The Strange Mystery Behind North Carolina's Unique 'Brown Mountain Lights' Phenomenon

It may be hard for skeptics to understand why anyone would still believe in ghosts, UFOs, mythical beasts, and other unexplained phenomena in the 21st century, but haunted house stories and old legends die hard. A 2024 study revealed that 64% of adult respondents in America believe in paranormal activity and every state has its own creepy urban legends and sites connected with spooky incidents. The Appalachian Mountains, spread across 13 states, is a particular hotspot for folklore with some big hitters like the Mothman, the Bell Witch, and the ever-popular Bigfoot. One of the region's most enduring phenomena can sometimes be spotted on a dark night in North Carolina: the mysterious Brown Mountain Lights.

For over a century people have witnessed peculiar multi-colored lights or orbs floating around the peak of Brown Mountain, a low tree-covered ridge in the Pisgah National Forest where campers can also find beautiful river views. The phenomena taps into stories of ghost lights and will-o'-the-wisps that date back centuries, and the United States has dozens of modern equivalents that still fire the imagination. Some of the most famous examples include the Paulding Light in Michigan, the Marfa Lights in Texas, and the Oviedo Lights in Florida. Many logical explanations for these phenomena have been suggested, but the Brown Mountain Lights remain a popular subject for unexplained mystery podcasts and YouTube channels. Are these eerie illuminations something as simple as campfires or automobile lights, or are they something more out of this world?

The first published account of the Brown Mountain Lights appeared in the Charlotte Daily Observer in September 1913, describing unexplained lights rising over the summit. Increased public interest in the phenomena prompted the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to dispatch a geologist to investigate in 1922, who spent two weeks in the area making observations. He ruled out several possible explanations including St. Elmo's Fire and fires from illegal moonshine stills before concluding that the most likely cause was automobile and train lights.

Official solutions have done little to discourage more paranormal theories. Local legend tells that the lights have been seen for centuries, perhaps dating back to a mythic battle between indigenous tribes in the 13th century. Other stories attached to the lights include the ghost of a jilted woman looking for the man who broke her heart; the spirits of a murdered mother and child; or the spectre of a "faithful old slave" searching for his master, a tale popularized by Scotty Wiseman's song "Brown Mountain Light."

The rise in fology has also provided more otherworldly suggestions. In the 1960s, a local man claimed he followed the lights into a cave where he met extraterrestrials and later displayed a so-called alien mummy in his museum. A 1990 book by an author who goes by the name of Commander X speculated that the cause was an underground alien base, and by the end of the decade the Brown Mountain Lights had entered popular culture to an extent that they provided the inspiration for an episode of "The X-Files."

Many possible solutions regarding the source of the Brown Mountain Lights have been offered since the phenomena first found its way into print. Notably, the 1913 Charlotte Daily Observer article described their appearance as like that of a "toy fire balloon." It is also interesting that the story was published a few years after Jules Verne's "Master of the World" was translated into English, in which the author described strange lights around a mountaintop close to the nearby town of Morganton. Is it possible that Verne's tale was adopted into North Carolina folklore?

Less exciting earthly possibilities include geological activity, campfires, refracted lights from towns and vehicles, or ball lightning. In 2010, the lights were captured for an episode of the National Geographic show "Paranatural," leaving investigators puzzled. They determined that the most likely cause was gamma rays or x-rays, possibly from outer space. Despite all the more mundane theories and scientific explanations, the mystery of the Brown Mountain Lights is still going strong today.

To check it out for yourself, the best option is to use Morganton as a base then head up to Brown Mountain Overlook or Wiseman's View at night. Caution is advised if you go off the beaten path away from designated viewpoints. The region is pretty wild, the going can be dangerous, and the area is home to black bears and deadly Copperhead snakes. If you do happen to see something, make sure you have your camera at the ready!