MomSkoop
Georgia’s misty mountains, ancient swamps, and historic cities hold more than just Southern charm. For generations, locals have passed down spine-tingling tales of ghostly apparitions, mysterious creatures, and unexplained phenomena that continue to haunt the Peach State.
1. Lake Lanier’s Lady of the Lake
Built in the 1950s, Lake Lanier swallowed entire towns, cemeteries, and countless memories beneath its dark waters. Since then, hundreds of drownings and boating accidents have earned it a sinister reputation across North Georgia.
Witnesses claim to see a mysterious woman dressed in blue or white near the bridge, appearing suddenly in the fog. Some say she beckons to boaters, luring them toward tragedy. Others believe she’s searching for something—or someone—lost when the waters rose.
Whether you chalk it up to coincidence or the supernatural, the Lady of the Lake remains one of Georgia’s most chilling and enduring ghost stories.
2. Screamer Mountain’s Eternal Cry
High in Rabun County stands a mountain with a name that sends shivers down your spine. Cherokee legend tells of a Native American woman who screamed atop the peak all night long, her voice carrying across the valleys below.
Another version claims she leapt to her death rather than face removal during the Trail of Tears in 1838. Her anguished cry is said to still echo through the hills on quiet nights, a haunting reminder of tragedy and loss.
Hikers and locals report hearing strange, wailing sounds that seem to come from nowhere. Some dismiss it as wind through the rocks, but others swear it’s something far more unsettling.
3. Altamaha-ha: Georgia’s River Monster
Deep in the swamps and abandoned rice fields of southeastern Georgia lurks a creature locals call Altamaha-ha, or simply Altie. Rooted in ancient Muscogee tradition, this legend has persisted for centuries and continues to spark curiosity today.
Eyewitnesses describe a long, serpent-like beast that glides silently through the murky water. Some compare it to Scotland’s Loch Ness Monster, though Altie seems perfectly at home in Georgia’s humid, moss-draped waterways.
Sightings remain rare but consistent enough to keep the legend alive. Whether real or imagined, Altie has become a beloved—and slightly terrifying—part of Georgia folklore.
4. The 17Hundred90 Inn’s Restless Spirit
Savannah’s 17Hundred90 Inn has earned a reputation as one of the most haunted hotels in America. Guests checking in often have no idea they might be sharing their room with a permanent resident.
Staff and visitors report ghostly footsteps pacing the hallways, sudden cold spots that raise goosebumps, and fleeting glimpses of a sorrowful woman. Legend says she died tragically in one of the upstairs rooms, and her spirit has never left.
Some guests request the haunted room on purpose, hoping for a paranormal encounter. Others check out early, spooked by unexplained noises and an overwhelming sense of sadness that fills the air.
5. Oakland Cemetery’s Unseen Residents
Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery sprawls across 48 acres, home to over 70,000 graves dating back to the city’s earliest days. Among the ornate monuments and towering oaks, visitors often sense they’re not alone.
Faint footsteps crunch on gravel paths where no one walks. Whispers drift through the air with no apparent source. Some even claim to hear the clatter of invisible carriages rolling past, as if the past refuses to stay buried.
Civil War soldiers, early settlers, and notable Atlantans rest here, but locals believe many spirits remain restless. Tours are popular, but even skeptics admit the cemetery has an undeniably eerie atmosphere after dark.
6. Sorrel-Weed House’s Dark History
Standing proudly since the 1840s, this Greek Revival mansion hides tragedy behind its elegant facade. The Sorrel-Weed House is considered one of Savannah’s most actively haunted locations, with a history stained by death and heartbreak.
Stories tell of a mistress and a servant who met untimely ends within these walls. Their spirits allegedly remain, making their presence known through weeping sounds and doors that slam with no explanation.
Paranormal investigators flock here, capturing unexplained phenomena on camera and audio equipment. Tour guides share chilling accounts, and even the bravest visitors admit feeling watched as they walk through the shadowy corridors.
7. Fort King George’s Phantom Sentries
Along Georgia’s windswept coast stands Fort King George, a reconstructed reminder of colonial struggles. Built in the early 1700s, the original fort saw countless deaths from malaria, battles, and brutal coastal storms.
Visitors today report seeing shadowy figures pacing the ramparts as if still on duty. These phantom sentries appear most often at dusk, vanishing when approached. Some hear the sound of marching boots on wooden planks where no one stands.
Rangers and tourists alike have experienced unexplained cold breezes and the overwhelming feeling of being observed. It seems the soldiers who once guarded this outpost may never have abandoned their post.
8. St. Simons Island’s Tree Spirit Guardians
Wander into the woods of St. Simons Island, and you might find yourself under the watchful gaze of something ancient. Locals whisper about mysterious faces carved into trees, appearing seemingly overnight without explanation.
These tree spirits are believed to watch over sailors and lost souls who wander the island. Some say they offer protection, while others claim they serve as warnings to those who disrespect the forest.
No one knows who carves them or when they appear, adding to the mystery. Hikers who stumble upon these haunting faces often feel a strange mix of comfort and unease, as if the trees themselves are alive and aware.
9. Blue Ridge’s Fairy Crosses
In the forests surrounding Blue Ridge, a peculiar legend persists about tiny cross-shaped stones that appear where fairies once mourned. According to folklore, these fairy crosses formed from the tears shed by mystical beings grieving the death of Christ.
Hikers claim to find them embedded in soil or resting delicately on fallen logs, as if placed there intentionally. Each one is unique, a natural formation that resembles a perfect cross.
Whether you believe in fairies or geology, discovering one of these stones feels magical. Many visitors collect them as talismans, believing they bring protection and good fortune to those who carry them.
10. Chickamauga’s Old Green Eyes
Chickamauga Battlefield witnessed some of the Civil War’s bloodiest fighting, where thousands of soldiers fell in brutal combat. Today, it’s known as one of the most haunted battlefields in America, with countless reports of paranormal activity.
Visitors describe spectral soldiers marching silently through morning fog, their forms transparent and otherworldly. But the most terrifying legend involves a creature called Old Green Eyes, whose eerie glowing gaze pierces the darkness from deep within the woods.
Some believe it’s the spirit of a soldier; others think it’s something far more sinister. Either way, encountering those glowing eyes is an experience no one forgets.