Fall Haunted Road Trip: Nashville to Asheville

The best fall haunted road trip from Nashville to Asheville takes you from Nashville's haunted train station to the Bell Witch country north of town, down to Chattanooga's haunted Room 311, through an abandoned Smoky Mountain resort town and over the mountains to Asheville's famous Pink Lady. Plan on four or five days, and time it for October, when the leaves are turning and the stories feel just a little more believable.

Here's a spooky road trip itinerary that mixes ghost stories, real history and some of the prettiest fall drives in the South.

Day 1: Haunted Nashville

Start with a night in Music City. The Union Station Hotel opened as the city's grand L&N train station in 1900 and became a hotel in 1986. It's famous for the legend of Abigail, a young woman said to have died on the tracks after losing her soldier sweetheart in World War II. Her spirit is said to favor Room 711. Request it if you're brave.

A few blocks away, the 1910 Hermitage Hotel has its own legends, including a Lady in White and the sound of a crying baby in the early hours. For more on both, see our guide to Nashville haunted hotels.

Spend the evening on a Nashville ghost tour to hear more of the city's dark side before you hit the road.

Day 2: The Bell Witch (a detour worth taking)

Before heading east, consider a morning detour north to Adams, Tennessee, near Clarksville. This is the home of the Bell Witch, the most famous ghost story in Tennessee.

The legend says that starting in 1817, the family of farmer John Bell began hearing strange noises in their home. The haunting grew into something far worse, with much of the torment aimed at John and his daughter Betsy. It only ended, the story goes, after John Bell's death, which the spirit claimed credit for.

Today the Bell Witch Cave property offers tours, including the cave and a replica of the Bell family cabin. Hours are seasonal, so check before you go. Then backtrack through Nashville and head southeast.

Day 3: Chattanooga and Room 311

Chattanooga is roughly two hours southeast of Nashville, and the drive gets prettier the closer you get to the Tennessee River.

Your stop for the night is the Read House. The Read House name dates to 1872, and an earlier hotel on the same site served as a military headquarters and hospital during the Civil War. The current building opened in 1926 and was restored to its Jazz Age look in 2018.

The hotel's famous ghost is Annalisa Netherly, a woman local lore says died in Room 311 in the 1920s. Accounts of how vary. Guests have reported running water, flickering lights and shadowy figures. You can book the room yourself, if you'd like to find out.

Day 4: Elkmont, the Smoky Mountain ghost town

From Chattanooga, head northeast toward Knoxville and on to Gatlinburg, the gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Fall color in the Smokies usually rolls in through October and into early November, starting at the high elevations and working its way down.

Inside the park, near Gatlinburg, is Elkmont. It began as a small settlement, grew into a logging town and later became a summer resort for wealthy families. When the national park was created in the 1930s, the land became part of it. Some residents kept lifetime leases, but those ran out in 1992, and the last full-time residents left soon after.

What remains is eerie in the best way. A handful of cabins have been restored, including the Appalachian Clubhouse, but much of Elkmont is ruins: stone chimneys, crumbling foundations and quiet trails along Little River and Jakes Creek. There's no famous ghost story you need here. An empty resort town in the woods, at dusk, in October, does the work all by itself.

Spend the night in Gatlinburg or nearby, then cross the mountains in the morning.

Day 5: Asheville and the Pink Lady

The drive over the Smokies into North Carolina is one of the great fall drives in the country. Leave time for overlooks.

In Asheville, the place to stay is the Omni Grove Park Inn, a massive stone resort that opened in 1913. Its resident ghost is the Pink Lady. The legend says a young woman fell to her death in the hotel's Palm Court atrium around 1920. Whether she was pushed, jumped or even existed at all is part of the mystery.

Staff and guests have reported a pink mist, a cold chill and lights and locks behaving strangely, especially around Room 545. Some people request that room. Others ask to be as far from it as possible. The hotel even looked into the story itself in 1996.

Before you leave town, walk through Riverside Cemetery. Established in 1885, this hilly, 87-acre cemetery is the final resting place of authors Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry, along with a plot of German sailors who died while interned during World War I. It's peaceful by day and beautifully moody in the fall.

Extend the trip: Charlotte

Not ready to go home? Charlotte is about two hours east of Asheville. Cap off your trip with one of our Charlotte ghost tours and explore the Queen City's haunted history.

Planning your fall haunted road trip

• Best time to go: Mid-October through early November usually offers the best mix of fall color and spooky-season energy. Weekends in the Smokies get busy, so start early in the day.
• Book haunted rooms early: Room 711, Room 311 and Room 545 are all popular in October. Call the hotels directly.
• Drive times: Most legs are two to three hours, which leaves plenty of time to explore. The Bell Witch detour adds a few hours.
• Check the park: Mountain roads in the Smokies can close for weather or maintenance. Check the National Park Service before you go.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Nashville to Asheville?

The direct drive is roughly five hours. This itinerary takes the long way, through Chattanooga and the Smokies, and works best over four or five days.

What is the most haunted place in Tennessee?

The Bell Witch legend in Adams is Tennessee's most famous ghost story. For haunted hotels, Union Station in Nashville and the Read House in Chattanooga are the two big names.

Is the Grove Park Inn haunted?

Its legend of the Pink Lady has been told for decades, with staff and guests reporting a pink mist and odd happenings, especially around Room 545.

When do the leaves change in the Smoky Mountains?

Fall color typically starts at higher elevations in early October and reaches lower elevations later in the month and into early November. It varies year to year.

Every good haunted road trip needs a great kickoff. Start yours in Music City with one of our Nashville ghost tours, and hear the stories that make this city one of the spookiest stops in the South.