Overview of Park Predators: The Hill
This episode examines the unexplained disappearance of Pauline “Polly” Melton in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on September 25, 1981. While hiking Deep Creek Trail with two friends, Polly suddenly surged ahead, disappeared over a hill, and was never seen again. The case became one of the park’s many long-running mysteries, with theories ranging from a medical emergency to voluntary disappearance or foul play — but no evidence ever confirmed what happened.
The Disappearance
What happened on the trail
- Polly Melton was hiking Deep Creek Trail with Trula Gudger and Pauline Cannon.
- Near the end of the loop, Polly unexpectedly walked faster and pulled far ahead.
- Her friends called out to her; she looked back, laughed, and went over a small hill.
- When they reached the top, she was gone.
When she was reported missing
- After finishing the hike, her friends returned to the nearby trailers.
- Polly’s husband, Robert Melton, said he had not seen her since they left.
- Her friends and husband searched briefly, then contacted the National Park Service.
- The formal search began around 5:00 p.m. that same day.
The Search Effort
Search conditions
- Deep Creek Trail had:
- multiple side trails
- bridges
- access to nearby waterfalls
- proximity to a road near the trail’s end
- Searchers used lights to check the creek and pools after dark.
Scale of the search
- At least four park rangers and up to 25 people participated.
- Search dogs were brought in from Virginia and North Carolina the next day.
- Despite the effort, no trace of Polly was found.
Early official conclusions
- The NPS initially said they did not suspect foul play.
- They considered possibilities like:
- Polly getting lost
- a medical event such as a seizure
- possible travel out of the park via the nearby road
Why the Case Was So Puzzling
Polly’s habits and preparation
Several details suggested she had planned to return:
- She left behind her ID
- She left behind cigarettes
- She had recently filled a tranquilizer prescription
- She had prepared spaghetti sauce at home before the hike, and it was still on the stove
Why she seemed unlikely to vanish voluntarily
- She was described as experienced with the area and had visited Deep Creek for decades.
- She was known to be close with her father and was expected to maintain contact.
- Family and friends said she was not the type to trust strangers or leave with someone unknown.
Family Concerns and Frustration
Her sister’s efforts
Polly’s sister, Kit, became a central voice in the case:
- She said the lack of answers made grieving impossible.
- She believed Polly’s body was likely still somewhere in the park.
- She helped push for:
- media attention
- a reward fund
- a private search effort
- government assistance
Investigative frustration
- The Swain County Sheriff’s Office was not initially notified by the NPS.
- The North Carolina SBI was never brought in.
- The FBI did not get involved because there was no clear evidence of a crime.
- Kit repeatedly said authorities were unresponsive and that nothing seemed to be moving forward.
Later Developments and Theories
The voluntary-disappearance theory
Some later reporting suggested Polly may have disappeared by choice:
- She and her husband had been living in a close-knit trailer community.
- A researcher, Juanita Baldwin, speculated Polly may have wanted to escape caregiving burdens and start over.
- A cashed check in Polly Melton’s name surfaced in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1982, but investigators could not verify it.
The accident / medical-event theory
Another possibility is that Polly suffered:
- a medical emergency
- confusion or disorientation
- a fall near the creek or one of the bridges
The episode’s host suggests she may have fallen into or been carried away by water, which could help explain why no body was found.
The foul-play theory
- Polly’s family wondered if someone on the trail may have targeted her valuables, since she reportedly wore several pieces of jewelry.
- However, investigators found no evidence supporting abduction or assault.
Unresolved Questions
Key mysteries that remain
- Why did Polly skip her normal volunteer routine that day?
- Why did she make phone calls from the hot-meal program the day before she vanished?
- Did she leave the trail on her own, have a medical episode, or meet with someone?
- What happened to the mysterious check in her name?
Why the case still stands out
The episode emphasizes how Polly’s disappearance fits the unsettling pattern of other Great Smoky Mountains missing-person cases: someone is last seen in a familiar place, then vanishes without a trace.
Current Status
- Polly Melton remains classified as missing.
- Her case is still listed by both:
- the National Park Service
- NamUs
- Authorities continue to ask anyone with information to contact Great Smoky Mountains National Park Headquarters in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.