Random Creepy Stories from the Appalachian Trail (14 items)

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  (#11) Pursued By The Scorched Man

  In 2011, a man took a week off of work to go hiking along the Appalachian Trail, but it turned into a frightening experience he would never forget. One night, he heard noises coming from outside his tent but didn't bother to go out to investigate. The following night, he was sitting around his fire, when suddenly he was shocked to see a man standing near his firewood. His hands and body were badly burned and his face was smoking. The man was too afraid to even move and the burned figure just stared at him with vacant eyes before walking away. This scared the man beyond all reason and he quickly packed up to leave the area.

  While leaving the trail, he came across a recently burned down house with a sheriff around it. The sheriff told the man that four days prior, the same day that the hiker started his trip, an entire family burned alive in the house. 

  Now is this true? Probably not, as it's a story we've all heard before, but it shows how ghost stories have the ability to adapt to their surroundings. In this case, the Appalachian Trail served as an effective backdrop. 
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  (#6) Spearfinger

  The Spearfinger legend originates from the Cherokee Indians and has been used to scare children for years. She is a witch-like hag, who is said to be able to take on the persona of a sweet, old grandmother. She lurks around the highest peaks of the Smokey Mountains, keeping a special eye out for children who have wandered away from their parents. She likes to prey on their fear, telling them she will help find their parents, but slowly sings them to sleep.

  Once the child is sleeping soundly, Spearfinger will use her fingers and gouge out their liver and eat it in front of them. 
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  (#5) The Pierce Pond Ghost

  A man was hiking along Pierce Pond in Maine when he experienced a fright that he'll never forget. One night, he was enjoying his campfire, when he suddenly spotted a figure walking a short distance away from his campsite. It was ghostly in appearance and looked like a woodsy outdoorsman type with what appeared to be fishing gear. It wasn't long before the figure faded into the night.

  The man didn't know what to think of it, but the next night, the ghostly figure returned, only this time, it stopped to stare at the hiker. Getting the message, the hiker abandoned his camp and ran off into the forest. He hid behind a tree and waited until morning to return, pack up his stuff, and get out of there quickly. 
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  (#7) Civil War Soldiers Haunt Maryland

  In 1862, three major Civil War battles were fought over different passes on what is now the Maryland section of the Appalachian Trail. Many lives were lost in the bloodshed and carnage. The death count was so high that it seems some spirits still remain. People hiking over the passes report seeing ghost soldiers, odd campfires, and the sound of cannons blasting in the distance.

  On top of that, near the farm of a man named Daniel Wise, the bodies of 58 soldiers were tossed down an old well. This has caused reports of ghostly figures wandering around Wise's property.
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  (#8) The Village of the Damned

  Dudleytown, CT has an ominous nickname: the Village of the Damned. It's called that because of its horrifying history. It was founded by descendants of Edmund Dudley, who was beheaded by Henry VIII for treason and was said to have cursed land and a cursed family. And the Appalachian Trail runs right by it.

  Dudleytown was built in the eighteenth century and was abandoned in the nineteenth century, leaving only ruins in its wake. No one knows for sure why it was abandoned, but some people believe it's because residents who stayed there soon went insane or committed suicide after claiming they were possessed by demons.

  Nowadays, people report seeing strange lights and orbs surrounding the area.
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  (#12) The Appalachian Trail Slayer

  Reported crime is rare on the Appalachian Trail, which makes the story of Randall Lee Smith even more frightening. Back in the '80s, Smith pleaded guilty to murdering two hikers on the trail. He admitted to befriending and spending time with them on the trail, but then in the middle of the night he shot one of them and stabbed the other. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison but ended up serving only half of his sentence. Once he got out, he tried to do the exact same thing.

  He befriended two fishermen on the trail and tried to kill them both. He shot them, but they both survived. Smith tried to flee the scene in a pickup truck, but crashed and succumbed to his injuries a few days later. 

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