IT has been days since a missing hiker’s abandoned SUV was found on a beach, but there’s been no sign of him or his loyal dog.
Chris Palmer, 39, was visiting North Carolina’s Outer Banks when he vanished, and his family hasn’t heard from him in weeks.
His red 2017 Ford F-250 was found stuck on the beach at Cape Hatteras National Seashore on January 12, the National Park Service said.
No one ever claimed the vehicle, and authorities in Arkansas, where Palmer is from, declared him a missing person on January 16.
“Palmer is believed to be traveling with his German shepherd and may still be in the area,” said the NPS in a statement shared Tuesday.
“While no additional details are available at this time, information from visitors can be critical to ongoing investigative efforts.”
In a devastating Facebook post, Palmer’s dad explained that his son had been traveling through national parks to camp with his dog Zoey.
He went to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee on December 8, 2025, and was in Boone Fork, North Carolina, from December 10 to the 27th.
“He does a lot of camping in the national forests. He lets us know when and where he is going and when he is expected to return,” wrote the heartbroken dad.
Palmer planned to go to the George Washington National Forest in Virginia until January 7, but told his parents he would be staying an extra week on January 4.
On January 9, he said he was headed to Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia.
Palmer tried to call his parents, but the signal was spotty, so they couldn’t speak, the dad said.
Days went by, and the parents eventually received a call from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office on the 18th, informing them that Palmer’s truck had been found.
The dad said the vehicle was “in the opposite direction he was headed.”
“The national park service are currently searching for him with teams and infrared drones near Buxton,” wrote the dad.
“I’m asking for prayers that he is found safe and send this to friends you might know in the mention areas.”
Palmer later edited the post and said they have gotten “tons of wonderful helpful information and kind words” and thanked everyone for their support.
