Creepy Appalachian Trail Legends and Stories

Join Steve as he discusses some CREEPY accounts from the Appalachian Trail and beyond! Writen by Nicole Stockton.

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hello friends, Steep Stockton here withyou. Welcome to our latest episode.
In this video, just in timefor spooky season, we bring you creepy
stories and legends from the Appalachian Trailand surrounding areas. Now, the Appalachian
Trail, or the AT, whilenot the longest trail, is considered the

(00:24):
longest hiking footpath globally. Spanning twentytwo hundred miles, it attracts an estimated
two to three million hikers annually.The trail passes through fourteen states from Georgia
to Maine, providing a range ofunique landscapes, including rugged wilderness and quaint
villages with stunning views. Due tothis diversity, is a perfect destination for

(00:46):
hikers of all levels. Despite itsenchanting beauty, the trail's more secluded areas
have been the site of some disturbingincidents. Unfortunately, there have been violent
assaults and around a dozen reported murderssince the first one, recorded in nineteen
seventy four. The trail passes throughdesolate mountains and thick forests, leading to

(01:06):
chilling experiences for hikers and giving riseto scary stories and urban legends. In
this video, we'll explore some ofthe legends and paranormal encounters associated with the
Appalachian Trail. Join me, let'swalk and see now. There have been
reports from hikers who have walked longdistances on the Appalachian Trail without encountering anyone

(01:29):
else, which can lead to feelingsof isolation and unsettling thoughts. In a
few cases, investigations have suggested thatthere may be unusual things to discover while
on the trail. First up,Dudley Town, the Cursed Village. The
quiet town of Cornwall was settled inthe mid eighteenth century. Much like many
other areas of Connecticut. The firstDudleys from England via Guilford arrived in the

(01:55):
Litchfield Hills in seventeen forty seven.They played a pivotal role in forming a
prosperous community then known as Aylesbury,primarily driven by the burging iron industry in
the region. The settlers constructed homes, farmed the land, and forged iron,
leading to the town's growth and prosperity. The town's eventual demise can be

(02:15):
attributed to various factors, such asthe depletion of farm land, the decline
of the iron industry in the area, and the natural progression of younger Americans
moving westward to settle new lands.However, some people believe that the Dudley
clan was cursed, as many Dudleysmet an untimely demise, and this curse
extended to the village they founded.For reasons unknown, the population of Dudley's

(02:39):
decreased over time and eventually dwindled toa point where the last resident abandoned the
remaining town at the start of thetwentieth century. The surrounding forests gradually consumed
the homes of buildings, leaving onlya few decaying foundations and empty cellars as
remnants of what once was. There'sa widespread belief that those who attempted to

(03:00):
reside in Dudley Town have experienced terriblemisfortune. Supposedly, there have been numerous
incidents ranging from self harm to demonicpossessions, causing a great deal of hysteria
paranormal investigators. Add Lorraine Warren evenfilmed a Halloween special in Dudley Town during
the nineteen seventies, official declaring itdemonically possessed. This declaration essentially paved the

(03:23):
way for supernatural occurrences. The locationhas been a site for numerous reports of
paranormal activities, including sightings of apparitionsand ghostly figures that ilicit feelings of fear
and unease among visitors. Unfortunately,the area has also caught the interests of
individuals obsessed with dark powers and satanicpractices, along with many inexperienced ghost hunters

(03:46):
and mischievous adolescents. Consequently, ithas turned into a place associated with evil
and doom. It's important to notethat this sposed curse of Dudley Town has
primarily been proven false, with evena descendant of the Dudley family, Raverend
Gary P. Dudley, debunking themyth. However, despite the lack of

(04:08):
actual curses, supernatural currencies, ordark tragedies in the town's history, people
still enjoy sharing spooky stories about it. The ruins of Dudley Town are located
on private property home by the DarkEntry Forest Association. They strictly prohibit all
visitors. Local and state police willarrest and prosecute any trespassers. Next,

(04:30):
we have the moon eyed people.Both apalaches and folk tales and Cherokee legends
suggest that there could be a groupof pale skinned humanoids known as the Moon
Eyed People hiding in the Apalachian Range. The Moon Eyed People are commonly linked
to the small town of Murphy,North Carolina. They are alleged to have
a short, stout build and whiteskinned, bearded faces and large blue eyes.

(04:55):
As per legend, their eyes weresusceptible to the sun, making them
knock to ernal creatures and earning themthe moniker Moonine. According to legend,
the indigenous Native American tribes would waitfor the full moon to drive out the
Moon eight People from their underground caves. The bright light would weaken them,
forcing them to flee to other areasof Appalachia permanently. The Moon Eighted People,

(05:18):
unlike other Apalachian monsters, were believedto be a unique and distinct race
of people rather than supernatural entities.It's believed that the Moon Eighted People were
actually European settlers. However, thelegend surrounding them is so startling that it
originates from a time well before Christophercolumbus arrival in America. Presently, exhibits

(05:40):
of the Moon eight People can befound at the Cherokee County Historical Museum in
Murphy, North Carolina. There's athree foot toss sculpture of two co joined
figures thought to represent moon eighted peoplefrom the early eighteen forties. Port Mountain,
a Georgia State park near Elaja,Georgia, contains the ruins of an
eight hundred and fifty foot long stonewall that is said to have been constructed

(06:01):
by this mysterious tribe of people andnow apparitions of Civil War soldiers. Throughout
history, numerous wars been waged onmultiple fronts. In eighteen sixty two,
three significant battles of the Civil Wartook place across various areas of what is
currently referred to as the Maryland Section, situated along the Appalachian Trail. Many

(06:26):
lives, particularly those of soldiers,were lost in the violent and ongoing conflict.
The number of soldier casualties was sogreat that some believe their spirits linger
on. Hikers on the Appalachian Trailwho passed through these areas have shared eerie
stories. There have been reports ofghost soldiers, strange campfires, and the
distant sounds of cannons by some people. Close to the past where the fighting

(06:47):
was intense is the farm of aman named Daniel Wise. Is believed that
the remains of fifty eight soldiers werethrown into an old well on his property,
which has led to sightings of ghostlyfigures wandering around wise land. Next
we have the Pierced Pond ghost.Some individuals enjoy hiking the Appalachian Trail solo,

(07:10):
but this has led to negative experiencesfor some, according to stories.
One man, for example, wastrekking along Pierced Pond in Maine when he
encountered two shocking incidents that have stayedwith him forever. After hiking several miles
and camping at different locations, hesettled at the Pierced Pond camp area for
the night. On enjoying his campfire, he noticed a figure walking nearby.

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Upon closer inspection, the figure appearedghostly and resembled a rugged outdoorsman caring what
appeared to be fishing equipment. Duringthat first night, the spectral figure gradually
faded into the darkness. The manresumed his hike the next day, only
to come face to face with aghostly figure once more. This encounter was

(07:55):
more frightening than the previous, asthe figure halted and gave him an unsettling
stare that sent shivers down his spine. Without hesitation, the hiker left his
campsite, dashed into the forest,took cover behind a tree, and waited
until morning. Once daylight broke,he quickly returned to his camp, gathered
his belongings, and left the areabefore nightfall caught up with him again.

(08:20):
And there's the story of the flatWoods Monster. In the summer of nineteen
fifty two, Edward and Fred May, two brothers from flat Woods, West
Virginia, brushed home to tell theirmother, Kathleen May, about a strange
event they had just witnessed. Whileplaying football at Flatwood's school playground, they

(08:41):
saw a bright object swiftly fly acrossthe sky and land on a nearby farmer's
property. Miss May and her sons, along with some other boys from the
area, were curious about what hadoccurred on the neighbor's land and went looking
for answers. As the sun set, they noticed an unusual object in the
woods. According to Andrew Smith,the executive director of the Braxton County c

(09:03):
v B and curator of the flatWood Monster Museum, the thing had an
odd shape. It was emitting ared glow accompanied by smoke or steam.
During this adventure, seventeen year oldNational guardsman Eugene Lemon witnessed a pulsating light
and directed his flashlight toward it.He spotted a quote ten foot monster with

(09:26):
bright eyes, a blood red face, and green glowing body perched in a
tree. The monster then hissed andfloated toward the group, causing Lemon to
scream and drop his flashlights. Accordingto newspaper reports, several of the party
fainted and vomited for several hours afterreturning to town later, Miss May was
quoted as saying that the monster lookedworse than Frankenstein. The group turned and

(09:50):
ran down the hill, immediately reportingwhat they saw to the local sheriff.
Several men armed with shotguns returned tothe scene with Lemon an hour later.
According to local reports, never metwith a horrible smell and saw what they
described as slight heat waves in theair. Authorities didn't find much, says
Smith. What was found was gatheredand sent to Washington, d c.

(10:13):
And never seen again. Smith saysone of the reasons the Flatwoods monster encounter
is so intriguing is that it wasonly the second or third of its kind,
and likely one of the first.With so many witnesses, it made
National Headlines, says Smith. Today, on the main road into town,
a sign reads welcome to flat Woods, home of the Green Monster. The

(10:35):
UFO siding or whatever it was isin the past, but not forgotten.
There's not a consensus on what happenedin flat Woods that evening, says Smith,
you have your UFO true believers andskeptics who think it was a misidentified
bar Now. Smith explains, ifI had to pick one, he says,
I'd say the most commonly hell thoughtis that the monster is a fun

(10:56):
and interesting bit of folklore. Havingto decide whether it's real or fate takes
all the fun out of it.Next up, the Giggling Children. There's
a spooky tale about some children whoappeared unnatural and unsettling to a group of
hikers on the at The hikers hadhiked for miles and set up camp in

(11:16):
a particular spot. They were metwith an unusual and eerie sight. When
they woke up the morning after apeaceful sleep, they discovered that their campsite
was enveloped by dense mists that failedto dissipate despite the sun shining. As
they gathered their belongings, they heardchildren's laughter emanating from their surroundings. The
group was almost done packing up whena group of children led by one parent,

(11:39):
walked out of the mist and passedthem. These creepy children asked the
hikers where they are going, andsomeone responded they were hiking along the Appalachian
Trail. The kids started laughing andone replied, this isn't the Appalachian Trail.
As they kept walking off, Thehikers spent the whole day hearing the
children giggling around him from the woodsnext the Bell Witch Haunting not too far

(12:05):
west of the Great Smoky Mountains NationalPark the town of Adams, Tennessee.
John and Lucy Bell were farmers whosettled in Adams around eighteen o three.
They lived peacefully on their land untileighteen seventeen, when the family began experiencing
odd and unexplainable occurrences in their home. They began hearing noises such as scratching,

(12:26):
knocks on the walls and change beingdragged across the floor, says Pat
Fitzhugh, a friend of mine who'san author and historian who's written two books
about the events on the Bell farm. Over time, the noises became more
intense and more frequent. Then,the Bell's two daughters began complaining of something
trying to pull up their covers andpinched them while they slept. The Bells
chose to keep quiet about the unusualcurrences in their home for more than a

(12:50):
year because they were concerned about theopinion of their church community. However,
the harassment persisted, and eventually JohnBell confided in one of his neighbors about
the strange incidents. This neighbor visitedtheir home and experienced similar disturbances. As
words spread, the news of theevents became known throughout the Eastern and Southeastern
regions. According to Fitsiu, misterstarted flocking to the Bell farm to witness

(13:15):
the area occurrence. Some were inquisitive, while the others aim to disprove the
Bell's claims. Bitchy says, overtime, it seems this thing, whatever
it was, fed off attention andpeople's fears. It eventually developed a whispering
voice, and within a year itcould speak audibly. People have written down
and passed through generations accounts of whatthis thing allegedly said. Says fits you.

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It'd like to argue religion and makefun of people, Except for missus
Bell. It stated its purpose wasto kill John Bell. The poultergeist was
named Kate after it declared itself tobe the witch of a woman named Kate
bats from the area. Following JohnBell's death in December of eighteen twenty,
Kate claimed responsibility for Hissdom, citinghis evil nature as the reason for her

(14:03):
actions. The Bell Farm gradually returnedto its usual routine until Betsy Bell,
the family's youngest daughter, announced herengagement to a nearby resident named Joshua Gardner.
Kate revowed her scored and disapproval aboutBetsy Bell's upcoming marriage, says Fitzhugh.
She talked Betsy into breaking off theengagement with Joshua. A short time

(14:24):
later, the poultry guy said shewould leave, but promised to return in
seven years. Seven years later,Kate did return, visiting John Bell Jr.
Who was not living at the BellFarm. Then they allegedly talked for
three nights about the past, present, and future, explains Fitzhugh. After
that, the Bell Witch bid farewelland promised to return in one hundred and

(14:45):
seven years. That would have beennineteen thirty five. Some said she returned
and some said she didn't, saysfitz you. Now, the real story
behind the tale of the Bell Witchhas never been uncovered. Some thought it
was an act of the supernatural,says fits You. Skeptics accused the Bell
family of doing it by knowing howto act and use of ventriloquism. Some
thought they did it for money,but the Bell family never charged the scent

(15:09):
to anyone staying over in their home. Though Fitzhugh has considered many theories,
he says he doesn't know what theBell Witch was when you look at how
long the story has endured and howmany people have put forth theories. Doctors,
lawyers, and preachers back in theday, Saidaie witness manuscripts saying they
witness these things, says fits you. It makes it more than just your

(15:30):
standard folk tale. And now theBrown Mountain Lights, the Brown Mountain Lights
and the Blue Ridge Mountains of NorthCarolina have long been a fascinating Appalachian mountain
enigma. Visitors and locals alike havewitnessed unusual glowing orbs and shades of blue,
white, orange, and red hoveringabout fifteen feet above the ground in
Brown Mountain near Morganton, North Carolina. According to the legend, a fierce

(15:54):
fight between Cherokee and Cataba braves onBrown Mountain resulted in numerous cases. After
the battle, Kataba women with searchfor their lost family members at night,
using torches to light their way.Some people believe that the lights observed today
are the spirits of these Kataba womenwho are still looking for their lost loved
ones. In seventeen seventy one,German engineer John William Gerhard de Bram saw

(16:19):
and recorded the Brown Mountain lights inhis journal. However, some doubt was
cast on to Brahm's account as heclaimed to have seen the lights every night,
which some speculated could have been distanttrain lights. There have been many
documented sightings of the Brown Mountain lightsthroughout the twentieth century, particularly after the
Lynnville area gained access to electricity.Although these sightings are often unpredictable, the

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lights are commonly observed at night,particularly following periods of rainfall. The Brown
Mountain Overlook, Weisman's View Overlook,and Lost Cove Clips Overlook are highly sought
after locations to catch a glimpse ofthese lights. I've seen them myself and
is definitely worth the trip. Spotscould be accessed by a North Carolina one

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o five south or North Carolina oneeighty one near Asheville and Boone. Regardless
of the time of day, theseoverlooks provide breathtaking scenic views if nothing else.
Now we have the story of themoth Man. In nineteen sixty six,
Point Pleasant was a small town withjust a few thousand residents located at

(17:22):
the junction of the Ohio and Canawallrivers. In November that year, the
town experienced the disturbance caused by anunidentified being. Brave diggers at a cemetery
in Clandennen, West Virginia, abouteighty miles a Point Pleasant claimed to have
seen a man with wings flying overtheir heads and taking off from a nearby
tree. Three days later, twoyoung couples are droven near an abandoned World

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War two T and T plant approximatelyfive miles north of Point Pleasant, claimed
they saw a large flying man withten foot wings and red glowing eyes.
The individuals tried to flee from theunidentified creature, driving almost one hundred miles
per hour. However, the beastschased them and pursued them until they reached
the city limits of Point Pleasant.Bring for their safety, they promptly reported

(18:08):
the incident to the local authorities.The media dubbed the creature Mothmen, and
the story gained a national attention,making Mothman a sensation. During the following
week, there were at least eightadditional reported sightings of a birdlike creature with
massive wings in around Point Pleasant.Captain Paul Yoder and Benjamin Enox, who

(18:29):
were volunteer firefighters, provided one ofthese accounts. As per the Gettysburg Times,
Yoda and Enux reported seeing a birdof considerable size with red eyes that
were equally large. Some individuals disputethe reported sightings, suggesting that the people
of Point Pleasant may have observed asand hill crye that had deviated from its
usual migration path. There were hundredsof eye witnesses, says Jeff Wamsley,

(18:53):
owner of Point Pleasants Mothmaan Museum.Born and raised in the town, Wamsley
was only five years old when themothman appeared and began terrorizing his neighbors.
Throughout the following year, peculiar incidentspersisted. Point Pleasant authorities received an influx
of reports detailing UFO sightings and encounterswith mysterious men in black Furthermore, the

(19:15):
sightings of Mothman persisted. A tragicincident occurred in nineteen sixty seven, just
ten days before Christmas, during rushout traffic, the Silver Bridge, which
connected Point Pleasant to Gallippulos, Ohio, collapsed and caused the death of forty
six individuals. According to some reports, there were sightings of the Mothman at

(19:37):
or even on the bridge shortly beforeit's collapsed, and it was believed that
the creature's presence was a sign ofthe impending disaster. Wamsley says the fact
that the UFO sidings, men inBlack presence, and the Silver Bridge disaster
all happened during the Mothman sightings intriguedmany people. It's a fascinating turn of
events or a small town like PointPleasant, According to Whamsley, the residents

(20:03):
of Point Pleasant had an encounter withsomething indeed out of the ordinary. I
just don't believe that many people couldhave made up the same story, says
Wamsley. Well, what it wasthey saw, I don't believe will ever
be truly explained or solved. Andnow the legend of Spearfinger, several creepy
legends associated with the Appalachian trail originatefrom the Cherokee people. One of these

(20:27):
legends is about Spearfinger, which hasbeen used to frighten children for generations.
Spearfinger is described as a witch likehag who can disguise herself as a friendly
old grandmother or even a family member. Spearfinger lurks around the smoky mountains highest
peaks as she focuses on children whohave wandered away from their homes and parents.

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These children are usually afraid, whichSpearfinger takes advantage of as she tells
them she'll help, but her anticis to sing them to sleep slowly.
She didn't uses her finger made ofobsidian, to gouge out their liver and
eat it before them. And nowwe have a story of a young girl
who spotted a ghost while camping onthe Appalachian Trail. While hiking with her

(21:14):
parents on the Appalachian Trail, ayoung girl experienced her first encounter with a
paranormal. The trio made camp forthe night, and as her parents slept,
she became frightened by something that kepther from being able to rest the
following day. After the airy nightpassed, the girl took a brief walk
with her mother before they continued theirheight. While walking around and enjoying each

(21:36):
other's company, her mother suddenly stoppedand stared blankly into the distance. The
young girl filled her mother's gaze andsaw a hazy apparition against a tree a
few yards from where they were standing. The man appeared calm but sad,
and then he faded the way,leaving the tense mother and child bewildered and
fearful, and now the legend ofthe scorch. While hiking along the Appalachian

(22:02):
Trail, it's not uncommon to experienceinterferes and imagine being followed or pursued by
unseen humans, animals, or forces. In twenty eleven, a confident man
decided to take a week off fromwork and hike the trail alone. At
first, the hiker's journey went welluntil a terrifying incident occurred that left the
lasting impression. On his first day, as he made his way down the

(22:26):
trail, night fell, prompting himto set up camp. While alone in
the dark, the man heard strangenoises approaching his tent. Although slightly alarmed,
he wasn't bothered enough to investigate thesource of the sounds. The following
day, he continued hiking and setup his camp before nightfall. While sitting
around his fire later that evening,he was left shocked when he saw a

(22:48):
man with badly burned hands, aburned body, and a smoking face standing
near his firewood. This experience shockedand left him numb as the burned figure
gazed at him before walking away.The terrified man decided to pack up his
belongings and leave the area immediately,only to come across a recently burned down
house with a sheriff outside. Thesheriff told the man that the entire family

(23:14):
burned alive in the house four daysprior was the apparition that the man witnessed
among those that had perished in thefire. Next, we have another phantom
encounter on the trail. During ahike on the Appalachian Trail in May of
nineteen seventy two, alone hiker encounteredwhat appeared to be a ghost from another
time. While on the hike,the hiker noticed a dense ground fog surrounding

(23:38):
him, which startled him. Ashe looked up, he saw a prominent
figure walking towards him, wearing aheavy coat and wide brimmed hat. The
phantom slowly staggered about, its eyesfacing the ground, as if searching for
something it had lost. This figurethen started walking towards the frightened hiker,
still looking at the ground, whichmade the hiker move as to avoid being

(24:00):
bumped into. As the phantom crossedhis path, he suddenly looked at the
hiker with cloudy blue eyes, whichseemed to stare it directly through him.
What surprised the hiker the most wasthat the man's clothing seemed to come from
a different period, and he neverresponded when he tried to say hello.
The hiker continued on and looked backfrom one last glimpse of the eerie figure,

(24:22):
only to discover the man had vanished. And what about the story of
mysterious abduction by unknown people? Now? There have been accounts of individuals being
abducted while hiking and later found afterbecoming extremely disoriented. In nineteen eighty eight,
a hiker had a terrifying experience thatto him, was even more frightening

(24:45):
than encountering an apparition. As theman was hiking along the trail, he
noticed a bright light emanating from theforest behind him. He was not bothered
by anyone, nor did he investigatethe source of the light, but he
decided to set up camp for thenight somewhere nearby. Later, he was
awakened by a strange man standing overhis hammock. The unfamiliar lurking man also

(25:07):
got startled, fled, and yelledto some other unseen people that the hiker
was awake. Being terrified by thisincident, the hiker quickly packed up his
gear and hurriedly continued his hike toput more distance between himself and the unseen
people. He continued hiking NonStop forsome time. Nevertheless, while resting in
his hammock some nights later, hewas cut down, wrapped up, and

(25:30):
dragged away to some undisclosed location.Unknown people beat him mercilessly as they shouted
to one another while others prepared something. Luckily, the hiker got a chance
to cut through his hammock and escape. He reported the incident to the authorities,
but the officials never found anyone responsiblefor attacking him that night. And

(25:52):
what about the couple that were watchedby unknown forces? A young couple had
a frightening experience while hiking on theApple Latching Trail in Virginia's southern region.
During the night, while they weresleeping in their tent, they were suddenly
awakened by odd noises and rustling soundscoming from outside their campsite. The young
man ventured out to investigate and successfullyfrightened off some mysterious figures lurking about.

(26:18):
It seemed the figures had wanted himto pursue them, but he chose not
to. The couple then camped thenext night with their backs against the cliff,
guns that they're ready. While thecouple slept, the figures returned started
to wake. The couple fired shotsinto the woods, and the figures quickly
retreated. The pair hurriedly left thearea, and by midday they noticed a

(26:40):
silhouette of someone standing in the distancewatching them. Fortunately, they were able
to leave the trail and reach civilizationwithout any harm. And now the legend
of the Wampas Cat. The Wampuscat, also known as the Cherokee death
cat, as a large feline resemblinga mountain lion or cougar. It is

(27:00):
said to have ten yellow fur,six legs, and striking yellow eyes.
According to legend, the creature's originis rooted in a curse placed upon a
Cherokee woman who witnessed a sacred prehunt ritual. She took refuge beneath the
pelt of a large cat and wassubsequently transformed into the half woman, half
beast featured in this popular Appalachian myth. The Wampa's Cat is said to roam

(27:23):
the mountains alone and often expresses herfrustration through angry behavior. She's known for
standing on her hind legs and usingher supernatural powers to drive her victims insane.
Even though the Wampa's Cat folk talefeatures the Cherokee people, the name
likely comes from the word catawampus,a mountain folklore that describes a boogieman or

(27:44):
something that had gone badly. Innineteen sixty four, there were reports of
a strange creature wondering around US seventy. The newspaper dubbed it the Wampa's Cat,
and the name ended up sticking.And then there's the legend of Bigfoot.
Now. Legends of Bigfoot are ancientand have been passed down through generations.

(28:07):
Stories of wild men in the woodsare known by different names in different
cultures. The Solish Sasquids call itSasquatch of the Algonquin of the North Central
region referred to it as the Whittikoor wind to Go. Other nations tell
tales of a creature similar to aman, but with special powers and characteristics.
According to the Ojibwe of the NorthernPlains, the beasts would appear during

(28:32):
times of danger, and other culturesbelieved that it was a warning messenger,
encouraging people to alter their behavior.Starting in the late eighteen hundreds and continuing
into the nineteen hundreds, North Americansettlers reported sightings of a mysterious creature.
Huge footprints, sporadic encounters, andgrainy photos and videos later only added to

(28:52):
the mystery. The cryptid is setto stalk the woods, occasionally frightening campers,
loggers, and hikers, with numerousaccount documented in the North Georgia Mountains,
witnesses have described the creature as agiant, upright ape or even a
hairy human, standing over eight feettall and possessing a powerful, robust build
In the Berkshares of western Massachusetts,numerous sightings of Bigfoot have been reported,

(29:17):
including along the Appalachian Trail in BeartownState Forest and the October Mountain State Forest.
Presently, the debate and research continues. Entire organizations exist to study and
document Bigfoot and prove its existence,and groups regularly search the Northwest Woods looking
for that ultimate proof. Today,individuals can commemorate this mythical monster the Appalachian

(29:42):
region by tending the Bigfoot Festival inMarion, North Carolina. And to round
things out, how about some Appalachiansuperstitions. Many of these I heard from
my grandma, but after speaking withher Tennessee based family, author Amy Lewis

(30:02):
comprised the list of these superstitions.The following are just ten of her findings.
Number one, never close a knifeif you didn't open, or you'll
have bad luck for seven years.Number two keep a penny in your washer.
Number three always go out the samedoor you came in. Number four.

(30:22):
Eat black eyed peas and collared greenswith hogjaw on New Year's Day.
Number five. Don't wash clothes onNew Year's Day or you'll wash a family
member out. Number six. Don'tlet a pregnant woman see a dead person,
or the baby will have a birthmark. Number seven don't let anyone sweep
under your feet. Number eight.Hang a mirror by the door to protect

(30:47):
against evil number nine, plant yourcrops under the full moon and number ten
open the window when someone dies andcover all the mirrors so their soul can
leave. In conclusion, the AppalachianTrail traverses through several remote and barren regions,
such as mountains and dense forests,which can lead to eery experiences for

(31:10):
hikers. Superstitions and legends are anintegral part of Appalachian culture. These myths
and folk tales have been handed downthrough generations and showcased in hit TV shows
like The X Files and Mountain Monsters. The region's extensive history, which includes
the amalgamation of European, African,and Native American cultures, has given rise

(31:30):
to numerous urban legends, folk tales, and ghost stories throughout the area.
Well, friends, there you haveit. What do you think of these
creepy stories from the Appalachian Trail andfrom the Southern Appalachians in general. I
look forward to your comments, butplease keep it friendly and respectful until we

(31:51):
meet again. Be good to yourselvesand each other. Stay safe out there.
As for me, I'll see alittle further on down the trail.
I'm Steve Stockton, and I'll talkto you next time. And please tell
your animals. Steve says Hi