If you’re looking for some creepy fun this Halloween season, don’t miss the chance to explore some of the most haunted destinations in the Smokies! The Smoky Mountains have a rich history with many local legends of hauntings, so keep your eyes open as you never know what you might see! Here are 4 haunted places to visit in the Smoky Mountains this Halloween:
1. Cades Cove
While Cades Cove may be a scenic wonderland during the daylight hours, there is no denying the eerie feeling of the area at dusk! After all, a place filled with abandoned cabins, churches and cemeteries is bound to have some haunted history! Some folks who tour Cades Cove say they get an eerie feeling around certain buildings or have even seen apparitions floating around the historic site. The Primitive Baptist Church has been particularly noted for some ghostly activities, as people who visit Cades Cove at night have reported seeing a woman coming out of the wall at the church. The woman is described as a ghost apparition who appears in full form or just her face, but her identity remains a mystery!
2. Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
Another one of the haunted places to visit in the Smoky Mountains this Halloween is Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, a narrow winding loop road with many natural and historic wonders. Along with rushing mountain streams, old-growth forests and well-preserved log cabins, some visitors have also spotted the ghost of a young woman named Lucy along the side of the road! According to local legend, Lucy died in the area when her family cabin burned down in the early 1900s and she is rumored to wander this area of the park looking for a ride. She mainly appears in the early morning fog or just before sunset, so be on the lookout for this lady in white!
3. The Road to Nowhere
Prior to the construction of Fontana Lake in the southern part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, hundreds of people lived in the area for generations. They were forced to leave their homes as the highway that led to their communities was buried by the lake. Although the government promised to build a new road (Lakeview Drive) to give the prior residents access to their old family cemeteries, an environmental issue caused construction of the road to end abruptly. If you are hiking along Noland Creek Trail, you can find the end of the Lakeview Drive and this road to nowhere. Many visitors who have hiked this trail at night have spotted floating, glowing orbs that may be the restless spirits of the old cemeteries!
4. Elkmont Ghost Town
While the Elkmont Ghost Town gets its name from being abandoned, there is no doubt that there are creepy vibes in the area! Elkmont was primarily a logging community throughout the 19th and early 20th century, complete with a railroad line, school, church and homes. The area transitioned into part of the tourism industry in the early 1900s with vacation cottages and a hotel. Once Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established in 1934, the park service purchased the Elkmont area and the owners of the cottages were asked to sell their land in return for lifetime leases. Once the leases expired, more than 70 buildings stood in the park with no one to maintain them. They began to deteriorate, which led to the ghost town of today!
Now that you know some of the haunted places to visit in the Smoky Mountains this Halloween, learn about some of the creepy folklore of the Smokies before making your trip! Check out these 4 spooky Smoky Mountain ghost stories and legends!
