ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Park rangers are searching for a 24-year-old Texas man whose vehicle was found at a popular hiking trailhead in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Sahil Jilani was last seen around 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, at Riverstone Campground in Townsend, Tennessee, according to the National Park Service.
His vehicle was found Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the Abrams Falls trailhead in the Cades Cove area of the park.
The National Park Service issued a public appeal Wednesday, asking anyone who may have seen Jilani to come forward.
Jilani is 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.
Abrams Falls is one of the park’s popular hiking destinations. The 5-mile round-trip trail leads to a 25-foot waterfall and is accessible from Cades Cove Loop Road on the Tennessee side of the Smokies.
Park officials have not released details about the circumstances of Jilani’s disappearance or said whether he planned to hike in the area.
Anyone who has seen Jilani or has information about his whereabouts is asked to email the National Park Service at SmokiesTips@nps.gov.