Paul A. Roales has studied the tri-state phenomenon called Spooklight, or the Hornet Ghost Light, for decades.
His conclusion: The light is caused by the headlights of cars from nearby Route 66.
You can read about his findings here.
Roales seems like he debunks the supernatural angle of the phenomenon pretty convincingly.
(Hat tip to Laurel Kane.)
Headlights as an explanation for the Spooklight in extreme Southwest Missouri might work – except the existence of the light is documented earlier than the existence of automobiles with headlights. Many sources mention the Spooklight as appearing in the same spot long before there were any cars in the Ozarks.
How would it explain the sightings that happened before cars even existed? Or the fact that the light runs circles around people trying to get near it. Or ancient indian legends about the same lights?
How would that explain the light fading and getting brighter. I mean i just visited the light tonight for the first time. I mean it was awsome. How would you come to the conclusion that it is lights from the nearby route 66 traffic. When the light fades, gets brighter, bounces around, and even sometimes comes close to you and even comes into your car. I just think it is some kind of supernatural being that is looking for something or someone. And once it finds that thing or person it will eventually disappear. That is just my believe.
I have been to Spooklight road hundreds of times since the mid 70’s. Headlights from Route 66 do not bounce on treetops, in the ditch then dart into the field in mid summer when the trees are full of leaves and the spot you’re standing in is 1.5 miles from the hwy.
Not to mention reports of the light since the mid 1800’s.