Brianna Pendley said she was taking bridal photos for a friend when a sudden storm with hail moved in near the Tennessee border.
The group, including her son Landry and the bride, sought shelter under some trees.
"We were there and we were huddled together looking at each other and kinda laughing about what was going on because the weather was nice five minutes before. And it was like a millisecond and we were on the ground screaming," Pendley, who was taking the photos, told ABC affiliate WSOC.
The group had checked the weather beforehand and saw clear skies at the start of their hike, so the storm was unexpected.
Pendley believes that lightning struck a nearby tree, likely traveling through its roots and knocking the group down.
SEE ALSO: North Carolina now in top 5 states for lightning deaths; Tips for storm safety
"No warning," Pendley said. "There was no thunder."
Her son, Landry, and a friend got welts on their legs from the strike but were not seriously injured after being evaluated at an emergency room.
"It's so unpredictable," she said. "It happened like that. The storm was over in five minutes, and I don't know if I'm going to be much of a hiker after that."
The North Carolina Forest Service recommends moving to lower elevations during storms and getting as low as possible for safety.
Featured video is from a previous report.