What are the most well - known scary smoky mountain stories?

The Brown Mountain Lights are part of Appalachian Mountain lore. These strange lights are seen hovering over the Brown Mountain. Some believe they are the spirits of Native Americans or miners who died in the area. Others think they could be some sort of natural phenomenon, but the mystery and the eerie appearance of the lights have made them a part of the scary stories of the Appalachian Mountains.

A group of friends were camping in the Smoky Mountains. One night, they all felt an eerie chill. Then, they noticed that their campfire started to burn with a strange blue flame. As they watched in horror, the flames seemed to form the shape of a large, menacing beast. They quickly put out the fire and huddled in their tents until morning, too scared to even look outside.

The old and abandoned structures in the Smoky Mountains are often in these stories. Whether it's an old cabin or a forgotten mine, they give a sense of mystery and danger. Also, the thick fog that often covers the mountains can be used to create a sense of the unknown. Characters can get lost in the fog and encounter things that are not of this world. Darkness is also a key element as it limits visibility and heightens fear.

The story of the vanishing camper is quite well - known. A camper set up his tent near a stream in the Uintas. In the morning, his tent was still there, but he was gone without a trace. No footprints led away from the site. It was as if he had been swallowed up by the mountains.

The story of the phantom hiker is quite well - known. Supposedly, this hiker was a long - ago traveler who perished on the mountain. Now, hikers sometimes report seeing a figure in the distance that looks like a lost hiker, but when they approach, it disappears. It's like a remnant of the past still wandering the trails.

A well - known one is the story of the Nebraska Asylum. It was an old mental institution that had a lot of dark history. There were reports of inhumane treatments and many patients died there. Now, people claim to see the ghosts of the former patients wandering the halls. Their apparitions are often described as pale and sad - looking, still wearing the old - fashioned hospital gowns.

The Target hack is also very famous. Hackers got into their point - of - sale systems during the holiday season. They stole the credit and debit card information of millions of customers. It was a nightmare for Target as they had to deal with the financial fallout, the loss of customer trust, and the negative publicity. Customers were worried about their financial security and the safety of their personal information.

The story of the 'Ham from Hell' is quite well - known. It was said to be a ham that had been possessed by an evil spirit. Whenever it was brought near a person, that person would feel a sudden chill. People who ate a bit of it became very ill and had hallucinations of hams with big, sharp teeth chasing them.

Another well - known story is about a cursed backstage area in a Vegas show theater. Performers have reported feeling a cold presence and hearing unexplained whispers. It's said that a performer died in a tragic accident there long ago, and his spirit still lingers. This has led to some superstitious rituals among the current performers to avoid any bad luck.

There's a famous story about a baseball that was used in a game where a player was seriously injured by a pitch. That ball was said to be cursed. Any team that used it in subsequent games had a string of bad luck. Pitchers couldn't control their throws, and batters were constantly getting struck out. Eventually, the ball was buried under the pitcher's mound to end the curse.