Missing Hiker Found Deceased in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Update: Missing Hiker Found Deceased in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Ann Houghton, a 73-year-old resident of Jackson County, NC, was tragically found deceased on February 2, 2025.
Search teams discovered her body approximately a quarter mile off Enloe Creek Trail at 1:53 p.m.
The national park describes her passing is a great loss to the community and the park she loved.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park say they offer their condolences to her family and friends.”
GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Great Smokey National Park launched a search operation for missing hiker Ann Houghton.
Houghton volunteered with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for over twenty years.
She was reported missing on February 1.
Houghton is described as 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 105 pounds, with gray hair and blue eyes.
Law enforcement and search and rescue personnel are focusing efforts along Bradley Fork, Chasteen Creek, Hughes Ridge and Enloe Creek trails.
The park stated that her planned hike spanned January 28-29, and her vehicle was located at Smokemont Campground. Efforts to locate her involved multiple agencies, including Cherokee Fire and Rescue, BUSAR, and the Appalachian Mountain Rescue Team.
“Ann was an enduring and beloved member of our Smokies community. She shared her passion for the park with countless visitors,” said Charles Sellars, Acting Superintendent of the park.
In 2022, Houghton was nominated for the George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service.
For further inquiries, contact the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Dispatch at 865-436-1230.
