Wear a buckeye in your bra to ward off rheumatism. The Wild Man can be found in literature as early as the second century BC. The name "Smoky" comes from the natural fog that often hangs over the range and presents as large smoke plumes from a distance. I had to, he says, and there beside the grapevines was a seven-foot creature. Hold your breath when you pass a cemetery, or youll be the next to die. Needless to say, I made a hasty departure home.. [15], The climate of Clingmans Dome is hemiboreal (Kppen Dfb, Trewartha Dcb[16]). 2023 Visit My Smokies, The ONLY site you need to plan your Smoky Mountain vacation, is a website owned and operated by Sevier County, Tennessee. The forests of the Smokies are typically divided into three zones: Appalachian baldspatches of land where trees are unexpectedly absent or sparseare interspersed through the mid-to-upper elevations in the range. 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. Everyone has their own opinion, about the statue, says Stalcup. For even more fascinating stories from East Tennessee, check out these 3 Cherokee Legends from the Great Smoky Mountains! The frightened man believed that he was being stalked by a booger in the woods. The larger rainbow and brown trout outcompete the native brook trout for food and habitat at lower elevations. [41], Ovenbirds, whip-poor-wills, and downy woodpeckers live in the drier pine-oak forests and heath balds. [48] The imitator salamander is found only in the Smokies and the nearby Plott Balsams and Great Balsam Mountains. Unlike the Grand Canyon and most other national parks, this one wont cost you a penny to enter. The northern hardwood forests of the Smokies constitute the highest broad-leaved forest in the eastern United States. 17-year-old Eugene Lemon, a National Guardsman whod also tagged along on the adventure, said he saw a pulsing light and pointed his flashlight toward it, revealing a pair of bright eyes in a tree and a 10-foot monster with a blood-red face and a green body that seemed to glow. The monster then hissed and floated towards the group, causing Lemon to scream and drop his flashlight. [78], While no major engagements took place in the Smokies, minor skirmishes were fairly common. 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. The highest point in the Smokies is Clingmans Dome, the tallest mountain in Tennessee, which rises to an elevation of 6,643 feet (2,025m). The Dyrt campers recommend Gee Creek campground, a primitive campground located on the Hiwassee and Ocoee Rivers. But his written account stated that he saw the lights at a consistent time every night, leading many people to believe he was actually seeing train lights in the distance. The sources of several rivers are located in the Smokies, including the Little Pigeon River, the Oconaluftee River, and Little River. Its not that youre crazy. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park region is divided down its length by the Tennessee - North Carolina border. Regardless of what happened to Perry Shults, no one has managed to find his buried treasure or discover the location of his secret gold mineyet. Most of the forest is a mature second-growth hardwood forest. [52] Other amphibians include the American toad and the American bullfrog, wood frog, upland chorus frog, northern green frog, and spring peeper. Some believe they were descendants of a small group of Welshmen who came to America long before the Spanish and settled in the Smoky Mountains around 1170. 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. Permanent settlers began arriving in these areas in the 1790s. If you do see a black bear on vacation, consider yourself lucky because it happened by chance! 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. [citation needed] Thomas' Legion crossed the Smokies in 1862 and occupied Gatlinburg for several months to protect saltpeter mines atop Mount Le Conte. People soon began traveling to the Bell farm to experience the supernatural phenomenon for themselves. 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 herbaceous and litter layers of the spruce-fir forests are poorly lit year-round, and are thus dominated by shade-tolerant plants such as ferns, namely mountain wood fern and northern lady fern, and over 280 species of mosses.[32]. Made famous by a 1997 episode ofThe X-Files and the 2002 film The Mothman Prophecies, the Mothman is a fearsome creature with broad wings and red eyes who originated in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. If you're looking for a good fright, check out three of our favorite Smoky Mountain ghost stories. Dont wash clothes on New Years Day or you will wash a family member out. The first logging operations in the Smokies, which began in the 1880s, used splash dams or booms to float logs down rivers to lumber mills in nearby cities. It made national headlines, says Smith. As timber resources in these regions became exhausted, and as the demand for lumber skyrocketed after the Civil War, entrepreneurs began looking for ways to reach the virgin forests of Southern Appalachia. Christian Protestantismespecially Primitive Baptists, Missionary Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians; dominated the religious culture of the region. They consist primarily of metamorphic gneiss, granite, and schist. [93], The Tennessee Smokies baseball team plays in Sevierville, Tennessee and is named for the mountain range. 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. Explore the supernatural side of the Smoky Mountains while enjoying a walk with the Ghost & Haunt Tours of Gatlinburg! Plan your visit today! 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"). Wanda Stalcup is the Director of the Cherokee County Historical Museum in Murphy, N.C. 5.0 out of 5 stars . Dont walk under a ladder. With diverse terrain, outstanding landscapes and well-maintained trails, hiking in the US is a joy. All rights reserved. [70], The Middle towns, including Kittuwa, were burned by General Griffith Rutherford, and several of the Overhill towns were burned by John Sevier. THE SCARIEST TRAIL IN THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS . [39] The National Park Service has successfully reintroduced river otters and elk into the Great Smokies. 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. 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. Tales of wild men in the woods date back to ancient times, including indigenous cultures and medieval Europe. One Cherokee legend tells of a magical lake hidden deep within the range, but inaccessible to humans. From black bears to salamanders, old-growth forests to spring wildflowers, log cabins to gristmills. Here are three of our favorite tall tales from the Smokies: Supernatural Revenge in Cades Cove 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. Popular Native American folklore says that a bloody battle between the Cherokee and Catawba tribes took place on the mountain. The story of the Bell Witch is one of the most popular examples of Appalachian Mountain folklore, and it began in Robertson County, Tennessee. Early Precambrian rocks, which include the oldest rocks in the Smokies, comprise the dominant rock type in the Raven Fork Valley (in the Oconaluftee valley) and lower Tuckasegee River between Cherokee and Bryson City. [20], Between 16,500 and 12,500 years ago, the glaciers to the north retreated and mean annual temperatures rose. Amy is excited to share her passion for the outdoors through her writing! When the archaeologists came and looked at [the statue] they said theyd never seen anything to compare it to, says Stalcup. What Ghostly Encounters Might You Have in Harpers Ferry or Great Smoky Tennessee Historical Commission Marker IC-69, "The McMahan Indian Mound," in Sevierville, Tennessee. Others refuted the sightings, believing that residents of Point Pleasant were actually seeing a sandhill crane that had wandered out of its normal migration route. Some people say that Shults fled from the Smoky Mountains and left a treasure trove of gold coins buried somewhere in the Greenbrier area. Subscribe to Lonely Planet newsletters and promotions. Don't miss the opportunity to check out this mountain-themed, world-class family indoor/outdoor water park, which is ideally located at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Water Park in Gatlinburg. 37738, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. [80] Another incident was George Kirk's raid on Cataloochee, in which Kirk killed or wounded 15 Union soldiers recovering at a makeshift hospital. Stroll down the Townsend Riverwalk Trail, which is a paved route with five miles of walking and biking trails on each side of Highway 321. 37738, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. To learn more about this Appalachian scary story, visit the Flatwoods Monster Museum in Sutton WV. Trees were unable to survive at the higher elevations and were replaced by tundra vegetation. [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. In the middle of the night, a brilliant flash of light burst into the cabin and knocked Trulie Jane right out of bed. Basil pledged to follow Maviss wishes. Never close a knife you didnt open, or youll have bad luck for 7 years. It wasnt long before Trulie Jane talked Basil into buying a metal bed for their cabin. [88], Wilson B. Townsend, the head of Little River Lumber, began advertising Elkmont as a tourist destination in 1909. 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. Rumors quickly spread through the company, where the name Bigfoot soon caught like wildfire. Numerous Archaic period (c.80001000 B.C.) Bailey Freeman shares how she overcame her fears and embraced adventures in nature. In fact, the Smokies are among the oldest mountain ranges in the world! Activities are free and open to the public. Early settlers lived in 16 feet (4.9m) x 20 feet (6.1m) log cabins, although these were replaced by more elaborate log houses and eventually, as lumber became available, by modern frame houses. Everything you need to know to plan a trip to Great Smoky Mountains Great Smoky Mountains National Park contains some of the largest tracts of wilderness in the East and is a critical sanctuary for a wide variety of animals. The park is also the center of diversity for salamanders and is home to more than 200 species of birds, 68 species of mammals, 67 native fish species, 39 species of reptiles, and 43 species of amphibians. Learn more about the park's fee program changes for 2023, including a new initiative: the Smokies Parking Tag program. 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. [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. [26] The American chestnut (Castanea dentata), which was arguably the most beloved tree of the range's pre-park inhabitants, was killed off by the introduced Chestnut blight in the 1920s. Species have been observed and documented in the park for over a hundred years and new discoveries are being made all the time. [23] Stands dominated by the Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) are occasionally found along streams and broad slopes above 3,500 feet (1,100m). Gatlinburg, A walking stick also comes in handy. [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 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. Most of the range's adult eastern black bears weigh between 100 pounds (45kg) and 300 pounds (140kg), although some grow to more than 500 pounds (230kg). As for temperatures, the average temperature difference between the mountains (Newfound Gap around 5,000 feet (1,500m) MSL and the valleys (Park Headquarters around 1,600 feet (490m) MSL in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is between 10 and 13 F (6 and 7 C) with highs and between 3 and 6 F (2 and 3 C) with lows. When you drop your fork, it means a woman is coming to visit. 3 Smoky Mountain Ghost Stories That Will Scare Your Socks Off Their eyes were supposedly so sensitive to the sun that they remained nocturnal, which is why theyre called moon-eyed.. 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. Tourism is key to the area's economy, particularly in cities like Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg in Tennessee,[92] and Cherokee, North Carolina. Wild Bear Falls Water Park - Gatlinburg. The Ocoee Supergroup consists primarily of slightly metamorphosed sandstones, phyllites, schists, and slate. Almost 95% of the park is forested, and about 25% of that area is old-growth forest.