GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK – Rangers in Great Smoky Mountains National Park located three lost hikers in the Abrams Fall area at about 7:00 p.m. yesterday evening. All three were in good condition. Three individuals were identified as: Jonathan Hildreth, 21, Kayla Latard, 19, and Samual Willis, 19, all of Knoxville.

Park Dispatch got a cell phone call at about 3:30 p.m. Monday November 9 from

three people who reported that they had set down their packs and jackets

along the Abrams Fall Trail about a mile west of the Trailhead then left

the marked trail to explore a social trail. They had become lost in the

thick brush and steep, confusing terrain and could not locate the trail.

     Blount County Dispatchers were able to use the group’s cell phone to

provide Rangers a location in an area called “The Shoe”, so-called because

Abrams Creek makes a long loop. The Shoe is notoriously confusing, so

searches in that area are not uncommon. Rangers located the trio at about

7:00 p.m. and guided them out to the trailhead about 8:00 p.m.

     Acting Chief Ranger Steve Kloster said, “This group was extremely

lucky to be found so quickly because the vast majority of the Park has

little to no cell coverage, so we would not have known they were missing

until being contacted by outside parties. They were also fortunate that the

call came in as early in the day as it did, or it would have been too dark

to get Rangers in to the area safely and effectively.  They would have

spent a dark, damp night in the woods.”

     “The best advice we can give to hikers is to stay on the trails to

avoid getting turned around.” Kloster concluded.