THE STORY
Reported Haunting
Cherokee tradition associates the mountain region with Spearfinger, a shape-shifting stone-skinned figure said to prey upon the unwary. Later folklore says her shrieks and cackles may still be heard in the mountains.
Whiteside Mountain is closely associated with the Cherokee legend of U'tlun'ta, commonly known as Spearfinger. She is described in traditional stories as a dangerous shape-shifting being with stone-like skin and a long sharp finger. Tales say she disguised herself as a trusted elderly woman in order to prey upon children. The legend remains deeply associated with the mountains of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.