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Ghost towns dot the nation - and they are far from solely an Old West phenomenon. One of the ghost towns to see in North Carolina to see is Lost Cove in Yancey County. It is quite a hike to get to the old settlement and a great ghost town to have on a sleuth's Appalachian bucket list.

Another great ghost town to explore in the Appalachians is the Elkmont Ghost Town in what is today the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. To the south, Georgia also has a number of ghost towns that everyone can visit. The Appalachians have a long history of logging, coal mining, and even moonshine making. Today the region is full of ghost towns that once thrilled on those industries.

History Of Lost Cove & Isolation

Lost Cove was settled just before the Civil War. It is right on the Tennessee-North Carolina border. Lost Cove is located in the stunning Poplar Gorge above the Nolichucky River.

  • Settled: Just Before The Civil War

In its beginning, Lost Cove's economy was logging, railroads, farming, and, later on, moonshine-making. The town's period of prosperity came later as the logging industry made Lost Cove a viable stop on the railroad. In its heyday, the town had a school.

Over time, the timber thinned out in the surrounding Pisgah Forest, and the railroad stopped servicing the town so that it could focus on coal and other industries. With the end of the railroad service, it became a difficult eight-mile walk just to get some basic supplies.

Compounding the issues were rough or even non-existent roads. After the railroad ceased service, the town folk lobbied the state to build a road to Lost Cove. But the legislators denied the request, effectively sealing the town's fate.

  • Abandoned: In 1957

The town went into decline for a number of reasons, with its isolation, rough terrain, and the end of passenger railroad stops being contributing factors. The town became a ghost town in 1957 as the last family moved away from the town.

Related: These Mississippi Ghost Towns Are Worthy Of A Spooky Road Trip

Lost Cove's Lawlessness & Moonshine Days

The remoteness of the town in the Appalachians and its situation on the North Carolina/Tennessee state line made it attractive for the production of moonshine. As it is on the state line, neither of the states could agree on jurisdiction to collect tax revenues. This lack of jurisdiction made it a great spot as a haven for illegal spirits.

The judges were just unsure of which jurisdiction the town fell in. Residents made moonshine for personal use as well as for-profit and by selling it to townsfolk or people on the railroad. It also attracted moonshiners to come and do business during the Prohibition years.

The Prohibition lasted from 1920 to 1933 and was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production and sale of alcohol (it failed and backfired).

Related: Arkansas Is Home To An Underwater Ghost Town, Here's What To Know

The Pisgah National Forest - One Of Eastern America's Oldest

The Pisgah National Forest is a land of mile-high peaks, forested slopes, and stunning waterfalls. Most of the forest is hardwood forest and has hundreds of miles of trail. The forest covers over 500,000 acres (including over 46,000 acres of old-growth forests) and was first established in 1916. When it was established, it was one of the first national forests created in the Eastern United States.

The national forest has some of the highest mountains in the eastern half of the country (the highest being Black Balsam Knob which rises to 6,214 feet or 1,894 meters). Recreation activities include mountain biking, backpacking, hunting, and hiking (as well as ghost town hunting).

Visiting Lost Cove & Its Ruins Today

Lost Cove is nestled in the Pisgah National Forest. Lost Cove was always (or at least after the closing of the passenger railroad) off the beaten path. Today it is almost hidden in the forest.

  • Fire: Destroyed Most Of the Town In 2007

Today roads are non-existent access is only for intrepid hikers willing to hike their way along the trails to the ghost town.

Unfortunately, there were fires in 2007 that destroyed most of the structures, but visitors can still see some of the ruins of the towns. Visitors can see the town's cemetery, three remaining houses, and Swin Miller's rusted abandoned Chevy discarded in a ditch. Visitors are greeted with a graveyard of abandoned homes and crumbling gravestones.