YEAR: 2009

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: July

DATE: 18th

STATE: Tennessee

COUNTY: Greene County

LOCATION DETAILS: Drive through Greeneville on 11E headed East. Just past the Wal-Mart is Hwy. 107. There will be signs pointing towards Cherokee National Forest on the right. Follow Horse Creek all the way into the forest and take the first right onto Old Forge Rd.

NEAREST TOWN: Greeneville

NEAREST ROAD: Horse Creek Rd.

OBSERVED: The weekend of the 11th and 12th I went on a day hike at Old Forge campground just inside Cherokee national Forest. The trail heads East up into the Appalachians. On the Round Knob trail I noticed a 13-14in print that looked very human like. I could only see 4 toes but it appeared there was probably also a fifth. There's lots of moving water in the area, but I didn't see much in the way of wildlife.

The next weekend on the 18th I made another trip with a friend and walked the same trail. The print had been washed away so he didn't get to see it. We got back to the campground and started a fire and just relaxed. At about 10:30pm we turned in.
I couldn't sleep very well, I fell in and out of consciousness all night. As I was laying in my tent listening to the snores and quiet I heard 2 wood knocks to the East and a few minutes later 1 wood knock from the West. I told my friend about it in the morning and suggested we come back and investigate another weekend.

ALSO NOTICED: The track on the trail.

OTHER WITNESSES: There were no other witnesses that I am aware of.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Between 4:30am and 5:00am.

ENVIRONMENT: High hills, thick vegetation and plenty of moving water. Didn't see too much in the way of wildlife, but saw some bear tracks and what might have been bear scat.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Rolf G.:

I meet with the witness and found him credible and very adamant about his experience at the campground. The campsite is inside the Cherokee National Forest. We scouted the area where fresh water and many food sources were found to include fish, signs of deer and hog, acorns, hickory nuts, walnut, wild grapes, blackberry and blueberry bushes. We hiked to the location where he found a possible print. The area was surrounded by blueberries bushes that ripen during the reported time in July. The lower land outside the park is dotted with many farms that grow all types of produce.

About BFRO Investigator Rolf G.:

An avid outdoorsman who grew up hunting, fishing, and hiking in the Appalachian Mountains. Retired from the U.S. Army. Attended the NC-07 and TN-09 BFRO Expeditions.