The people behind the stories
Meet Your Gatlinburg Ghost Tour Guides
Our tours are led by two local guides with real paranormal investigation experience and a deep passion for Smoky Mountain history and folklore. When you walk with us, you're not following a script — you're hearing stories that have been researched, investigated, and lived.
Why Our Guides Are Different
A lot of ghost tours hire actors or seasonal staff and hand them a script. We took a different approach. Both of our guides came to this work through genuine curiosity about the paranormal and a love of local history — not because it was a job posting.
Real Investigation Experience
We've spent years investigating locations across the Smoky Mountains — not just reading about them. That hands-on background shapes every story we tell on tour.
Deep Local Knowledge
Gatlinburg and the surrounding mountains have a rich, layered history that most visitors never hear. We've done the research to bring those stories to life in a way that's accurate, engaging, and genuinely surprising.
Authentic Storytelling
We're not here to scare you with cheap tricks. We're here to share real history, real folklore, and real experiences — and let you decide what to make of them.
Paranormal Investigation Experience
Both Pete and Mark have spent years conducting paranormal investigations throughout the Smoky Mountain region. That means visiting locations at night, documenting unexplained activity, reviewing evidence, and building a working knowledge of what's actually been reported — and what hasn't.
That experience matters on a ghost tour. It means we can speak to specific locations with authority, answer your questions honestly, and share stories that go beyond what you'll find in a quick internet search. It also means we know when to let a moment breathe — when to stop talking and let you experience a place for yourself.
The combination of investigation experience, historical research, and a genuine love of Smoky Mountain folklore is what makes our tours feel different. We're not performing for you. We're sharing something we actually care about.
Your Guide
Meet Pete
Pete's fascination with the paranormal didn't begin with ghost tours—it began with years of exploring some of America's most legendary haunted locations. His investigations have taken him to places like Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary, Waverly Hills Sanatorium, abandoned schools throughout Northern Ohio, and even the historic Gettysburg Battlefield, where history and legend have intertwined for generations.
Those experiences sparked a lifelong passion for researching haunted history, local folklore, eyewitness accounts, and the stories that continue to surround the Smoky Mountains. Every Ghost and Haunt Tour is shaped by that curiosity and commitment to authentic storytelling.
Pete is also the author of the Ghost Trilogy, featuring The Ghost Between Us, The Ghost Beside Us, and The Ghost Within Us. While the novels are works of fiction, many of the paranormal experiences encountered by the main characters are inspired by Pete's own investigations and personal experiences in the field. Readers often enjoy discovering the connections between the stories in the books and the legends shared during the tour.
Whether he's leading a ghost tour through Gatlinburg or writing supernatural fiction inspired by the Smoky Mountains, Pete's goal is the same: to immerse people in unforgettable stories rooted in history, mystery, and the unexplained.
If you'd like to learn more, purchase a signed copy of the trilogy, or explore Pete's other work, visit his author website. You'll also find cinematic book trailers and additional paranormal content on his YouTube channel.
Your Guide
Meet Mark
Mark brings more than two decades of paranormal investigation experience to every Ghost & Haunt Tour of Gatlinburg. Originally from Savannah, Georgia—one of America's most haunted cities—he served as both a firefighter and an investigator with the Savannah Paranormal Society for 21 years.
Throughout his investigative career, Mark explored numerous historically significant and reportedly haunted locations while staying current with the latest paranormal research methods, investigative equipment, and technology. His approach combines curiosity with healthy skepticism, allowing guests to experience Gatlinburg's haunted history through a thoughtful, evidence-based perspective rather than sensational storytelling.
Since joining Ghost & Haunt Tours of Gatlinburg, Mark has immersed himself in the history of the Smoky Mountains. He has dedicated countless hours to researching local history, genealogy, and Appalachian folklore, spending extensive time at the King Family Library in Sevierville to verify historical records and uncover the stories behind Gatlinburg's most legendary locations.
Guests appreciate Mark's ability to connect documented history with local legends, creating a ghost tour that is as informative as it is entertaining. Whether discussing historic families, unexplained encounters, or the evolution of paranormal investigation, his goal is always the same—to provide an authentic Gatlinburg ghost tour rooted in historical research, local knowledge, and genuine passion for the subject.
Join Us on a Ghost Tour
If you're looking for a ghost tour that takes Gatlinburg's haunted history seriously — one led by people who actually know this region and care about sharing it well — we'd love to have you join us.
Tours run nightly from March through October, departing from 331 Historic Nature Trail in Gatlinburg. Check-in begins at 8:30 PM. Our 2-hour Extended Walking Tour covers the most ground and gives you the fullest picture of Gatlinburg's paranormal history.
Have questions before you book? Visit our Tour Information page for pricing, what to expect, and answers to common questions. You can also read what past guests have said — we're proud of our reviews, and we think they tell the story better than we can.