Sep 25, 2025

Top 10 Spooky and Strange Places to Visit in East Tennessee During October for Halloween

Elkmont Millionaires Row House Interior, Great Smokey Mountains, Tennessee

At Thorn Ridge, we love October. The leaves blaze gold and copper, the air smells like woodsmoke, and the Appalachian Mountains seem to whisper their oldest secrets. East Tennessee isn’t just beautiful, it’s full of weird history, eerie legends, and the kind of spine-tingling wonder that makes a Halloween road trip unforgettable.

As someone who has always dealt with paranormal happenings, I decided to create a countdown of the ten most visited strange and spooky places in East Tennessee, near our Thorn Ridge location, ranked by the number of visitors each year, starting with hidden haunts and building up to the region’s most legendary Halloween destination. Each entry contains two legendary tales associated with each location. What are some of your favorite haunted places?

10. Cades Cove — Mist & Mystery in the Smokies

Beloved for its scenery and wildlife, Cades Cove takes on an entirely different feel after dark. The loop road winds past cabins and churches once filled with Appalachian settlers. Visitors talk about candlelight flickering in empty windows and distant singing when the fog rolls in. Each year, around 100,000 people experience Cades Cove at night, a drive that feels equal parts peaceful and unsettling in the best way.

For anyone searching for spooky night drives in the Smoky Mountains or Halloween road trips in East Tennessee, Cades Cove is the perfect first stop.

The Candle Cabin: Drivers making the Cades Cove loop at night sometimes glimpse a soft amber glow through the windows of one of the old pioneer cabins. The light flickers like a lantern flame and seems to move from room to room, as if someone were quietly tending to chores long after dark. Some have seen the glow sway, pause, and flare again as though carried by an unseen hand. The moment headlights sweep over the cabin, the light snaps out completely, leaving only darkness and the faint outline of weathered logs. Park rangers confirm there’s no electricity in those homes and no night staff inside, whatever moves there, it’s not on any schedule they keep.
The Midnight Choir: Near the tiny 19th-century churches scattered across the Cove, visitors have reported hearing hymns carried through the night air. The singing is soft but clear enough to recognize verses from old mountain gospel songs. It often drifts out just as fog creeps low over the fields, surrounding travelers in a hushed, otherworldly calm. Some have stopped to listen, sure a late service was underway, only to find the church doors locked and the interior empty. As soon as footsteps climb the porch or hands touch the latch, the music ends mid-line, leaving only the sound of crickets and distant owls.

9. Jonesborough — Tennessee’s Oldest Town

Jonesborough is the storytelling capital of Tennessee, and in October it leans fully into its haunted side. Historic inns, brick sidewalks, and lantern-lit ghost tours turn the streets into living folklore. Travelers hunting for historic haunted towns in the Appalachian Mountains love this spot. It welcomes about 150,000 visitors each year for its mix of charm and goosebump-worthy tales.

The Witch of the Nolichuckey: Since the late 1800s, travelers along the Nolichuckey River have whispered about a peddler’s rolling store that once stopped at a lonely farm. One autumn night, a kind farmer offered the salesman a place to sleep. By morning, the man was gone, leaving behind only strange symbols drawn in the dirt and livestock that refused to cross the yard for weeks. Locals say the visitor was no ordinary merchant but a wandering witch, passing quietly through the valley and leaving a trace of magic (or mischief) behind.
The Giggling Girls of Hawley House: Hawley House, a stately inn first built in 1790, looks calm and welcoming by day. But many male guests over the years have shared the same odd tale: just past midnight, faint giggles echo through the upstairs halls, soft and playful, as though a group of young women are sharing a secret joke just out of sight. No one ever sees them, and the sound fades if you go looking. Locals shrug and smile, they say the house simply likes to keep its history lively.

8. Dandridge — The Underwater Town Beneath Douglas Lake

Dandridge looks like a peaceful lakeside getaway, but beneath Douglas Lake lies an entire flooded valley of roads and buildings. Locals claim that on misty October mornings you can hear the echo of church bells or see shapes drifting where streets once ran. The town and lake together welcome about 200,000 curious visitors annually, many chasing spooky lakeside trips in East Tennessee or tales of ghost towns under water.

The Bell Ringer: Fishermen drifting across Douglas Lake at first light sometimes report hearing a single, low bell tolling from somewhere beneath the water. The sound is faint but unmistakable, slow, mournful strikes that echo across the still surface. Those who have heard it say it comes in twos or threes, pauses, then fades as though carried away by a deep current. The legend ties the sound to the steeple of a church that once rose over the original Dandridge town center before the valley was flooded to create the lake. As the fog burns off and the sun hits the water, the bell always stops, leaving behind nothing but flat, glassy stillness and the uneasy feeling that something ancient just noticed you passing by.
The Lantern Walker: Boaters out in the early morning mist tell of seeing a lone figure gliding across the fog-covered surface of the lake, a lantern swinging slowly from one hand. The figure appears human at first glance, upright, calm, and steady-footed, as if walking along a road no one else can see. The light bobs gently with each step, shining warm gold through the gray haze. Then the mist thins or the sun cuts through, and the figure is gone, leaving only ripples curling across the water where there should have been none. Locals say it’s the last pastor of the drowned church, still making his way to check on the faithful who once filled the valley before it disappeared beneath the lake.

7. Rugby — Victorian Ghost Village

Rugby was born in the 1880s as a British utopian dream and is now a lovingly preserved Victorian village. Guests report footsteps in empty hallways, flickers of light in old windows, and hushed whispers in its famous library. Roughly a quarter of a million people visit Rugby each year, many looking for family-friendly haunted towns in East Tennessee.

The Library Keeper: The 1882 Thomas Hughes Library is the pride of Rugby, Tennessee, a perfectly preserved Victorian reading room lined with dark wood shelves and thousands of rare books. But longtime volunteers will tell you it isn’t always as still as it looks. More than once, they’ve unlocked the doors in the morning to find heavy volumes moved to strange stacks on tables or left open to random pages, even though the building was secured all night. Visitors browsing the historic collection often stop mid-step, certain they hear soft footsteps pacing the upper gallery where no one is visible. Others have reported the quiet, rhythmic sound of pages turning, steady and deliberate, as if an unseen reader is still working late.
The Gentlewoman of Newbury House: Across the village, the historic Newbury House boarding house, a beloved stop on Rugby’s ghost tours, has its own long-told mystery. Guests have described waking in the blue-gray light before dawn to see a graceful Victorian woman standing silently by the window. She doesn’t threaten or frighten, only adjusts the curtains with delicate care, as if she’s tidying up for the next day. When the startled guest stirs or tries to speak, she turns, offers the faintest polite smile, and fades like mist. Locals believe she may be a former caretaker who never left, still keeping the boarding house ready for travelers.

6. Greenbrier & Porters Creek Trail — Forgotten Homesteads

Greenbrier is beautiful year-round, but October brings an almost enchanted hush. The Porters Creek Trail winds past mossy homesteads, stone chimneys, and forgotten family cemeteries. Hikers often feel watched in a good, ancient way. These haunted hiking spots in East Tennessee draw about 400,000 nature lovers each year, especially in fall when the leaves change colors and the forest feels alive with whispers.

The Singing Chimney: Deep in the Greenbrier section of the Great Smoky Mountains, where moss-covered homesteads mark the memory of pioneer life, one lone stone chimney still stands among the trees. Hikers say that even on perfectly still days, it hums with a low, steady whistle that floats through the quiet woods. Sometimes the sound deepens to a mournful tone, other times it rises to a light, almost cheerful pitch. The strangest part is how it seems to react when people pass: the hum may swell or dip as though the chimney itself is acknowledging each traveler. No one has found a logical reason for the noise; there’s no breeze strong enough, and the stones hold their silence when approached up close. Among haunted hikes in the Smoky Mountains and Greenbrier ghost stories, this is one of the most talked about.
The Lady in Gray: Not far from the Singing Chimney lies a forgotten family cemetery hidden off Porters Creek Trail. More than a few hikers have reported spotting a pale woman in a long gray dress standing just beyond the gravestones. She never moves, never speaks, and seems to hover at the edge of the clearing, head tilted as though listening. Some claim she lifts a hand in greeting before fading; others say she simply dissolves into the mist the moment anyone steps toward her. There’s no record of who she might have been, but locals quietly call her the Lady in Gray, a silent sentinel watching over the past. For anyone searching spooky East Tennessee hiking trails or ghost sightings along Porters Creek Trail, her legend is the one most likely to give you goosebumps, especially if you see her.

5. Lost Sea Adventure — America’s Largest Underground Lake

Beneath Sweetwater lies the country’s largest underground lake, and boat rides glide across water so clear it feels bottomless. The caves are alive with echoing drips, pockets of strange warm air, and the prickling feeling that something unseen might be moving nearby. Around half a million people explore the Lost Sea every year, many searching unique October attractions in the Tennessee mountains that mix wonder and goosebumps.

The Phantom Boatman: Guides leading tours through the vast, glassy waters of the Lost Sea Adventure in Sweetwater, Tennessee say they sometimes witness ripples appearing far from any boat. The water shivers and breaks in a slow, steady rhythm, followed by the unmistakable dip-and-splash sound of a paddle striking the surface, even when the cavern beyond is empty and silent. Lights swept across the water show nothing but undisturbed blackness. The story goes that a 19th-century explorer vanished here while mapping uncharted tunnels and never resurfaced. Some believe his spirit still glides silently through the dark, navigating waterways no one else can reach. Visitors who pause and listen say the air shifts, as if a boat just passed by unseen. Among Lost Sea Adventure ghost stories and tales of the haunted underground lake in Tennessee, this is the one that keeps even seasoned guides on edge.
The Singing Walls: Certain passages of the underground lake are said to answer back when visitors whisper. Soft words or humming rise from the stone, not quite an echo, but something more deliberate, as though the cavern itself is testing your courage. People have reported calling a friend’s name only to hear it repeated back in a different tone, or hearing faint humming that doesn’t match any voice in the group. Scientists explain it away as unusual acoustics bouncing sound through winding tunnels, but locals who know the Sweetwater TN cave legends insist there’s more to it. Some say the walls hold the memory of every voice that’s ever passed through, and sometimes those voices sing back.

4. Roan Mountain Balds — High Country Magic

By day, the balds on Roan Mountain feel endless and serene. But under October moonlight, fog rolls like a living thing and locals whisper of strange lights weaving across the ridges. Some even claim to hear distant music when the wind shifts. These mystical mountain night hikes in East Tennessee attract about 750,000 visitors a year, many drawn by both the breathtaking views and the quiet thrill of mountain mystery.

The Lantern Riders: Hikers on Roan Mountain after dark have reported seeing a slow procession of lights moving steadily across the open balds. The lights travel in a perfectly spaced line, as if riders were carrying lanterns along an invisible trail that cuts across the ridges. They keep a measured pace, never wavering or rushing, and seem to glide over rocks and brush without breaking formation. The moment anyone tries to move closer, the lights fade one by one until only darkness and the sound of wind brushing through the grass remain. No hikers who’ve chased them have ever caught up or found a source.
The Ghost Choir of Roan Mountain: Among all Roan Mountain ghost stories, none is told more often than the tale of the Ghost Choir. Hikers and night campers on the high balds have long reported hearing voices when the fog slides in and the wind goes still. The sound begins softly, a low, distant hum that could be mistaken for the breeze, but slowly grows into something unmistakably human. Some describe it as a hauntingly beautiful chorus, clear and angelic, as if a mountain cathedral has come to life above the clouds. Others say it turns mournful, the voices breaking into long, sorrowful cries that seem to echo from somewhere deep within the ridges. No one ever sees singers or instruments. The music drifts in the dark, changing direction with each gust as though the mountain itself is alive and shifting. Old-timers claim it’s the voices of long-gone travelers who perished crossing the high country in sudden storms; preachers once called it the sound of angels warning hikers to turn back. Others whisper that it’s the wailing of lost souls caught forever between this world and the next. Whatever its source, the Ghost Choir has stopped countless hikers in their tracks — some awestruck, some uneasy, all sure they’ve heard something far beyond ordinary wind.

3. Bell Witch Cave — Oldest Southern Ghost Legend

The Bell Witch legend, a spirit that knocked, whispered, and spoke aloud, has haunted Tennessee since the early 1800s. Today visitors can tour the dark, twisting cave connected to the story. Sudden chills, faint whispers, and odd winds are still reported. The site sees about 150,000 visitors every year, many searching famous ghost stories in East Tennessee or planning Halloween road trips to legendary haunted caves.

The Bell Witch Herself
Step into the cool, damp air of the Bell Witch Cave and you understand why people have been telling this story for over two centuries. Guides say it’s not uncommon for guests to feel the unmistakable brush of fingers across a shoulder when no one is close enough to touch them. Others have reported sudden bursts of mocking laughter that echo from deep in the cave, quick, sharp, and playful in a way that feels more teasing than terrifying. Some visitors even claim they’ve been nudged or pushed just enough to make them stumble, as if the spirit wants to remind everyone that this is still her domain. No one ever sees her clearly, but the air changes when she’s near: colder, heavy, and charged like a storm about to break.

The Vanishing Animals
At the mouth of the cave, travelers sometimes notice quiet company, a black dog sitting perfectly still, a dark cat curled just inside the shadows. The animals never growl, never move closer, and their eyes catch the lantern light with an almost knowing gleam. Those who turn away for even a heartbeat often find the spot empty when they look back. Locals whisper that these creatures are familiars, guardians left behind to keep watch over the witch’s resting place. Some even say the animals test visitors, if you feel calm and respectful, they’ll simply fade away; if you mock the legend, they disappear with a flick of the tail and a shiver in the air, as though carrying a warning back to their mistress.

2. Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary — Ghosts & Grit

Once Tennessee’s most notorious prison, Brushy Mountain is now part museum, part ghost tour, and part whiskey distillery (for liquid courage after the chills). Visitors walk long echoing halls, feel unexplained cold spots, and sometimes hear voices in empty cell blocks. About a quarter of a million people come to Brushy every year, searching for haunted prison tours in Tennessee and spooky East Tennessee road trip ideas.

The Shadow Inmate: Deep in Cell Block D at Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary, guides tell of a tall, shadowy figure that appears without warning and moves with the steady rhythm of a man pacing a cell. Visitors describe seeing it glide silently from one barred doorway to the next before melting into the cracked concrete wall like smoke when lights sweep across it. Some staff say the presence seems restless, as though replaying an old routine from the prison’s most brutal days. Flashlights and cameras have failed to catch more than a fleeting blur, but the feeling of being watched is unmistakable. Among Brushy Mountain Prison ghost stories and those told on haunted Tennessee prison tours, the Shadow Inmate is one of the most chilling.
The Singing Woman: The prison chapel, once a quiet refuge for inmates, holds a mystery that doesn’t match its history. Visitors have reported hearing a lone female voice singing old Appalachian hymns in the empty room, clear, beautiful, and echoing softly off the stone walls. The strange part? Brushy Mountain was a men’s facility from the day it opened to the day it closed; no women were ever housed here. The music always stops the instant someone steps inside, leaving only silence and the faint scent of old wood and dust. Guides on Petros TN paranormal history tours call her the Singing Woman, and no one knows why she came or why she stayed.

1. Elkmont Ghost Town — Smoky Mountain Crown Jewel

Tucked deep inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Elkmont was once a booming logging hub and later a summer retreat for Knoxville’s elite. Now its mossy cabins stand silent beneath towering pines, their porches sagging but somehow still welcoming. Daylight brings gentle nostalgia, but twilight… twilight brings whispers. Visitors have reported lantern lights flickering where no one should be and faint fiddle music carried on the wind.

It’s no surprise that more than 12 million people visit the Smokies each year, and thousands wander into Elkmont hunting for haunted places to visit in East Tennessee during October. It’s the perfect blend of history and hauntings.

The Fiddler’s Tune: As dusk settles over Elkmont ghost town in the Great Smoky Mountains, hikers sometimes pause mid-step, certain they hear faint fiddle music drifting through the trees. The melody is sweet but melancholy, the kind of slow Appalachian dance tune that once filled the community’s rustic ballrooms when Elkmont was a thriving summer retreat. Some say the notes float from the long-abandoned dance hall, echoing the joy of nights when lanterns glowed and couples waltzed across creaking floors. The music never lasts long, just a few bars carried on the wind, and the moment hikers try to follow it, the sound fades completely. Among tales of haunted cabins in the Smokies and Smoky Mountain Halloween hikes, this ghostly fiddler is one of the most beloved mysteries.
The Porch Light: On fog-heavy nights, travelers making their way through Elkmont’s twisting paths sometimes glimpse a single warm light glowing from a cabin deep among the pines. The glow is steady and inviting, like a lantern left burning for a late guest. It might flicker once, as if someone inside is moving about, then go still again. But the moment anyone steps closer, whether with a flashlight or camera, the light vanishes in an instant, leaving the cabin cold and dark. Rangers confirm there’s no electricity in these forgotten homes, and no one is allowed to stay overnight. For those exploring haunted Smoky Mountain ghost towns in October, the phantom porch light is both beautiful and unsettling, a gentle reminder that Elkmont hasn’t forgotten its past.

Why We Love This Countdown

These places aren’t horror-movie terrifying, they’re rich with story, atmosphere, and Appalachian soul. Some are lively with tours and events, others reward quiet explorers who bring a flashlight and a curious heart. All of them prove that East Tennessee is more than mountains; it’s memory and mystery waiting to be found.

At Thorn Ridge, we wander these spots for the same reason we tell our own legends: to feel connected to something older and wilder than ourselves. This October, pack a jacket, bring a friend who loves a good story, and listen closely, the mountains might just whisper back.