Brown Mountain Lights

There's something happening along the slopes of Brown Mountain and throughout the Linville Gorge, and no one has been able to explain it for hundreds of years.

The eerily astonishing Brown Mountain Lights have captivated the imaginations of natives, newcomers - and even the producers of 'The X-Files.' Accounts of The Lights date back to the original Cherokee inhabitants of what would become Avery County.

One legend tells of a cataclysmic battle between the Cherokee and the rival Catawba tribe. The mysterious lights are said to be the torches of squaws still searching the mountainside for the souls of their fallen husbands.

Another tells of a planter from the low country who traveled to the mountains to hunt, and became lost. One of his slaves came to look for him and was seen searching through the hills with a lantern, night after night. Now, according to the legend, the old slave is gone, but his spirit remains and the old lantern still casts it's light. This story was made famous in a song written by Avery County native Scotty Wiseman and made into a hit recording in 1962 by Tommy Faile.

The Lights take many forms. They can appear as dimly glowing white orbs, but the most spectacular instances include shadings in blue and red pulsating apparitions. Many people will tell you that the best time to see them is on a moonless night after the last traces of day have vanished, but don't be confused by reflections from the towns of Morganton and Lenoir that lie around the base of the Mountain.

The best spots for viewing include the 'official' overlook on the side of Hwy. 181 between Morganton and Linville. This can be found on the right (if you're coming up from Morganton - the left if you're going downhill) near mile marker 20. The Lost Cove Cliffs overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway is also a prime area, as well as Wiseman's View in the community of Linville Falls in southern Avery County.

If you don't see them the first time, don't be discouraged. It's a hit-and-miss phenomenon to say the least. Some natives go their entire lives without seeing them, and some will claim to see them every time they go. But, without a doubt, when you do see them, it will change the way you think about "The Unexplained."