National Park After Dark
Episodes
177: Trail Tales 36
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include volcanic adventures, a VAN down by the RIVER, ghostly side hugs, hairbrush shivs in the Badlands and bears, butterflies and ...
176: He’s Okay, We Just Can’t Find Him - The Disappearance of Jaryd Atadero: Roosevelt National Forest
25 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On October 2nd, 1999, 3 year-old Jaryd Atadero vanished on a group hike in the Roosevelt National Forest of Colorado. His father Allyn has been search...
175: Bear Rodeo & Brotherly Love ft. Tooth & Claw Podcast: Bryce Canyon National Park
18 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we welcome back Wes and Jeff from Tooth & Claw Podcast! There’s a reason we keep teaming up with them - get ready for a fun episode full o...
174: Around the Campfire ft. Dave and Ilysa Kyu
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we welcome Dave and Ilyssa Kyu, the masterminds behind the books you’ve probably seen at your local outdoor shop - Campfire Stories! Volume II...
173: 9/11 Heroes: Flight 93 National Memorial
11 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we visit the Flight 93 National Memorial to remember 9/11 and how 40 heroic individuals saved the lives of thousands onboard United Flight 93. P...
172: Death by Misadventure: Glenveagh National Park and Castle
04 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Arthur Kingsley Porter aka “The Indiana Jones of Architecture” seemed to have it all, and although it can be easy to judge the Gatsby’s of the w...
171: Trail Tales 35
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include a near miss with a serial killer, ghost children, feathered signs and finding out what meta means. Outsiders Only bonus stor...
170: The Beast-Man: Olympic National Park
28 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
John Tornow left the societal world to live a reclusive life within the forests of what today is Olympic National Park. When he is accused of murder, ...
169: Not Finished Yet: Hwange National Park
21 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When conservationist Dr. Greg Rasmussen is flying the skies alone above Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe his ultralight plane experiences a malfunctio...
168: Trail Tales 34
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include mushy moments, thin veils, searching for friends and getting haunted. Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreon and...
167: The Devastating Yellowstone Earthquake
14 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we follow the stories of three families as they struggle to survive the largest earthquake ever recorded in the Yellowstone area. The quake kill...
166: History, Horror & Haunts ft. Two Girls One Ghost Podcast: Gettysburg National Military Park
07 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are teaming up with Corinne and Sabrina from Two Girls One Ghost to investigate just what makes Gettysburg one of the most haunted locations ...
165: Trail Tales 33
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include calling 911 on raccoons, aliens in Oregon, swans faking their own deaths, first hand third man encounters and almost but not...
164: The Spark Ranger: Shenandoah National Park
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The story of NPS Ranger Roy Sullivan and his repeated run-ins with one of nature’s deadliest forces will have you thinking of lightning every time y...
163: Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Cult ft. Michelle Dowd
24 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Michelle Dowd was raised within the boundaries of Angeles National Forest inside of a religious cult her grandfather created. She was raised to believ...
162: Park Predators After Dark
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are joined by Delia D’Ambra of the Park Predators podcast as she walks us through what chilling cases season 4 has in store and shares her ...
161: Over the Edge: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is one of the nation’s best “hidden” jewels. It’s the perfect destination, until it isn’t. The park can be...
160: The California Hoax: Giant Sequoia National Monument
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we visit the Giant Sequoias of California and tell the tales of their exploitation to gain recognition at the World's Fair in the United States....
159: Trail Tales 32
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include disembodied voices, justice from beyond, haunted happenings, high adventures and the bestest bark ranger. Outsiders Only bon...
158: Get Rich or Die Trying: Adak Army Base and Adak Naval Operating Base National Historic Landmark
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When a notorious pirate named Captain Gregory Dwargstof sought out the distant Aleutian Island of Adak to stash his stolen gold, he didn’t count on ...
157: The Community ft. Justin Yoder of LGBT Outdoors: Muir Woods National Monument
26 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we trek into Muir Woods National Monument to explore the decaying community of Druid Heights, once a thriving hub for artists, philosophers and ...
156: Trail Tales 31
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include encountering the unexplained, unexpected finds, killer squirrels, coincidence cats and stepping out of your comfort zone. Ou...
155: Smokey Bear Origin Story: Lincoln National Forest
19 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Smokey Bear has been an iconic National forest Service symbol and has served as a staple in fire prevention safety education for generations. However,...
154: The Short Man of Sumatra: Kerinci Seblat National Park
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Stories that make up the world’s collective rich history of legends and folklore are riddled with mysterious creatures. But what if one of these mad...
153: Trail Tales 30
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include wildin coyotes, trips from hell, riding the struggle bus, caffeinating bears, surviving storms and train stalkers. Outsiders...
152: Unlikely Survivors: White Sands National Park
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For generations, wild horses have lived within the fences of White Sands Missile Range, surviving an atomic bomb and other military testing. When the ...
151: Crime or Cryptids ft. Sinisterhood Podcast: Mark Twain National Forest
29 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join us on a very special episode as we trek to Missouri! This time around, we get to sit back and learn as we are guided through Mark Twain National ...
150: Everything Left to Remember ft. Steph Jagger
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we welcome Steph Jagger, author of Everything Left to Remember: My Mother, Our Memories and a Journey Through the Rocky Mountains for a conversa...
149: Missing, Murdered, Massacred: Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When a family of four vanishes from their campsite in Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, what ensues is one of Oregon state’s largest search and ...
148: An Incredible Rescue: Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join us this week in the Alaskan Wilderness to the site of a plane crash on Redoubt Volcano. Four military men find themself stranded for weeks in a p...
147: Trail Tales 29
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include finding ritual sites, trail advice, flash floods, lack of Plan B’s and snail tales. Outsiders Only bonus stories available...
146: Spirit or Science? The Third Man Factor
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all experienced it – the feeling of someone watching us, or in the room with us when we are by all accounts seemingly alone. A shift in the ...
145: The Loose Buckle in the Bible Belt: Hot Springs National Park
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hot Springs National Park was nicknamed the loose buckle in the Bible Belt for its long history of criminal operations, speakeasies, and mob lore. Tod...
144: Trail Tales 28
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include voices on the wind, universal confirmation, memorable engagements, San Luis Valley weirdness and overstaying your welcome. O...
143: The Chosen Ones: Llullaillaco National Park
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Earth’s history is marked with the rise and fall of many great civilizations, all of whom had their own ways of living and thoughts on dying. Today ...
142: Tooth & Claw: Bears in Yellowstone ft. National Park After Dark
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Surprise! We may be on vacation this week, but that doesn't mean we can't bring you a new episode. Please enjoy our recent guest appearance on Tooth a...
141: Trail Tales 27
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In honor of Ian's birthday, today's stories are all about signs, synchronicities and "coincidences". Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreo...
140: Underwater Grave: Death Valley National Park
10 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When four young men learn about a mysterious underwater cave in Death Valley, they sneak in to explore it in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, n...
139: What’s In A Name? White Mountain National Forest
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our names are an incredibly important piece of our identity. We take pride in them and pass them on to future generations to honor the ones we love th...
138: Trail Tales 26
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include brotherly love, body discoveries, drunken heroes, and signs from feathered friends. Outsiders Only bonus stories available f...
137: Grandma Gatewood: The Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
At 67 years old Emma Gatewood became the first woman to ever solo hike the Appalachian Trail, but not without struggles. In this episode we detail the...
136: Mauled ft. Jeremy Evans
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we had the opportunity to sit down with Jeremy Evans. He is an avid outdoorsman, family man and author. Growing up in Alberta he fell in love wi...
135: Trail Tales 25
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include polite robbers, stumbling upon baby bears, foaming pants, nature being metal, chaotic urination and grand misadventures. Out...
134: Dirtbags of Dope Lake: Yosemite National Park
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When treasure in the form of 6,000 pounds of high-grade Mexican marijuana fell from the California sky during a plane crash in the winter of 1976, liv...
133: The Terrible Fate of Tiger T-24: Ranthambore National Park
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tiger T-24 was the king of Ranthambore National Park. After being linked to the killing of four people, he was labeled a man-eater who was too dangero...
132: Trail Tales 24
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include periphery points of view, type 2 fun, night hikes gone awry, assisting in a kidnapping and snoring wolves. Bonus stories ava...
131: Medical Monstrosities: Gettysburg National Military Park
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
These days the news is saturated with stories of tragedies from all corners of the world. Because of this, it’s sometimes difficult to have an optim...
130: What Happened to Amy? Shoshone National Forest
20 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When a marathon runner training for the Olympics runs into Shoshone National Forest, she disappears without a trace. Police immediately pin her new hu...
129: Trail Tales 23
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include narrow escapes, white water mishaps, wheeling past agoraphobia, near death experiences, desert ghosts and disappearing stair...
128: Bruno of Borneo: Gunung Mulu National Park (Part 2)
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Last week we got familiar with Bruno Manser, his early life and what brought him to the island of Borneo. In part 2, we discover just how far he was w...
127: Bruno of Borneo: Gunung Mulu National Park (Part 1)
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Home is where the heart is. Bruno Manser may have been born in Switzerland, but his heart was in Borneo, where he fell in love with the jungle and the...
126: Trail Tales 22
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include ghosty stuff, false alarms, vigilante pursuits, vibing in the badlands, healing in the Hoh and Maine madness. Bonus stories ...
125: Diana of the Dunes: Indiana Dunes National Park
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Alice Mabel Gray was nicknamed Diana of the Dunes after she left society to live off the land on the shores of Lake Michigan. We covered her story par...
124: Trail Tales 21
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include prowling predators, surprise guests, a case of mistaken identity, monumental summits and rocky mountain highs. Bonus stories...
123: A Strand in the Web: Torngat Mountains National Park
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In July 2013, while camping in Torngat Mountains National Park in northern Labrador, Matt Dyer was pulled from his tent by a polar bear. He was ultima...
122: Stranded: Devils Tower National Monument
09 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
George Hopkins was a thrill seeker, parachuting out of planes more times than anyone on record in 1941. While he's after more jumps, he first wants to...
121: Trail Tales 20
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include hunting with wolves, lessons learned, good boys, heartwarming homecomings, fake moose and real cryptids. Bonus stories avail...
120: End of Watch: Mount Rainier National Park
02 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
*Please note, this episode includes descriptions of domestic violence and an active shooting* When an active shooter enters Mount Rainier National...
119: Swimming the Colorado River: Grand Canyon National Park
26 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join us this week as we follow two friends down the Colorado River. When they have limited funds to kayak or raft the river like most - Bill Beer and ...
118: Trail Tales 19
22 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today's stories include off trail adventures, rescues pups, ghostly encounters and the great bear mace incident. Bonus stories available for Outsiders...
117: Death Wish: Joshua Tree National Park
19 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
People put a big emphasis on living but part of living – is dying, and that takes some thought too. Confronting our own mortality is difficult and u...
116: Trail Tales 18
12 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include spirited stays, adventure cats, grabbing a handful, mountain lion laser pointers, creatures of the jungle and near misses. B...
115: Last One Standing: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve (Part 3)
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the series finale, Ada finds herself alone on Wrangel Island. Meanwhile, Steffanson tries to secure a new ship to come to the island, but mysteriou...
114: Last One Standing: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve (Part 2)
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In part 2 of this series, Ada and the rest of the expedition team struggle to find food and are all growing weak. Lorne develops a terrible case of sc...
113: Last One Standing: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve (Part 1)
28 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this 3 part series - we tell the story of an arctic expedition and the survival story of Ada Blackjack. Ada, an Inuit woman, joins a team of 4 men ...
112: Trail Tales 17
23 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include lights over Idaho, forest knocks, tornado camping and Colorado moms. All stories shared with consent. Join us for a LIVE sh...
111: Creatures of the Wild ft. Tooth & Claw Podcast: Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
21 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The collab you’ve been waiting for! Today we are joined by Wes, Jeff and Mike of Tooth & Claw Podcast. We head back to Great Smoky Mountains Nat...
110: Lone Survivor: Yosemite National Park
14 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Donnie Priest was just 10 years old when the plane carrying his family crashed just outside of Yosemite National Park, killing all on board except for...
109: Trail Tales 16
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include making the papers, plane crashes, magical moments, keeping connected, cougar encounters and wrestling in the swamps. Two bon...
108: The Night of Terror: Women's Rights National Historic Park
07 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For this episode we follow the 72 year battle for women to have the right to vote. Women were tortured and imprisoned, but one night in history was es...
107: Origin Story: Death Valley National Park
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Rumors. We’ve all heard one, spread one or have been directly involved in one. More often than not, by the time these tall tales reach your ears –...
106: The Legend of Hermit Island: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
24 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the mid 1800's a mysterious man deemed one of the Apostle Islands as his own and left society to be a hermit. He was known to not approve of visito...
105: People of the Parks: Dr. Rae Wynn Grant
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we sit down with National Geographic Explorer and Wildlife Ecologist, Dr. Rae Wynn Grant. She has spent her career exploring some of the wildest...
104: Resurrection: Pleistocene Park
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jurassic Park. The Lazrus Effect. Frankenstein. All of these stories emulate our fascination with turning back the clock, to revive those which we hav...
103: A Haunted Castle and Afternoon Tea: Exmoor National Park
10 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we explore the moorelands of Exmoor National Park. From rolling hills, wild ponies, and beautiful cliff side towns, this is a place to add to yo...
102: Trail Tales 15
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include surviving a wall of white, sandwich stealers, bad vibes, and seeing the light. We love our National Parks and we know you d...
101: Terrible Tales: Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we are kicking off spooky season with a visit to the Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site. We learn about the history of the house, and di...
100: Frozen Alive in the Scandinavian Mountains
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We head into the beautiful mountain ranges of Norway and follow a survival story that seems impossible. When a woman has a ski accident, her body temp...
99: Trail Tales 14
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s tales include new perspectives on old favorites, tears of joy, unlikely friendships and a man in the shadows. Two bonus stories for Outsider...
98: Unfinished Business: Crater Lake National Park
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Alice Simms always knew her grandfather was murdered. For most of her life, she didn’t know much about him, his life or death. Her mother never talk...
97: Histories and Hauntings: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
12 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we're taking you on a haunted historic tour of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and its gateway town, Medora. We visit several buildings tha...
96: Trail Tales 13
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s tales include uninvited house guests, strange sights, and sounds & backpacking baptisms! All stories shared with consent. We love our N...
95: Murder and Mystery ft. Morbid Podcast!
05 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s special episode of NPAD we speak with Ash and Alaina from Morbid! They bring us to the Appalachian Trail and The Grand Canyon where they ...
94: Liquid Avalanche: Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Monument
29 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Water – we live and die by it. Today, we head to southern California and visit the ruins of the Saint Francis Dam to learn about the worst civil eng...
93: Trail Tales 12
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today's stories include sitting bears, family reunions, yellow bugs, and lost history. All stories shared with consent. We love our National Parks a...
92: People of the Parks: Rhino Man ft. John Jurko II
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, we speak with John Jurko II, the lead producer of an upcoming documentary film, Rhino Man. We discuss the poaching crisis in place...
91: Surviving the Jungle: Lorentz National Park
15 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 1945 a sightseeing tour plane carrying American military personnel crashed into the western New Guinea jungle. The survivors spent the next several...
90: Murders on the Mountain: Volcanoes National Park (Part 2)
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In part two of the story of Dian Fossey we discuss Dian’s murder, who could be responsible, her unethical practices, and who paid the ultimate price...
89: Murders on the Mountain: Volcanoes National Park (Part 1)
08 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are headed to the mountains of Rwanda for part one of our two-part series on the story of Dian Fossey. Her unorthodox and sometimes volatile ...
88: Trail Tales 11
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include misleading boy scouts, guiding hands, clap backs, near death experiences and cautionary tales. All tales shared with consent...
87: A Murderer on the Loose: Wrangell St. Elias National Park
25 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Louis Hastings wanted to get away from the fast life of California and into a place where he felt more at peace in nature. He decided the best place t...
86: Outlaws of the West: Capitol Reef National Park (Part 2)
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After feeling betrayed by his lawyer and the Union Pacific Railroad, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid flee Utah to start a new life in South America...
85: Outlaws of the West: Capitol Reef National Park (Part 1)
18 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we head back to the 1800s wild wild west. We follow Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch gang – the most prolific bank and train robbers in ou...
84: The Last Tourist with Bruce Poon Tip
11 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we sit down with Bruce Poon Tip, the Executive Producer of the 2022 documentary, The Last Tourist. This episode will inspire you to see the worl...
83: Trail Tales 10
04 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include following your gut, “coincidences” and close calls on the AT. All stories shared with consent. We love our National ...
82: She Speaks for the Trees: Headwaters Forest Reserve
27 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Grab your climbing gear and protest signs because this week we are heading to Humboldt County California to fight to save the redwood forest. We are f...
81: An Ode to Ian
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we remember and honor the life of Danielle’s partner Ian along with all the smiles, laughs and immense love he left behind. We also discuss gr...
80: Trail Tales 9
20 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s stories include guardian spirits, trail stalkers, and the elusive Washington pineapple. All stories shared with consent. We love our Natio...
79: People of the Parks: Kathryn Miles
13 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In May of 1996, Lollie Winans and Julie Williams visited Shenandoah National Park on a backpacking trip. Several days into their trip they went missin...
78: Premonition: Olympic National Park
06 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This month we take a trip back to Olympic National Park and get to know Jane Constantino – a young woman who lived life to the fullest. Her adventur...