Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers search for missing man

Park rangers in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are searching for a missing man whose car was found in the park on April 8.

Jacob Riggs, 35, was last seen in Maynardville, Tennessee, on April 7, according to an April 9 news release from the park. After his vehicle was found, park rangers are searching for him near Townsend Wye, Tremont and Cades Cove areas of the park.

Riggs' car was found near Townsend in the park, spokesperson Katie Liming told the Citizen Times. Townsend, Tennessee, is situated in Tucklaleechee Cove at a gateway to the Great Smokies. The Townsend visitor center is located about 60 miles south of the Maynardville.

"I don't have any additional information at this time," Liming said over email.

The release described Riggs as a white male, with black hair and a dark beard, and brown eyes. He is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 185 pounds.

Several organizations are helping the National Park Service in the search and more resources will arrive April 10.

Anyone who saw Riggs or has information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the National Park Service in the following ways:

• Call the NPS Tip Line 888-653-0009.

• Online at go.nps.gov/SubmitATip.

• Through email at [email protected].

• And for emergencies, dial 911.

The Great Smokies, which sprawls across a half-million acres of rugged, forested terrain in Western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, is the most-visited national park, with some 13.3 million visitors in 2023.

According to previous Citizen Times reporting, there are about 100 search and rescue operations conducted in the Smokies each year.

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This story will be updated.

Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers searching for missing man