Exactly. Remember, Irene Bryant was 25 yards away from her car, with multiple agencies searching that exact area in Pisgah forest, and they still didn't find her for three days. Just like the above listed unknown day hiker (case report linked in a previous post) - she could be likely just off the trail.
I hate to mention Gary Hilton, but let's remember that he might very well be at large if it were not for three vigilant people:
1) Merideth Emerson, skilled at martial arts, fought him so hard that he dropped a metal baton and the area he ambushed her showed ground disturbance and evidence of a struggle. This, a dropped dog leash, and multiple other items dropped during the struggle were crucial to the Law Enforcement and the eventual apprehension.
2) Gary Hilton's old employer heard about the description of the suspicious person last seen near Merideth Emerson. Then he heard about the baton, red dog, and Blood Mountain and connected this to his creepy ex-employee and alerted authorities as to his actual name and identity.
3) The 911 caller in Dekalb GA who saw Hilton cleaning out his van and alerted authorities. This action led to Hilton's arrest.
Add in the multiple hikers who provided descriptions that connected Hilton to Emerson and also Cheryl Dunlap in Apalachicola, FL. Each little tip was a piece of the puzzle, and each one was instrumental in moving the case along.
We don't know what Law Enforcement knows, but best to report anything out of the ordinary.