The eastern side of the Smokies abounds with spooky tales, like the story of a Shadow Woman who appeared to a farmer each morning and evening to beg for a cup of milk. Skinned Tom is another East Tennessee haunt, though his is a sinister tale that warns the unfaithful to steer clear of local lover’s lanes for their illicit trysting. From the farmer who finds a Cavern of Skulls to a moonshiner who makes a deal with a water demon; and the Half Shaved ghost seeking vengeance to the first (and only) meeting of the Asheville Ghost Club, the Great Smoky Mountains and its foothills abound with spooky tales. My favorites are in this collection.

Seeking a taste of unspoiled wilderness, more than eight million people visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year. Yet few probably realize what makes the park unusual: it was the result of efforts to reclaim wilderness rather than to protect undeveloped land. The Smokies have, in fact, been a human habitat for 8,000 years, and that contact has molded the landscape as surely as natural forces have. In this book, Daniel S. Pierce examines land use in the Smokies over the centuries, describing the pageant of peoples who have inhabited these mountains and then focusing on the twentieth-century movement to create a national park. Drawing on previously unexplored archival materials, Pierce presents the most balanced account available of the development of the park. He tells how park supporters set about raising money to buy the land--often from resistant timber companies--and describes the fierce infighting between wilderness advocates and tourism boosters over the shape the park would take. He also discloses the unfortunate human cost of the park's creation: the displacement of the area's inhabitants. Pierce is especially insightful regarding the often-neglected history of the park since 1945. He looks at the problems caused by roadbuilding, tree blight, and air pollution that becomes trapped in the mountains' natural haze. He also provides astute assessments of the Cades Cove restoration, the Fontana Lake road construction, and other recent developments involving the park. Full of outstanding photographs and boasting a breadth of coverage unmatched in other books of its kind, The Great Smokies will help visitors better appreciate the wilderness experience they have sought. Pierce's account makes us more aware of humanity's long interaction with the land while capturing the spirit of those idealistic environmentalists who realized their vision to protect it. The Author: Daniel S. Pierce teaches in the department of history and the humanities program at the University of North Carolina, Asheville, and is a contributor to The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture.

Grab an eggnog, gather ’round the fireplace and get ready for twenty-five creepy tales of ghostly hauntings, eerie happenings, and other strange holiday occurrences from times past! Holiday folklore traditions from around the United States are kept alive in these expert retellings by master storyteller S. E. Schlosser and through artist Paul G. Hoffman’s evocative illustrations. Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and witches populate the pages of this compelling holiday collection. From Hanukkah and Christmas to Three Kings Day and New Year's, these spooky stories will have you looking over your shoulder again and again.

Ghosts! Curses! Hoaxes! Unsolved mysteries! Paranormal events! Take a walk on the creepy side of North America's National Parks! Andrea Lankford, a 12-year veteran ranger with the National Park Service, has written a thoroughly investigated yet often tongue-in-cheek guidebook that takes the reader to the scariest, most mysterious places inside North America's National Parks. Lankford shares such eerie tales as John Brown's haunting of Harper's Ferry, the disembodied legs that have been seen running around inside the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center, and the "wailing woman" who roams the trail behind the Grand Canyon Lodge. Lankford also uncovers paranormal activities park visitors have experienced, such as the chupacabra that roams the swamps inside Big Thicket National Preserve and the teenage bigfoot who rolled a park service campground with toilet paper. She also reports on long-forgotten unsolved murders, such as the savage stabbing of a young woman on Yosemite's trail to Mirror Lake, and the execution style shooting of two General Motors executives at Crater Lake. The witnesses to the supernatural occurrences are highly credible people-rangers, park historians, river guides, and the like-and each tale has factual relevance to the cultural or natural history of the park. Haunted Hikes provides readers with all the information they need: for each hike: a "fright factor rating" is listed along with trailhead access information, detailed trail maps, and hike difficulty levels. Most of the haunted sites included in the book can be reached by the average hiker, some are wheelchair accessible, and others are for intrepid backpackers willing to make multi-day treks into wilderness areas. Intriguing photographs of many sites are included. Haunted Hikes is sure to satisfy readers looking for those spine-tingling moments when you begin to wonder if maybe, just maybe, we are not alone.

From the Outer Banks to Asheville, discover the best of the Tar Heel State with Moon North Carolina. Inside you'll find: Flexible itineraries, including scenic drives along the Blue Ridge Parkway, four days in the Great Smoky Mountains, and a five-day coastal getaway Strategic advice designed for hikers, beach-goers, foodies, wildlife-watchers, and more The top local experiences: Explore the gardens of the Biltmore Estate, check out the art museum in Raleigh, or kick back with a craft beer at an outdoor concert in Wilmington. Escape to the Outer Banks for a glimpse of wild horses, historic lighthouses, and remote islands. Tap your foot to live bluegrass and dig into famous North Carolina barbecue Outdoor activities: Hike to waterfalls or challenge yourself to climb the highest peaks in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Kayak around Kitty Hawk, whitewater raft in the wild Nantahala River Gorge, go hang gliding, or spend a day fly-fishing Expert tips from North Carolina local Jason Frye on when to go, how to get around, and where to stay, from rugged campgrounds to historic inns and beachside B&Bs Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout Thorough background on the landscape, climate, wildlife, and local culture With Moon North Carolina's expert advice and local insight, you can find your adventure. Focusing on the mountains? Check out Moon Asheville & the Great Smoky Mountains. Can't get enough of the beach? Try Moon North Carolina Coast. About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you. For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.

Located astride the Tennessee-North Carolina border, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park contains more than one hundred trails that trace eight hundred miles of rugged terrain. This fact is certain to bewilder any newcomer who might be eager to explore the Park's backcountry but is unsure where to start. This book, intended as a beginner's guide to hiking the Smokies, offers lively, informative descriptions of twenty-two trails that can be completed in a day or less. For anyone who has yet to discover the beauty of the Smokies, the highest North American mountains east of the Mississippi, the trails described here offer a splendid introduction. Scenic overlooks at Mount Le Conte, Clingmans Dome, Gregory Bald, and other peaks are included along these pathways, as are some of the well-known waterfalls of the Park, such as Laurel Falls, Rainbow Falls, and Ramsay Cascades. In addition to vital data about the length of the trail, its elevation gain, and "how to get there," each trail description is packed with interesting facts and Smoky Mountain lore. Detailed maps are also included. In their introduction, the authors provide a brief overview of the park's history as well as useful tips for novice hikers. The Authors: Kenneth Wise, an administrator at the University of Tennessee Library, Knoxville, has hiked in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for more than twenty years. He is the author of Hiking Trails of the Great Smoky Mountains: A Comprehensive Guide. James Andrews,a partner in the firm of Andrews, Hudson & Wall, P.C., has hiked the Park trails for more than a decade. He is the coauthor, with Wise, of The Best Overnight Hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains.

For more than twenty years, the Insiders’ Guide® series has been the essential source for in-depth travel and relocation information—from true insiders whose personal, practical perspective gives you everything you need to know. The Great Smoky Mountains and their environs have been one of America’s most popular vacation destinations for more than half a century—and for good reason. From the awe-inspiring natural beauty and peaceful tranquility of the region’s wilderness areas to the world-famous craftspeople and attractions that make East Tennessee a first-rate family destination, this authoritative guide shows you how to take full advantage of the many wonders of “the Smokies.” Inside you'll find: • Countless details on how to live and thrive in the area, from the best places to shop and dine to neighborhoods and real estate • The inside scoop on the real Smokies, including mountain crafts, music theater, and Dollywood • Comprehensive listings of annual events, accommodations, and recreation opportunities • Sections dedicated to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the arts, children, and much more

The spirit of a railroad flagman shines his lantern along the tracks near Maco, where he lost his head in a train accident. The ghost of a girl haunts the grave robbers who stole her corpse to use in a college medical department. And in a swamp outside Smithfield, a grisly mass hanging is re-created on dark nights. All this and much more!

When your high school classmate shows up on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List, can your police career get any more interesting? Prospect, Tennessee's police chief Sam Jenkins handles a cold case robbery-homicide as a favor to a beautiful treasury agent and clears the forty-three year old mystery of THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAIN BANK JOB. In MURDER IN A WISH-BOOK HOUSE, Sam investigates the most grisly killing of his career. Then, in V IS FOR...VITAMIN?, he works with an eighty-four year old partner to solve a suspicious death in a nursing home where all the suspects are well beyond their prime. Hollywood meets the Smokies in FATE OF A FLOOZY when an academy award winner is murdered during her love affair with a much younger man. And HURRICANE BLOW UP and THE BUTLERS DID IT pits Jenkins against some very lethal characters when he tackles eastern European hoods who intend on causing mayhem in Prospect, and bank robbers who flee to the far corners of southern Appalachia to escape capture.

Arguably no American writer has had more of an impact on the modern horror scene than Howard Phillips Lovecraft, the man who created the Cthulhu Mythos, with its strange gods, eerie places, and forbidden books. But what sort of a man was Lovecraft, how did he create such a terrible universe, and where did his inspiration come from? Was it, as some have argued, based on esoteric knowledge forgotten or even denied to all sane people? In A Haunted Mind, Dr. Bob Curran explores what motivated Lovecraft—his personal life is just as strange as some of his creations—and drove him to create his terrible cosmos. Using both folklore and history, Dr. Curran investigates a wide variety of Lovecraftian mysteries. A word of warning: you may never look at Lovecraft—or the world—in exactly the same way again!