Officials confirmed Monday that a 73-year-old Great Smoky Mountains National area volunteer who had been missing for several decades was discovered dead over the weekend while hiking in the area.
According to a press release from the National Park Service, Ann Houghton of Jackson County, North Carolina, was discovered on Sunday at around 1:53 p.m. ET. Houghton was situated on the North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which shares a border with Tennessee, approximately a quarter mile from Enloe Creek Trail.
After not showing up for a scheduled hike in the park from January 28 to 29, Houghton was reported missing on Saturday. The Smokemont Campground is where her car was discovered. The NPS said that the Bradley Fork, Chasteen Creek, Hughes Ridge, and Enloe Creek trails were the main targets of search operations.
According to the announcement, a number of local organizations, including the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee Fire and Rescue, BUSAR, Macon Volunteer Fire Department, Cowee Volunteer Fire Department, and Appalachian Mountain Rescue Team, helped with the search and emergency response.
Houghton, a veteran volunteer and park visitor, has logged over 4,000 hours of service over the past 20 years, with little to no pause since 2004, according to the NPS. Her nomination for the George and Helen Hartzog Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service came from the park.
According to a statement regarding her 2022 nomination, Ann has volunteered in a variety of roles over the years and discreetly uses her first-hand, hands-on knowledge when interacting with interested guests and new hires. She has a talent for imparting important knowledge to both adults and children while allowing them room to think through ideas and carry on with their own self-directed discovery, frequently through a more responsible and broad perspective.
The loss of a devoted member is being mourned by the park community.
An enduring and cherished part of our Smoky Mountains community was Ann. In the statement released on Monday, Acting Superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park Charles Sellars said she was a committed volunteer and ardent hiker who shared her love of the park with many park visitors. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park sends its sympathies to her loved ones.