A 73-year-old volunteer at Great Smoky Mountains National Park was found dead over the weekend after she went missing during a hike, officials said on Monday. She had spent many years helping at the park.
Ann Houghton, from Jackson County, North Carolina, was found around 1:53 p.m. on Sunday, according to the National Park Service. Her body was discovered about a quarter-mile from Enloe Creek Trail on the North Carolina side of the park, which is on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina.
Houghton was reported missing on Saturday after she didn’t come back from a planned hike in the park from Tuesday to Wednesday. Her car was found at the Smokemont Campground. Search teams looked for her on the Bradley Fork, Chasteen Creek, Hughes Ridge, and Enloe Creek trails, according to park officials.
Many local groups helped in the search and rescue efforts, including Cherokee Fire and Rescue, BUSAR, the Macon Volunteer Fire Department, the Cowee Volunteer Fire Department, the Appalachian Mountain Rescue Team, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the report said.
Houghton was a longtime volunteer and often visited the park. She gave more than 4,000 hours of her time over 20 years, with “few if any breaks in service since 2004,” the park service said. The park nominated her for a George and Helen Hartzog Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service.
“Having served in many different volunteer capacities over the years, Ann quietly draws from first-hand, boots-on-ground experience in interaction with curious visitors and new members of staff,” a statement about her 2022 nomination said. “She has a gift for sharing vital information with children and adults, while giving them space to consider concepts and continue self-guided exploration, but often through a more wide-view, responsible lens.”
The park community grieved the loss of a devoted member.
“Ann was an enduring and beloved member of our Smokies Community. She was a dedicated volunteer and avid hiker who shared her passion for the park with many visitors,” Charles Sellars, the park’s acting superintendent, said in the statement Monday. “Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers condolences to her family and friends.”
