Legend’s of the Appalachian Trail
Mountains have always been a terrain that have inspired mystery and adventure for generations. In North America, the Appalachian Mountains are steeped in strange and inexplicable occurrences. The trail is one of the most popular in America, stretching just over 2,200 miles.There is a lot of incredible phenomena reported here from hauntings to mythical beasts, bizarre human looking figures, secret underground bases and even lost tribes. Whatever is going on up there is mysterious for sure, but is it of this earth?
The Appalachian Tunnel’s
Image Via : Iranews
There are rumours of hidden tunnels and secret labs dotted throughout the world’s most haunted hiking trail. However, rumour came to life when the remains of a military base were rediscovered in the Blue Ridge Summit were rediscovered. It is a vast underground military bunker which was supposedly a sort of electronic nerve centre and command post. It is also known as “Raven Rock,” ” Site R” and the ” Underground Pentagon”.
The Base is 650ft underground and spreads across just over 716 acres, with 5 different subterranean buildings. It is thought that all of the strange tunnel entrances found across the Mountain somehow link back to this, but it was also rumoured that a lot of the mountains strange creatures have in fact escaped from a secret lab, located in the heart of the base….
SpearFinger
Image Via King’s Forest Witch
Spearfinger is essentially a forest witch derived from a Cherokee legend from around Tennessee/ North Carolina area. She is thought to be women with a razor sharp and extra long digit who roams the area at all times of the day. She is made of stone and her feet crash like thunder when she strides through her forest, birds are said to flee from her and thus so if you hear thunderous footsteps and see birds flying you know she is coming. She uses her extra long and sharp index finger to slice open her victim’s bellies and then eat their livers. Her face is permanently spattered with blood.
This obviously sounds more like a made up story, originated in some kids bedroom or around a campfire but an old woman has been seen along the trail. She is said to look ragged and beaten with dirt on her face and broken twigs in her tatty hair. She stands and stares directly at you, then usually raises an extra long finger to point right at you.
The Snarly Yow
Image Via Villian’s Wiki
The Snarly Yow has for many years been causing mayhem and mishaps. Right back to the colonial times, it would appear and terrify horses. Once the rider had been thrown from the frantic horse, the Snarly Yow would then simply, disappear. This legend has carried through until the modern day and the Snarly Yow has been reported around the area. The Yow has been seen lunging in front of cars, causing the driver to swerve and crash thinking it was just a stray dog. As soon as the driver gets out the black dog will simply bare its fangs, growl, and then disappear into thin air.
They Snarly Yow has been seen for many hundreds of years and it would seem it’s the only purpose is to scare those who cross it’s path. It looks to enjoy chasing down cars and frightening them or, it would simply stand in the path of passing hikers and refuse to move. In turn forcing them to find a different route. The Snarly Yow does look like a malevolent force at first glance, but it has never exactly hurt anyone…
The SnallyGaster
Image Via Beastkeeper
The Snallygaster is known to be the Appalachian’s most famous legendary beast, with even President Roosevelt sending a hunting party to capture the monster. It is said that the Snallygaster is an abomination that is mainly the cross between a reptile and a bird. It has an alligator-like head with a fang-filled beak, fleshing tearing talon’s, and a 25ft wingspan. It is even said to have poisonous breath and lighting fast speed. It would swoop down silently at unmatchable speed and then such its victims dry of blood.
The Snallygaster originates from German settlers in the 1730’s, when they claimed to be terrorised by a flying monster. From then on sightings increased, and in the 1900’s the Gaster gained a great deal of coverage when several news stations printed stories of a string of accounts from the locals, reporting a terrifying winged reptile terrorising their local lands. The only thing thought to be able to keep the Snallygaster at bay was a 5 pointed star and still today, you will see some old barns and farmhouses sporting a metallic 5 pointed star on the front doors.
Dudleytown
Image Via Guff
Dudleytown in Connecticut, also known as ” The Village of the Damned”. is one of the Appalachian’s most haunted and America’s most mysterious ghost towns. The town itself was founded around 1740 and according to legend, it was founded by the direct descendant of Edmund Dudley. Edmund Dudley was the former right-hand man of King Henry IV’s. Edmund must have made some really lumpy porridge because he was beheaded for treason.
After the beheading the entire family was cursed, the curse followed them across the Atlantic to Dudleytown. The town lasted for around 60 years. The entire 60 years was met with a struggle for survival and was eventually abandoned in the 1800’s. A few building’s do remain but it is forbidden to enter… I’m sure the ghosts have nothing to do with that.
The Burned Man
Image Via Time and Place
There was a man, back in 2011 who was on a hiking trip, he made a fire and set up his camp and finally got snug in his tent. As he was drifting off there was a guy standing by the fire, he looked burnt. He looked like he was still burning… So the hiker ran towards his car, but in his fear and confusion, he ran onto a strange road.
Just along the edge of the road, he found a recently burned house and a fire chief standing outside making notes on his clipboard. He told the fire chief he saw a man who as burning, thinking it was one of the victims. The chief told him that was impossible… All the victims died in the fire. That was not the only time the Burned Man has been seen…
The Lumberjack
Image Via The Lumberjack
One of the more crucial legends comes from the Kentucky region of the Trail in Dec.26, 1945 when an old mine exploded. Some men found themselves trapped but then all claimed to see a door open in the darkness, the door slid open and from the side of the mountain came a strange figure who looked like a lumberjack. The room it came from was supposedly well lit. The strange man assured the miners they would be alright and then turned and went back into his secret room. The door then closed and sealed up, as if it was never there.
This was the first time the Lumberjack was seen but not the last. Another mine disaster in Pennsylvania only left two survivors. The two men claimed to have been rescued and guided out of the mine by strangely dressed men who used a blue light. Apparently, whenever the figures touched the mine wall, it would flicker into life and shift into holographic images. Just as they could see the light, the strange figures turned and descended back into the darkness from where they came. Both survivors gave an identical account and insisted that it was not a hallucination.
The Pierce Pond Ghost
Image Via Captain Planet
Along the Appalachian Trail, there are a few perfect fishing spots, one of these is known as Pierce Pond. After spending the day fishing, a guy on vacation set up camp on the edge of the water and was just lighting a fire to cook his catch of the day. As the sun began to set, the man saw a figure walking along the edge of the water. The strange entity began to walk towards him and then eventually faded into the darkness. Thinking nothing of it, the fisherman settled down and began to tuck into to his freshly caught fish. He set up camp again the next night in the same spot and again saw this same figure walking towards him. This time it got even closer and even stopped to look at him, and then inevitably disappeared into the night.
The third night, the same thing happened. Only this time the figure came so close that the fisherman could just about make out some facial features. It paused even longer this time, staring directly at the fisherman. His expression was twisted and sinister… He faded into the night again. This was enough for the fisherman, deciding he did not want to see how close the entity would get on night 4, he packed up and headed home, never to return to Pierce Pond again.
