Brown Mountain Lights
The Brown Mountain Lights in Brown Mountain NC are one of the most intriguing and famous North Carolina legends. They Brown Mountain Lights in the Sky have been reported many times in national and local newspaper stories. The North Carolina Brown Mountain Light has been investigated several times by the U.S. Geological Survey. The Brown Mountain Lights have attracted the attention of numerous scientists and historians since German engineer Gerard Will de Brahm was able to record the mysterious lights in the Western North Carolina Mountains in 1771.
 Brahm stated, "The mountains emit nitrous vapors which are borne by the wind and when laden winds meet each other the niter inflames, sulphurates and deteriorates.” De Brahm was a scientist and this was his explanation of The Legend of the Brown Mountain Light. Early frontiersman of the Brown Mountain North Carolina area of Western North Carolina believed that the lights were the spirits of Cherokee and Catawba Indian warriors that were slain in a battle on the mountainside of Brown Mountain. One thing is certain, North Carolina's Brown Mountain Lights do exist. Many people that have visited one of the Brown Mountain NC Campgrounds and local North Carolina Gem Mines have seen and documented their experience with the lights. Some of the reports have been noted from people staying in Bear Den Campground in Spruce Pine NC. These Brown Mountain Lights in NC have been reportedly seen from visitors and residents of the Brown Mountain NC area for many years. One thing that almost all WNC visitors want to know is the question, Where is Brown Mountain NC.
 You can go to several local stores in the area for Maps Brown Mountain Lights lovers will certainly want to check out to understand where they form in the sky. The mysterious lights appear at irregular intervals over the top of Brown Mountain NC. Brown Mountain is a long and low mountain in the foothills of the Appalachia Mountain Range of the Blue Ridge Mountains. They are visible at a distance, move erratically up and down, but tend to vanish after a few minutes as they rise above Brown Mountain. The Brown Mountain Lights can be seen very well from Wiseman's View on Linville Mountain just off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Brown Mountain Lights in the Sky appear to be about twice the size of a star when they rise over Brown Mountain. Sometimes the North Carolina Brown Mountain Light has a blue or reddish color. Many people say the lights resemble the brilliant colors found in rocks from Gem Mines in Spruce Pine North Carolina. The Best Time for Viewing Brown Mountain Lights is on a dark night as they pop up so quickly and in such large numbers it is virtually impossible to count them.
 There have been a few scientific investigations conducted by the United States Geological Survey to try to explain the mysterious lights. One investigation was conducted in 1913 that reached the conclusion that the Brown Mountain Lights were actually locomotive headlights from the trains running through the Catawba Valley just south of Brown Mountain NC. However, a few years later in 1916, there was a great flood that swept right through the Catawba Valley floor which knocked out all of the railroad bridges. After the flood, it was many weeks before the bridges could be repaired so that the trains could once again pass through the Catawba Valley. Even though there were no trains passing through the Catawba Valle, the Brown Mountain Lights continued to appear as usual. This baffled even the most seasoned Geological Scientists as it became clear that the best theory to date was proven incorrect.
 The Brown Mountain Lights phenomenon is so well known that it has taken on a life of its own. There are several Brown Mountain Lights Videos you can find online. Most people that are familiar with the lights are familiar with the famous 1961 “Ballad of the Brown Mountain Lights” by Scotty Wiseman. The Ballad of the Brown Mountain Lights is about the “faithful old slave” searching for the final resting place of his master on Brown Mountain. There is a Brown Mountain Lights Festival and a Brown Mountain Lights Song that was written about the magical occurrence. The Acoustic Syndicate Brown Mountain Lights song will make you want to get up and dance. There have been other bands as well that have written Brown Mountain Lights Acoustic music due to their personal experience of witnessing the lights. You can do a quick search on the internet to see one of the many Pictures of the Brown Light or to find Directions to Brown Mountain North Carolina. Some enthusiast love to put in the GPS Coordinates for Brown Mountain Lights to find a great viewing area.
There are three main viewing areas for the North Carolina Brown Mountain Lights.
 The first viewing location is Wisemans View. Wisemans View is a viewing location in the Pisgah National Forest a short drive from the Blue Ridge Parkway on Kistler Memorial Highway. The Pisgah National Forest Service road to Wisemans View is called Kistler Memorial Hwy, also known as Old NC 105 or State Road 1238, and is marked as such where it connects to Highway 183. Highway 183 in Linville Falls NC is just South on Highway 221 near the Blue Ridge Parkway exit. After parking in the Wisemans View parking lot you will hike a few hundred yards down an asphalt walkway. This walkway also has a handicapped access route as well. Wisemans View overlooks Linville Gorge, Table Rock, and Hawk's Bill. Brown Mountain itself is a low peak in the distance. It has been argued that the exact location of the Brown Mountain view in relation to Wisemans View does not always align with where the Brown Mountain Lights can be seen. The Brown Mountain Lights have been seen along the entire ridge as well as going down into Linville Gorge. While viewing the wonderful lights, you can hear the rumbling sound of the Linville River below.
Wisemans View GPS coordinates: N 35° 54.232' W 81° 54.286'
 The second viewing location is Brown Mountain Overlook. Brown Mountain Overlook is located 20 miles North of Morgantan NC on Highway 181. The National Park Forest Service sign identifying Brown Mountain Overlook is close to an area called Barkhouse Picnic area. The actual overlook is roughly one mile South of the Barkhouse Picnic area. The view from Brown Mountain Overlook is of Brown Mountain itself. Brown Mountain can be seen as an an obscure, low ridge in the distance.
Brown Mountain Overlook GPS coordinates: N 35° 56.525' W 81° 50.513'
 The third viewing location is the Lost Cove Overlook. Lost Cove Overlook is on the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile marker 310. The view from Lost Cove Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway is a fantastic view of Brown Mountain. The Brown Mountain Lights have been seen so many times from this location that it is widely known as a fantastic place to view the wonderful lights. Make sure to sit back and enjoy the incredible views with Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Bilmore Estate is a great excursion to take on a Blue Ridge Parkway day trip.
Lost Cost Overlook GPS coordinates: N 36° 01.744' W 81° 52.305'
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