Missing man located in National Park

The man park rangers said was missing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is recovering in a local hospital after being located Wednesday morning, April 10. Jacob Riggs, 35, was found near Tremont.

The National Park Service said he was suffering from “minor injuries and exposure to weather.”

The NPS initially asked for help locating Riggs Tuesday, saying his car was found in the GSMNP the day before. The 35-year-old had been last seen in Maryville on Sunday.

Park rangers combed the area of the Townsend Wye, Tremont and Cades Cove alongside multiple agencies and volunteers, according to a release from the NPS. Additional resources were slated to arrive Wednesday when a park visitor recognized Riggs near Tremont at about 8 a.m.

Riggs was taken to the incident command post near the Wye, where he was evaluated and taken to an unnamed hospital for treatment.

“The National Park Service is thankful for all of the local agencies and volunteers who participated in the search,” rangers wrote.