Haunted America: The Brown Mountain Lights of Burkes County, North Carolina

One of the most beautiful and scenic mountain ranges found in the United States is none other than the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains. These splendid panoramic backdrops are merely a physiographic province of the much larger Appalachian Mountains that run from Carlisle, Pennsylvania to Mt. Oglethorpe, Georgia, and have been aptly noted for their hazy bluish color that can be seen at a distance from just about any point along the many roadways. The pretty blue hues derive from the isoprene that emanates from the bounty of trees, and are a popular focal point when traveling along the extremely scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.

At the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the western hills of North Carolina is the Brown Mountain Lights that attract millions of visitors, ghost hunters, mystery seekers, and answers to the unknown. The fascination stems from the mysterious illuminations that are found deep in the Pisgah National Forest near Morganton, North Carolina. In fact Burke County plays host to one of the most fascinating and strangest mysteries within the state of North Carolina, drawing in thousands of tourists every year who simply want to see the paranormal events that aren't going away any time soon.

The Brown Mountain Lights have been a hot topic of debate since the mid 1700s when early travelers started noticing strange events, and lights that appear along the ridges of the mountain quite regularly. These ghostly lights have just enough presence about them that they can be witnessed on any clear day.

The highly spirited Brown Mountain Lights appear sporadically along the top of the mountain, while moving what appears to be in an erratic fashion. They are clearly visible from a distance, but vanish as you climb the mountain. They quite often appear to be about twice the size of a star as they move over Brown Mountain, and have a reddish or blue tint to them. Many people feel that they are here due to some sort of phosphorus; radium rays; strange gases; geological anomalies with the rocks and even fox-fire.

One of the best locations that offer some of the breath taking visual effects of what have been dubbed by spectators as fiery balls of light, can be enjoyed at "Wisemans Overlook" along the Kistler Memorial Highway. The rock ledges that overlook the Linville Gorge provide dare devils a spectacular view of Table Rock and Hawksbill just outside of Morganton, North Carolina.

Ghost hunters and mystery seekers typically park along this stretch of road during the early evening hours, and are often rewarded with what many believe to be as paranormal activity. Areas of interest with hot spots are found in the southeast where curiosity seekers will typically witness large reddish lights that hover for a few seconds to several minutes, and then vanish into thin air.

Another point of interest that will keep mystery seekers on their toes is located at a roadside pull-off on highway 181. The fascination and all out intrigue with these lights that are viewed by millions of people each year when visiting Brown Mountain have been documented for several hundred years. In fact they have been found documented in local Native American mythology, and were visited by explorer and German engineer Geraud de Brahm in 1771.

The X-Files and the Government

The government appears to be fascinated by the Brown Mountain lights, and have actively investigated them on three different occasions. The U.S. Geological survey has investigated them twice. Private groups, including ghost hunters have spent hours studying the activity on the mountain with no concrete answers to verify their reason for existing. Some of the earliest reports of the lights came directly from the Cherokee and Catawba Indians, settlers, and Civil War soldiers. The hauntingly eerie illuminations never fail to capture the imagination of those who witness their grand splendor of mysterious activity that lacks an obvious source. In fact the X-Files featured the Brown Mountain Lights in a 1999 episode.

One of the local legends claims that the Brown Mountain Lights is nothing more than the spirit of ghost soldier from the Revolutionary War aimlessly searching for his family who had settled in the area during the 1700s. Upon his return from the war, all he could find is the ruins of his homestead, with no wife or children to ever be found. Eventually he died alone and in despair on top of Brown Mountain exhausted from his searching.

Directions to the Best Viewing Locations for the Brown Mountain Lights:

The Brown Mountain Overlook is Located 20 miles north of Morganton, on NC highway 181, and one mile south of the Barkhouse Picnic Area.

The Wiseman's View Overlook is Located just five miles south of the village of Linville Falls on Kistler Memorial Highway, also known as Old NC 105 or State Road 1238.

The Lost Cove Cliffs Overlook is Located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, at mile-post 310, 2 miles north of the NC highway 181 junction.

Sources:

http://www.westernncattractions.com/BMLights.htm

http://www.ncblueridge.com/

http://www.theufochronicles.com/2006/06/astronomy-professor-recounts-brown.html

http://brownmountainlights.com/

http://www.ibiblio.org/ghosts/bmtn.html

http://www.blueridgeonline.com/blueridgemountains.asp

http://ghosthunting-paranormalevents.blogspot.com/2009/07/legends-of-brown-mountain-lights.html

http://www.mysterious-america.net/brownmountainlig.html

http://www.astronomycafe.net/weird/lights/brown1.htm

http://www.nps.gov/blri/historyculture/index.htm

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ridge_Parkway

http://www.visitnc.com/journeys/highlights/blue-ridge