I'm pretty sure I saw a mountain lion in the Smokies on Cold Spring Gap trail about 3 miles from the intersection of Hazel Creek Trail. It was about 30 years ago, just getting light enough to see clearly and I was on my way to a water source from a stealth camp when I spotted a big cat on the next rise - I know bob cats and I know panthers - this was way too big to be either one - and way too light in color to be a skinny bear (and it had a long tail and cat head and ears). It turned around, looked at me and took off up a hill into the woods. It moved like a cat.