Dashboards and Saddlebags the Destination Magazine™ Issue 028 July 2013 | Page 20

Explore The Mystery Of The
Brown Mountain Lights

Photo: Mark Houser

F

rom the time Cherokee and Catawba roamed North Carolina’s
northern mountains, people have reported seeing strange
lights at night in the Brown Mountains near Morganton in Burke
County. Sometimes they’re pale, ghostly lights slowly moving
along the trees, and sometimes they whirl and dart rapidly across
the forest. The Brown Mountain Lights always appear in the
woods, rise above the mountain then slowly disappear. The lights
have even been captured on video. Theories abound from alien
spacecraft to natural gas formations and, of course, government
conspiracy. But no proven explanation has ever been established.
The Burke County Tourism office hosts annual symposiums on
the theories surrounding the lights, including group trips to the
places where they’re most frequently seen. The office also has a
photo contest challenging visitors to capture images of the lights.
The Brown Mountain Lights are
typically visible on clear nights
from vantage points along North
#89
Carolina Highway 181 and from
Wiseman’s View in the Linville
Project 543 tells the story of
Gorge Wilderness area.

Around The World Travel
[phone]
CRUISES
HONEYMOONS www.ATWTravel.org
ROMANTIC GETAWAYS
SANDALS/BEACHES RESORTS
ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORTS
TOUR PACKAGES
DISNEY PACKAGES
SKI VACATIONS
Julie Dunning

Vacation Specialist

111 Kilson Drive, Ste 206
Mooresville,NC 28117

20

unique spots across North
Carolina we hope will become
some of your favorite places.
Why 543? Because that’s the
number of miles from Manteo,
on the coast, to Murphy, in the
mountains, and is traditionally
considered to be the width of
our state. The entries in this
project are in no particular
order, and we’ll add to them
each week. Check in often to
find inspiration for your next
trip, or start planning today at
VisitNC.com.

Dashboards and Saddlebags The Destination Magazine™