged the Little River watershed between 1901 and 1939. Backcountry camping is free, although you do need a reservation and a permit. They began hearing noises such as scratching, knocks on the walls, and chains being dragged across the floor, says Pat Fitzhugh, an author and historian who has written two books about the events that occurred on the Bell farm. In July 2016 the Charlotte Observer reported that Forest Service officers had reported close-up encounters on the mountain with beach ball sized orbs that floated by and then vanished. Why other tree types such as the red spruce fail to encroach into the beech gaps is unknown. Many other indigenous tribes had their own version of a large, hairy monster, but the myth of the Sasquatch was the first to be recorded by European settlers. On their way to see the light, the boys stopped to tell their mother, Kathleen May, who asked National Guardsman Eugene Lemon to join them. [82][83][84], Innovations in logging railroads and band saw technology in the late 19th century made large-scale logging possible in the mountainous areas of Southern Appalachia. Predictions are based on observations of species. Other reptiles include the eastern box turtle, the eastern fence lizard, the black rat snake, and the northern water snake. [12] These mountain wave winds are strongest in a narrow area along the foothills, and can create extensive areas of fallen trees and roof damage, especially around Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Camp Creek community. Cades Cove and Smokemont campgrounds are open year-round, and the rest are open seasonally. Biological diversity, or 'biodiversity', means the number and variety of different types of animals, plants, fungi, and other organisms in a location or habitat. Similar reports came in over the next few days, and the sensational story was soon picked up by the local newspaper. It liked to argue religion and make fun of people, except for Mrs. Bell. Almost 95% of the park is forested, and about 25% of that area is old-growth forest. Instead, the name came from the Goldsboro News-Argusnewspaper in North Carolina. [40], The Smokies are home to a diverse bird population due to the presence of multiple forest types. [86] Other lumbering operations included Three M Lumber and Champion Fibre, both of which logged the Oconaluftee watershed. One of the great draws of the Smokies is its extensive trail system crisscrossing forested valleys and misty mountain slopes. Between the two is the scenic Newfound Gap Road, which winds for 29 miles, neatly bisecting the park on the only pavement traversing the Smokies. If you prefer not to sleep in a tent, the only option inside park boundaries is the LeConte Lodge, a delightfully old-fashioned collection of wooden cottages near the top of Mount LeConte (elevation 6594ft). Theres no doubt about Bigfoots existence in Phil Smiths eyes. [3] The Albright Grove along the Maddron Bald Trail (between Gatlinburg and Cosby) is an accessible old-growth forest with some of the oldest and tallest trees in the entire range.[25]. The Pardo expedition followed a trail across the flanks of Chilhowee Mountain to the Mississippian-period villages at Chilhowee and Citico (Pardo's notary called them by their Muskogean names, "Chalahume" and "Satapo"). Newspapers dubbed the creature Mothman. The main gateways to Great Smoky Mountains are the Sugarlands Visitor Center, near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, North Carolina. We may never discover the truth behind Boogertowns backstory, but listening to all of the theories and tall tales sure is a lot of fun! Protected in the park are some 65 species of mammals, over 200 varieties of birds, 67 native . They consist primarily of metamorphic gneiss, granite, and schist. Why such a wondrous diversity? [17], Most of the rocks in the Great Smoky Mountains consist of Late Precambrian rocks that are part of a formation known as the Ocoee Supergroup. When you need a break from walking, you can let a trusty steed do the work. The other venomous snake, the copperhead, is typically found at lower elevations. According to both Appalachian folk tales and Cherokee legend, a group of pale-skinned humanoids called the Moon-Eyed People might be hiding somewhere in the Appalachian range. Watch out for slippery rocks, and dont swim or wade in park waters (falls and drowning are among the leading causes of injury). The park's abundant rainfall and high summertime humidity provide excellent growing conditions. The raging waters washed out roads and bridges and took out power for several weeksbut the Brown Mountain Lights were still spotted in the night sky. The bobcat is the range's only remaining wild cat species, although sightings of cougars, which once thrived in the area, are still occasionally reported. Other popular access points are the Cataloochee Valley on the east side of the park, and Cades Cove in the west. If you spill salt, throw a pinch over your left shoulder so you wont have bad luck. The lodge is not accessible by road, so to get there youll have to hoof it uphill on a hike ranging from 5.5 miles to 9 miles in length depending on which trail you use. Christian Protestantismespecially Primitive Baptists, Missionary Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians; dominated the religious culture of the region. Wild Bear Falls Water Park - Gatlinburg. Carvings on Judaculla Rock in Jackson County, N.C., may never be fully explained. The animalor whatever it isis large and covered in dark fur. Bluegrass songs claim that the lights are the ghost of a slave searching for his lost master. Mountains, climate, and weather are the big reasons. The creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park proved much more complex than the creation of its predecessors, such as Yellowstone and Yosemite, which were already federally owned. Imagine youre deep in the woods when you spot a sudden movement through the trees. 107 Park Headquarters Road Bailey Freeman shares how she overcame her fears and embraced adventures in nature. [70], In the 1780s, several frontier outposts had been established along the outskirts of the Smokies, namely Whitson's Fort in what is now Cosby and Wear's Fort in what is now Pigeon Forge. more information on current conditions Visit our keyboard shortcuts docs for details, Great Smoky Mountains National Park: The Range of Life. 2023 Blue Ridge Mountains Travel Guide |, 30 Fascinating Blue Ridge Mountains Facts, The 7 Best Caves & Caverns in North Carolina, Visiting Expedition Bigfoot Museum (AKA Sasquatch Museum) in Cherry Log, GA, The 10 Best Haunted Houses inNorth Carolina, The 15 Best Things to Do in SWVA (Southwest Virginia), The Best Restaurants in Burnsville NC For Foodies, The 20 Best Things to Do in Dahlonega GA & Lumpkin County, Strawberry Picking in GA: The 10 Best Strawberry Farms to Visit, Visiting Deerwoode Reserve Cabin Rentals in Brevard NC, The 10 Best Historic & Covered Bridges in Virginia, The 15 Best Hotels in Asheville NC to Visit.