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Before there was Bigfoot, before the screams in the woods and things that go bump in the night… there was history. In this special episode, Brian shares a sneak peek into his brand-new podcast, Disturbing History—a show that explores the dark, strange, and forgotten corners of our past.
From government coverups to lost civilizations, haunted obsessions to unexplained crashes, Disturbing History is where the stories they hoped we’d forget finally get unearthed. And as a little holiday bonus, Brian is sharing one of the most talked-about episodes from the new series—The Roswell UFO Mystery.On July 8, 1947, the U.S. military made an explosive claim: they had recovered a “flying disc” from a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. Hours later, they took it all back. What followed was decades of silence, contradiction, and coverup.This episode explores:
The discovery of strange debris by rancher Mac BrazelThe military’s original press release—and sudden retractionTestimony from Major Jesse Marcel, who broke the silenceEyewitness reports of unusual wreckage, sealed caskets, and bodiesThe evolution of the official story—from weather balloon to Project MogulAnd the lingering questions no one has fully answeredIf you enjoy strange truths, historical mysteries, and stories that blur the line between fact and folklore, you're going to love Disturbing History.
📲 Click the link Listen To Disturbing History to listen to more episodes.
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And get ready to disturb history. -
National Park Nightmares – Volume 11: “The Vanished”
In this episode, we examine two disappearances—separated by 78 years—that continue to confound families, search teams, and anyone who tries to make sense of what happened.
It was a typical summer day in the Colorado wilderness when 4-year-old Alfred Beilhartz disappeared during a family outing. He was walking just behind his parents along a trail near a stream—then suddenly, he wasn’t. What followed was one of the first large-scale search efforts in the park’s history, involving over 150 people, bloodhounds, and aerial surveillance. But no trace of Alfred was ever found. Witnesses later reported seeing a boy matching his description on a remote cliffside ledge. Searchers scrambled to reach the spot—only to find nothing. No boy. No tracks. No clues. Just silence.
Floyd Roberts wasn’t a first-timer in the canyon. His connection to the place stretched back to 1992, when his friend Ned Bryant first invited him out. Roberts became a devoted hiker, returning year after year with Bryant. By 2016, the two were seasoned and well-prepared, setting out once again—this time with Bryant’s daughter along for the trip. On June 17th, deep in the remote Kelly Tanks area, the trio chose to split momentarily: the Bryants taking a route over a hill before the trailhead, Roberts choosing to walk around it and meet them on the other side. He never arrived. The Bryants waited, circled back the way Roberts went, then returned to camp and marked the area with visible gear to guide him. Still, nothing. This wasn’t a man likely to panic or get lost.
Roberts was highly intelligent—he’d worked at NASA and taught programming and game design. He had food, water, and a map marked with their routes. But after six days of searching with helicopters, drones, and canine units—no sign. No gear. No footprints. No remains. Despite the unforgiving terrain and triple-digit heat, Roberts’ experience and preparation should have given him a fighting chance.
And yet, five years have passed, countless hikers have passed through the region, and not a single clue has surfaced. Why did Floyd veer off alone? Why couldn’t the others hear a call for help if something went wrong just on the other side of a hill? And how does someone—someone this equipped, this smart, this familiar with the terrain—vanish without leaving behind a trace?
🔦 Two cases. Two different centuries. Two national parks. No answers. -
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On October 20, 1967, two cowboys rode into a remote California creek bed and emerged with 59.5 seconds of film that would divide science, captivate the world, and spawn a mystery that endures to this day. Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin claimed they encountered and filmed a massive, hair-covered, bipedal creature that would become known as Bigfoot.
Their brief, shaky footage—particularly the iconic Frame 352 showing the creature looking back over its shoulder—has become the most analyzed, debated, and controversial piece of film in cryptozoological history.In this deep dive into one of America's most enduring mysteries, we explore the complete story of the Patterson-Gimlin Film. From Roger Patterson's obsessive quest to find Bigfoot to his desperate final expedition when he could least afford it, from the moment of the encounter to the media frenzy that followed, we unravel the human drama behind the footage.
We meet Patterson, the dreamer and artist who spent his life chasing shadows in the Pacific Northwest, and Bob Gimlin, the practical horseman who found himself at the center of a controversy he never sought.The narrative takes us through the film's explosive impact on popular culture, the scientific community's struggle to explain or dismiss it, and the decades of analysis that have followed. We examine the compelling evidence that supporters say proves the film's authenticity—from the creature's anatomically consistent proportions to its distinctive compliant gait, from the dermal ridges in its footprints to the muscle movement visible beneath its fur.
We also confront the skeptics' arguments—the convenient timing of Patterson's success, the possibility of a sophisticated hoax, and the troubling absence of corroborating physical evidence despite decades of searching.Through exclusive insights into the personal costs borne by both men, we see how the film transformed their lives. Patterson would die just five years later, still defending his footage, while Gimlin would spend decades living with the burden of being either a witness to history or the victim of an elaborate deception. We explore the confessions of alleged hoaxers, the modern digital analysis that has both supported and challenged the film's authenticity, and the psychological reasons why this particular piece of footage continues to captivate us more than half a century later.
As we journey from that October afternoon to the present day, we discover that the Patterson-Gimlin Film is more than just potential evidence of an unknown primate. It's a mirror reflecting our relationship with the unknown, our need for mystery in an increasingly mapped world, and our eternal hope that somewhere in the shrinking wilderness, wonders still wait to be discovered.
Whether you're a believer, a skeptic, or simply curious about one of the great unsolved mysteries of our time, this episode offers the most comprehensive exploration of the film that made Bigfoot a household name and turned a brief encounter at Bluff Creek into an enduring enigma.
Join us for a journey into the heart of American folklore, where the line between myth and reality blurs, where two men's afternoon ride became a cultural phenomenon, and where 59.5 seconds of film continue to challenge our understanding of what might be possible in the vast forests of the Pacific Northwest. -
In this special 100th episode, we delve into six first-hand accounts from individuals who experienced something extraordinary in the remote forests of the Pacific Northwest.
Each story disturbing features encounters with an intelligence that seems to exist at the periphery of our understanding, observing us from the shadows between the trees. What makes these accounts uniquely compelling isn't just what was seen, but the unsettling patterns of behavior described by witnesses from completely different backgrounds and professions. From security guards to scientists, photographers to surveyors, these individuals share a common thread: the deep conviction that something intelligent was studying them with purpose and awareness.
We begin with a night security guard at an isolated lumber mill who captures strange footage on security cameras and discovers massive footprints in the morning frost. From there, we hear from a wildlife photographer whose remote campsite becomes the focus of nocturnal investigation during a documentary project in a fire-damaged forest.
A veteran logging truck driver shares his face-to-face encounter on a mountain road, while a meteorologist stationed at a remote weather monitoring facility in the North Cascades details weeks of escalating interactions with something that seemed increasingly curious about his equipment and routines.
An experienced angler describes how his fishing equipment was methodically rearranged during a backcountry trip, and finally, a land surveyor working in old-growth forest reveals how his survey markers were systematically studied and how he witnessed apparent communication between multiple unknown entities.
These aren't typical Bigfoot stories of brief sightings or distant figures. Instead, they document a pattern of intelligence, curiosity, and deliberate interaction that suggests something far more complex than a simple undiscovered animal.
No witness ever felt threatened, but all came away with the profound sense that they had been allowed a glimpse into a world that exists alongside our own, watching and waiting in the darkness between the trees. -
Tonight we explore two mysterious disappearances in America's most challenging wilderness areas—two men who ventured into remote landscapes and vanished without a trace, leaving behind only questions and abandoned vehicles.Case 1: Walther H. Reinhard - Lost in YosemiteThe Basics:
Walther H. ReinhardDisappeared: September 30, 2002Location: Yosemite National Park, CaliforniaNo additional details available in public recordsWhat Happened: On September 30, 2002, Walther H. Reinhard disappeared in Yosemite National Park. Beyond this basic information, details about his case remain limited in publicly available records. Like many who vanish in Yosemite's vast wilderness, Walther simply disappeared, joining the park's long list of unsolved missing person cases.Yosemite encompasses nearly 1,200 square miles of granite cliffs, deep valleys, waterfalls, and wilderness areas. The park's extreme terrain and unpredictable weather conditions make it particularly dangerous for unprepared visitors. From fatal falls to hypothermia, the park's beauty masks significant hazards that have claimed many lives over the decades.Current Status: Case remains unsolved, listed among missing persons cases from America's national parks.
Case 2: Adam Clayton Lyle Jones - Vanished at Grand CanyonThe Basics:
Adam Clayton Lyle Jones, 23 years oldLast seen: March 31, 2011 (Gulf Breeze, Florida)Car found: May 5, 2011 (Grand Canyon South Rim)5'7", 140 lbs, blue eyes, light brown hairNamUs Case: MP11063The Journey: Adam left Gulf Breeze, Florida on March 31, 2011, in his light blue Oldsmobile Delta 88. He took only his laptop—no cell phone, minimal belongings. His debit card tracked him through Louisiana and Texas before the trail went cold.Over a month later, a park ranger found his abandoned car at Grand Canyon's South Rim Visitor Center. Inside: an itinerary listing Denver and California cities as destinations. Adam was nowhere to be found.The Mystery: His family hadn't reported him missing—they learned of his disappearance when rangers called about the car. Despite extensive searches of trails, viewpoints, and remote areas, no trace of Adam was ever found.Theories:
Hiking accident in the canyon's dangerous terrainVoluntary disappearance to start freshFoul play in the park's remote areasEnvironmental hazards unique to the Grand CanyonThe Context: Grand Canyon averages 17 deaths annually and over 1,000 missing person reports. The park's 1.2 million acres can hide evidence indefinitely.Current Status: Cold case with National Park Service after 13 years.The ConnectionBoth cases highlight wilderness disappearances' unique challenges: vast search areas, harsh environments, and landscapes that can conceal evidence forever. For families, these represent ongoing nightmares—the terrible uncertainty of not knowing, the impossible hope that becomes harder to maintain each year.In America's wild places, people can still vanish completely, swallowed by landscapes that predate civilization and care nothing for human presence. Some mysteries may never be solved. -
What happens when curiosity becomes obsession—and the wild starts watching back? In this episode, we journey deep into the heart of cryptozoological mystery, where strange creatures aren’t the only things lurking in the dark. From remote mountain ranges to disaster zones veiled in smoke and secrecy, we follow the breadcrumbs left by researchers, explorers, and locals who claim to have seen the impossible—and sometimes paid the price for speaking out.
You’ll hear accounts that defy easy explanation: humanoid figures glimpsed in fog-draped valleys, fieldwork that ends in silence and blood, and eerie patterns of vanishing evidence. As the line blurs between folklore and field science, one question echoes through every story: what aren’t we supposed to find out?
This isn’t just a tour of cryptid lore—it’s a confrontation with the hidden cost of seeking the truth in places the world forgot. Expect shadowy encounters, vanished research, and the uncomfortable possibility that some legends are protected by more than just disbelief. Because in the world of cryptids, it’s not always the creature you need to fear—it’s what happens after you find it.
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In this bone-chilling first-person story, an experienced hunter heads into the remote wilderness, eager to test out his pricey new thermal scope. But what starts as a night of solo adventure quickly spirals into something far more sinister.As he scans the tree line, excitement turns to unease. The forest goes unnaturally still. Something is out there—watching. Then, from the darkness, a voice calls for help. It sounds human, but wrong. Off. And it doesn't match the movements of the shadowy figure now pacing the edge of the clearing.
What follows is a heart-pounding chase through pitch-black woods. The hunter, now the hunted, realizes he’s up against something that isn’t bound by the rules of the natural world. When the creature finally steps into the light, the truth is more disturbing than he could have imagined.Even after escaping the forest, the fear doesn’t leave him.
Something followed him home—or maybe it never left. This story is a terrifying reminder that deep in the wild, we are not always the apex predator. Sometimes, something out there is watching. And waiting. -
National Park Nightmares: "The Vanishing at White Wolf"Peter Jackson was 74 years old the day he disappeared without a trace in Yosemite National Park. A veteran hiker in excellent physical condition, Peter had spent decades exploring America's wilderness areas with methodical precision. He never took unnecessary risks. He never strayed from his planned routes. And he never, ever failed to return when expected.September 17, 2016. Peter sends a simple text to his son: "On my way to Yosemite." It would be the last anyone ever heard from him.
He checks into campsite #58 at White Wolf Campground, a remote facility at 8,000 feet elevation, paying for five nights through September 21st. His car, a well-maintained sedan, sits at the edge of a forest of lodgepole pines and white firs. His tent is pitched with military precision. Everything is exactly as it should be. Except Peter packed his royal blue Outdoor Products daypack and set off on what should have been a routine day hike. He never came back.When park rangers conduct their end-of-stay check on September 21st, they find Peter's campsite exactly as he'd left it four days earlier. His car is still parked at the site. His gear is neatly organized. But Peter is gone, and so is his blue backpack.
This triggers one of the most extensive search operations in recent Yosemite history. Over 50 personnel from multiple agencies spend nearly two weeks combing through 50 square miles of wilderness. Search dogs follow scent trails that lead nowhere. Helicopters equipped with infrared technology scan dense forest canopy. Ground teams rappel into ravines and search areas so remote they haven't seen human footprints in years. They find nothing. Not a single trace of Peter Jackson.By October 2nd, with autumn storms rolling in and temperatures dropping, the inevitable decision comes. Peter's case is downgraded to "limited continuous" status. The active search ends. Park officials maintain that any new evidence will be followed up on, but the reality sets in for Peter's family: he's simply vanished into the vast wilderness of Yosemite National Park. For nearly three years, Peter Jackson becomes another statistic in Yosemite's growing list of unsolved disappearances. His case joins approximately 30 other active missing persons files, each representing someone who entered the park and never returned.
The wilderness keeps its secrets well.Then, in August 2019, a trail maintenance crew working on erosion control in a remote area between Aspen Valley and Smith Peak makes a startling discovery. Hidden under a fallen tree, they find a weathered royal blue backpack. It's Peter Jackson's daypack, confirmed by serial numbers and distinctive wear patterns. But the location makes no sense. The pack was discovered approximately seven to eight miles from White Wolf Campground—far beyond Peter's typical five-mile hiking range. Even following established trails, reaching this spot would require a trek of over ten miles through challenging terrain.The discovery creates more questions than answers. What was Peter doing so far from his campsite? How did an experienced hiker end up in terrain he'd never ventured to before? And perhaps most intriguingly, the pack was found in Ackerson Meadow—an area that had only been officially added to Yosemite National Park in September 2016, the same month Peter disappeared.
The formal announcement came just ten days before his final visit. Was Peter attempting to explore this newly protected land?Park rangers immediately organize a detailed search of the area where the backpack was found. For a week, specialized teams scour the terrain using metal detectors, ground-penetrating radar, and search dogs trained to find human remains. They cover two square miles of challenging wilderness, checking every fallen tree, rock crevice, and hidden ravine. They find nothing.The backpack itself yields few clues. It contains the standard gear of a day hiker: a partially empty water bottle, a weathered trail map, a small first aid kit, an emergency whistle, a weatherproof jacket, and several expired energy bars. What's missing speaks volumes—no cell phone, no GPS device, no camera. Nothing that might tell investigators where Peter intended to go or what happened to him.
Theories abound but none can fully explain the mystery. Did Peter suffer a sudden medical emergency—a heart attack or stroke—in this remote location, somehow becoming separated from his pack? Did he encounter dangerous terrain, suffering a fatal fall while his pack remained behind? Was he exploring the newly added Ackerson Meadow when something went wrong? Or did environmental factors—sudden weather changes or disorientation—lead to a tragic end?Today, Peter Jackson's case remains open. His disappearance stands as a reminder of the wilderness's enduring mysteries and the limitations of even the most advanced search techniques. Park rangers continue to learn from his case, emphasizing the importance of detailed hiking plans and emergency communication devices.
But most of all, Peter's story serves as a sobering reminder that in places of extraordinary beauty lurk equally extraordinary dangers.The last text message Peter sent still haunts those who knew him: "On my way to Yosemite." Three simple words that marked the beginning of a journey with no end, a mystery with no solution, and a wilderness that still keeps its secrets. Somewhere in Yosemite's vast expanse, answers may still lie waiting to be discovered. Until then, the question remains: what happened to Peter Jackson on that September day in 2016?If you have any information about Peter Jackson's disappearance, please contact Yosemite National Park at 209-379-1926 during business hours, or 209-379-1992 after hours. In the wilderness, we are all responsible for each other's safety. Stay aware, stay prepared, and most importantly, let someone know where you're going. Because the difference between a successful hike and a missing persons case can be as simple as a few words shared before you head into the wild. -
Tonight I share five extraordinary encounters with unexplained forest beings across five decades and thousands of miles of American wilderness, told by witnesses who never met yet describe remarkably similar experiences.
Olympic Peninsula, Washington - 1968 & 1973 A fire lookout witnesses a massive bipedal creature investigating a log in the remote Olympics. The witness describes intelligence in the being's eyes and the sensation of being observed. Years later, while hunting, he encounters multiple creatures communicating through wood knocks and territory marking with strategically broken trees.
Adirondack Mountains, New York - 1976 & 1988 A biology graduate student conducting acid rain research experiences terrifying vocalizations and heavy bipedal footsteps circling her camp. Twelve years later, while camping with her husband, they both witness the same wood-knocking communication and glimpse a large, hair-covered figure—validating her earlier encounter and challenging her scientific understanding.
Ozark Mountains, Arkansas - 1985 & 1997 An experienced hunter describes a creature methodically untying a rope supporting their game—showing dexterity and problem-solving unlike any known wildlife. Despite having a clear shot, he chooses not to fire after recognizing intelligence in the creature's eyes. His second encounter while hunting with his teenage son reveals territorial behavior through wood knocks and stone throwing.
Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina - 2002 & 2005 A pastor on a solitary retreat encounters unusual branch arrangements and "offerings." He describes the creatures' apparent response to prayer, adding a spiritual dimension to the encounter. Years later, with his young nephew, they witness coordinated movement around their camp and discover a precisely arranged pile of pinecones topped with a wild strawberry.
Humboldt County, California - 2019 & 2022 A wildlife biologist in California's redwood forests provides our most technical account, describing coordinated group behavior, tool use, and possible communication attempts. Her scientific training allows detailed analysis of vocalizations with infrasonic components and footprints suggesting creatures weighing 600-700 pounds moving with bipedal locomotion unlike any known mammal. What makes these accounts compelling is the consistent behavioral patterns described by witnesses separated by thousands of miles and decades: the same wood knocking communication, branch breaking patterns, gift exchanges, and sense of being observed by something intelligent yet non-human.
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Tonight week on Backwoods Bigfoot Stories, I share five compelling firsthand accounts from professionals who encountered something unexplained in America's remote wilderness areas.From a National Park ranger in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains to a hunter in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, a search and rescue coordinator in Oregon's Cascades to a wildlife photographer in California's redwoods, and finally an environmental scientist in New Hampshire's White Mountains - each witness describes encounters with intelligent, bipedal beings that demonstrated complex communication patterns, territorial awareness, and deliberate avoidance of documentation.
Most striking are the consistent elements across these independent accounts: rhythmic wood knocks in three-two-one patterns, gift exchanges, manipulation of human equipment, and apparent concern for lost humans - suggesting something unknown but intelligent shares our most isolated forests.Listen to discover what happens when trained observers with professional reputations at stake encounter something that defies conventional explanation. -
Vanished in the Sierra - The Mysterious Disappearances of Sandra Johnsen Hughes and Joel ThomazinIn this haunting eighth installment of National Park Nightmares, we delve into two perplexing disappearances that occurred just fourteen months apart in the rugged wilderness of California's Sierra Nevada mountains. Join your host as we explore the baffling circumstances surrounding Sandra Johnsen Hughes and Joel Thomazin, two experienced outdoor enthusiasts who entered the wilderness and seemingly vanished without a trace.
Our journey begins in the summer of 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when 54-year-old Sandra Johnsen Hughes sought solace in the pristine wilderness of Sierra National Forest. A former Hawaii resident with college training as a park ranger, Sandra was no novice to the outdoors. We trace her final known movements from her last contact with family on June 26th through the mysterious discovery of her abandoned campsite on July 2nd—found in complete disarray, a state that contradicted her meticulously organized nature. The mystery deepens as we examine the puzzling sequence of events: her silver Saab crashed at suspiciously low speed, a barefoot sighting with an unexplained bruise on her face, her sleeping bag discovered miles away just inside Yosemite National Park's boundary, and the most baffling element—a reported sighting by hunters over a month after her disappearance. Could Sandra have survived alone in the wilderness for weeks without supplies? And what are we to make of the eerie account from a three-year-old boy who, a year later, claimed to see a woman matching Sandra's description lying face down in a meadow, insisting she was "already dead"?
Our episode continues with 31-year-old Joel Thomazin, a U.S. Army reservist and father to a two-year-old son, who set out on what should have been a routine solo hiking and fishing trip in September 2021. With his distinctive bright red inflatable kayak and vintage 1918 Army steel cup, Joel planned a straightforward route from Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to Lake Eleanor—a journey of approximately nine miles each way.Last seen by a park ranger on the afternoon of September 6th crossing above O'Shaughnessy Dam, Joel never returned on his scheduled date of September 9th. Despite extensive searches involving teams from multiple agencies, not a single trace of Joel or his distinctive equipment was ever found. We share the heartbreaking words of his wife Amanda, who asked for prayers that Joel would know "he is not alone out there," and examine the painful reality of how families cope with ambiguous loss when no closure is possible.
As we conclude this episode, we reflect on the cruel paradox of these cases—how the very wilderness that draws us with its beauty and promise of solitude can also swallow us without witness or explanation. The disappearances of Sandra Johnsen Hughes and Joel Thomazin remain unsolved, joining over thirty cold cases in Yosemite's troubling history. Whether their fates were sealed by tragic accidents, deliberate choices, foul play, or something more mysterious, their stories remind us of the wilderness's power and our ultimate vulnerability within it.If you have any information about either of these cases, please contact the Madera County Sheriff's Office at (559) 675-7770 regarding Sandra Johnsen Hughes or Yosemite Search and Rescue at (209) 238-7046 regarding Joel Thomazin. -
Step into the ancient forests of the Olympic Mountains as we present a riveting first-person account that will challenge everything you thought you knew about the natural world. In this episode, we follow Mike Calloway, an experienced hunter whose annual elk hunting trip with his father transforms into something extraordinary—an encounter with an intelligence not recognized by science.Mike's journey begins with the familiar ritual of preparation—checking gear, studying maps, and making the long drive into increasingly remote territory.
Having hunted these woods for fifteen years alongside his father Jack, a former Forest Service ranger, Mike knows the Olympic Peninsula intimately. Or at least, he thought he did.Their hunt starts routinely enough, with father and son separating at first light to cover more ground. It's during Mike's solitary trek along a promising ridge that the familiar rhythms of the forest are broken by something unexpected—three distinct knocks against wood, delivered with unmistakable purpose. What follows draws Mike deeper into the wilderness, the knocking seemingly tracking his movements, responding to his presence in ways that defy natural explanation.The culmination of this strange pursuit is a moment that will forever divide Mike's life into before and after: face-to-face with a creature standing eight feet tall, covered in reddish-brown hair, with hands—not paws—and eyes conveying an intelligence that stops his breath. Most astonishing is the deliberate communication, as the creature demonstrates it has been the source of the knocking, even responding to Mike's own tentative attempt at reply.That night brings even greater wonders and terrors when multiple creatures surround their camp, communicating through complex knocking patterns and haunting vocalizations that echo through the mountains.
Objects are tossed into their campsite—not as threats, but seemingly as attempts at interaction. By morning, both Mike and his father have glimpsed something that shouldn't exist, something that challenges their understanding of reality itself. The aftermath of this encounter plunges Mike into a crisis of understanding. He tries drinking it away at first, then turns to obsessive research, finding reports of similar experiences spanning decades. A conversation with his father brings partial comfort—at least they share the burden of knowing—but no real answers. The world is bigger, stranger, more mysterious than they've been taught, and perhaps that's not such a terrible thing to discover.Months later, drawn by an irresistible need for understanding, Mike returns to the forest alone. This time, he brings not weapons but tools for communication—recording equipment, and small gifts that might interest creatures possessing obvious intelligence but no exposure to human technology. Over three days, he establishes increasingly complex communication through knocking patterns and receives an extraordinary response—his offered mirror is taken, replaced with a piece of bark polished to create a reflective surface, evidence of tool use and symbolic thinking that transcends mere animal behavior.
he story culminates in a deeply personal decision. After witnessing his son's transformation and unable to fully rationalize their shared experience, Mike's father joins him on subsequent trips to the forest. Together over three years, they forge a fragile connection with these beings, learning enough of their percussive language to announce their presence and convey peaceful intentions. They choose to keep their discovery private, protecting these creatures from a world that would inevitably seek to study, categorize, and perhaps destroy what it cannot understand. This profound narrative invites us to consider what other intelligences might share our planet, moving silently at the edges of our awareness, and what responsibilities come with such knowledge. As Mike and his father continue their twice-yearly pilgrimages into the ancient woods, they carry a secret that has fundamentally changed them—a glimpse behind the veil of what we think we know about the world, and the humbling recognition that we are not alone. -
In this week's bone-chilling episode, we explore a multi-generational encounter with the unknown deep in the backwoods of Limestone County, Alabama. Our story follows young James Earl Wilkins, who at age 12 in the summer of 1976, experienced a series of terrifying encounters with what locals referred to as "the forest folk" or "wild men" on his family's 80-acre farm.
The saga unfolds through James' now 62-year-old perspective as he recounts how his peaceful rural childhood was forever changed when strange howls began echoing from the nearby Cypress Bottom—a foreboding stretch of swampland that locals had long avoided. What began with missing livestock escalated to face-to-face encounters with towering, fur-covered creatures that seemed to possess an uncanny intelligence. His story continues as the family's increasing terror as these beings grew bolder—stealing chickens, appearing at windows in the night, and eventually prompting a community hunting expedition that ended in unexpected confrontation. Most disturbing are the implications that these weren't random encounters, but part of a long-standing and complex relationship between the creatures and the Wilkins family dating back generations.
He also explains that historical connections revealed through family stories and county records—including a shocking encounter his grandfather had in the 1930s, and a mysterious clause in the original 1868 property deed requiring seasonal offerings to "previous inhabitants of the land." These revelations suggest an ancient pact that was broken and later unconsciously renewed through his father's annual ritual of leaving deer carcasses at the forest's edge.
If you've had an experince and would like to share it on the show email [email protected] -
On April 12, 1966, a family picnic in America's first national park turned into one of the most baffling missing persons cases in American history. Eight-year-old Dennis Johnson was visiting Yellowstone with his parents William and Betty and his three sisters when his seven-year-old sister Mary wandered off. Dennis and his father split up to search for her. William found Mary quickly, but when he returned to the Cascade Picnic Area, Dennis had vanished without a trace.
What followed was one of the most intensive search operations in Yellowstone's history – spanning 100 square miles, employing helicopters, bloodhounds, and dozens of searchers. Despite three weeks of exhaustive efforts costing over $14,000 (equivalent to more than $100,000 today), not a single clue was found. No footprints. No clothing. No evidence whatsoever. Fifty-eight years later, Dennis Johnson remains missing, his fate unknown.
In This Episode
The detailed timeline of April 12, 1966, and how a moment's separation led to decades of mysteryWhy the search for Dennis was particularly challenging, and the technical aspects of a 1960s-era wilderness searchThe baffling behavior of bloodhounds that couldn't pick up any scent trailFive leading theories of what might have happened to Dennis, and why none can fully explain his complete disappearanceHow the Johnson family turned to a psychic in their desperate search for answersWhat makes wilderness disappearances unique, and the concept of "ambiguous loss"The statistical context: how rare cases like Dennis's are compared to millions of safe Yellowstone visitsHow the case has informed modern search and rescue techniques and park safety protocols -
Tonight, Brian shares the never-before-told story of Thomas, a fur trapper whose life was forever changed after a terrifying encounter with sasquatch in the remote Canadian wilderness during February 1987.This first-hand account challenges everything we think we know about these mysterious creatures. What Mercer experienced reveals them to be intelligent, communicative, and potentially dangerous beings with complex social structures and territorial behaviors. His haunting experience raises profound questions about what these creatures truly are and our responsibility toward them.
The story begins as Thomas, a third-generation fur trapper, flies his bush plane to his remote family cabin in the Northwest Territories to begin his winter trapping season. Almost immediately upon arrival, Mercer discovers massive, human-like footprints circling his cabin—nearly 20 inches long with a stride length twice that of a human.Over the following days, Mercer encounters increasingly bizarre evidence: traps carefully disarmed with ritualistic arrangements of objects nearby, complex vocal communications between multiple creatures echoing through the forest, and deliberate attempts to test his cabin's defenses through systematic tapping and probing of the structure.Most chilling of all, the creatures attempt direct communication.
First through arrangements of natural objects in geometric patterns, then through mimicked human speech—even speaking Mercer's name and referring to his deceased father. In broken English, they suggest they need an "alliance" against other humans hunting them, hinting at a government or private organization aware of their existence.When Mercer attempts to escape in his plane, he's forced to shoot one of the creatures that charges him from behind. In a moment that has haunted him for decades, the wounded sasquatch looks him in the eye and asks simply, "Why?"In the thirty years since this encounter, Mercer has dedicated his life to sasquatch research, building one of the most comprehensive private databases of encounters in North America.
Through his research, he discovered another harrowing account from the Olympic Peninsula, where a logging crew's encounter ended in a gruesome death—evidence that these beings aren't always the gentle forest giants of popular imagination.We should note that this episode contains descriptions of violence and disturbing content that may not be suitable for all listeners. Discretion is advised.Thomas Mercer, whose name has been changed at his request, was 25 years old during his encounter in 1987. Now in his sixties, he's spent decades researching similar encounters while maintaining his anonymity. This marks the first time he's shared his complete story publicly. -
In this episode, Brian shares encounters with mysterious creatures and unexplained phenomena from remote wilderness areas. From Whisper Creek in Montana's Glacier National Park, Iron Ridge ghost town, and Dead Man's Hollow in Kentucky to Black Hollow and Widow's Crag, each story recounts experiences with eerie sounds, inexplicable footprints, and terrifying sightings of Bigfoot-like creatures.
These tales serve as haunting reminders that some places are meant to be left alone and that not everyone who ventures into the unknown makes it back the same. Also, hear about unexpected sightings on Idaho's notorious Broken Antler Pass and forthcoming adventures in the 'National Park Nightmares' series.
00:00 The Legend of Whisper Creek 04:44 A Haunting in Iron Ridge 08:29 The Mystery of Dead Man's Hollow 12:49 Terror on Broken Antler Pass 17:00 The Curse of Widow's Crag 21:22 Escape from Black Hollow 25:49 Conclusion and Podcast Promotion -
In today's special storytelling episode, I'm thrilled to share an original tale I've created called "The Unlikely Guardians: Bigfoot Saves Easter. This heartwarming adventure follows Bartholomew, the last Sasquatch of the Pacific Northwest, whose carefully isolated life is upended when he discovers a set of unusual footprints in the late winter snow. Following them leads to an encounter with none other than Edmund Cottontail, the Easter Bunny himself, who is in desperate need of help. The magical Egg of Renewal has been stolen by Jack Frost, threatening to trap the world in endless winter and prevent Easter from happening at all.What follows is a journey across magical landscapes as these natural opposites—a reclusive wilderness dweller and the embodiment of spring celebration—form an unlikely alliance.
Their adventure takes them through ancient forests, across frozen plains, and eventually to the edge of reality itself as they confront not just Jack Frost but the shadowy powers manipulating him. Throughout their quest, Bart and Edmund discover that their differences actually create a perfect harmony when combined with Jack's winter magic, forming a balanced force capable of restoring nature's cycles.The story explores how friendship can emerge in the most unexpected places, and how the balance between wilderness, winter, and renewal is essential for the natural world to flourish. We witness Bart's transformation from a solitary observer who has hidden from the world for centuries into someone who finds purpose in connection and community. It's a modern fairy tale about how isolation ends when we open ourselves to new possibilities and how seemingly opposite forces can unite for a greater purpose. -
In this haunting episode, we delve into one of Yellowstone National Park's most perplexing cold cases — the 1991 disappearance of Dan Campbell and his loyal dog Freckles. Our journey begins with Dan Campbell, a 42-year-old Montana man whose life had reached a crossroads by the spring of 1991. Living in Big Timber and struggling with mounting financial troubles, Campbell was looking for a way out. Standing 5'8" and weighing about 165 pounds, with the weathered face of someone comfortable in the outdoors, he had recently begun making plans to relocate to White Sulphur Springs, but needed money to finance the move.
According to his brother Billy, Dan had started "running with some pretty shady characters" who introduced him to the lucrative world of illegal shed hunting — a dangerous underground economy that would ultimately lead to his disappearance.The dark underbelly of shed hunting in Yellowstone had evolved into what insiders called "the antler wars" by the early 1990s. With elk antlers selling for up to $15 per pound on the black market, what began as an innocent springtime hobby had transformed into a fiercely competitive criminal enterprise. Reports from the time suggest that certain areas of the park had been carved up into informal territories by competing groups of poachers, some allegedly carrying semiautomatic weapons to guard their claimed hunting grounds. Into this dangerous world stepped Dan Campbell, desperately seeking quick cash.
On April 4, 1991, Campbell set off with his Australian shepherd-heeler mix named Freckles from the Hellroaring trailhead, planning a four-day trek to exit near Jardine, Montana, where his girlfriend Tracy Erb would pick him up on April 8. Dressed in blue Levi's jeans and a blue coat, he carried basic survival supplies in his backpack, along with the expectation of returning with valuable shed antlers. What he couldn't have anticipated was the treacherous journey that awaited him.The Hellroaring Trail itself presents a formidable challenge even to experienced hikers. Beginning with a steep 600-foot descent over switchbacks to reach a suspension bridge spanning the Yellowstone River, the trail then traverses an expansive sagebrush plateau before dropping down to Hellroaring Creek. As Campbell navigated this difficult terrain, a powerful spring storm moved in on April 5th, dumping up to a foot of fresh snow across portions of the park and sending temperatures plummeting.
This sudden weather change would not only challenge Campbell's wilderness skills but would later severely hamper search efforts.When April 8 arrived with no sign of Campbell at the designated pickup location, Tracy Erb reported him missing. Park rangers immediately launched what's known in search and rescue terminology as a "bastard search" — checking obvious locations to confirm he wasn't simply elsewhere — before initiating a full-scale operation. Ground teams and, when weather permitted, aerial search units scoured Campbell's planned route, battling the aftermath of the snowstorm that had left up to a foot of fresh snow obscuring any tracks or evidence.
Despite weeks of intensive searching across multiple locations, not a single trace of Campbell or his dog was ever found — no backpack, no clothing, no equipment, and perhaps most tellingly, not even Freckles.This complete absence of evidence pushed Campbell's brothers to consider darker possibilities. As the search transitioned to an investigation, Rod and Bill Campbell, along with their third brother, transformed from grieving family members into relentless advocates. Bill's own investigation uncovered that there had reportedly been 14 other horn hunters in the area on the day Dan went missing, and one of them claimed to have heard two gunshots. This discovery aligned with the family's growing suspicion that Dan had been murdered by rival shed hunters protecting their territory. The Campbell brothers' frustration with official efforts peaked in July 1991 when they filed a lawsuit against Park County Montana Sheriff Charlie Johnson, seeking $100,000 each for what they claimed was a botched investigation. They were particularly outraged by the sheriff's decision to return potential evidence — ammunition and spent cartridges confiscated from two horn hunters legally camping outside the park's northern boundaries — without subjecting these items to forensic testing. "If Dan's in the park, he's buried," Rod Campbell told reporters, reflecting their conviction that their brother met with foul play rather than a wilderness accident.As investigators weighed the evidence, three main theories emerged about Campbell's fate.
The natural causes theory suggested he might have succumbed to hypothermia during the snowstorm, suffered a fatal injury on the rugged terrain, or encountered a grizzly bear emerging hungry from hibernation. The voluntary disappearance theory, which law enforcement initially considered due to Campbell's financial troubles, proposed that he might have staged his own disappearance to escape mounting debts. The foul play theory, championed by Campbell's family, posited that he had been murdered by rival shed hunters, with the snowstorm providing ideal cover for the crime and hampering subsequent searches.Each theory had strengths and weaknesses. The natural causes explanation failed to account for the complete absence of any trace, including the dog. The voluntary disappearance scenario seemed unlikely given Campbell's attachment to Freckles and his concrete plans for the future.
The foul play theory addressed many puzzling aspects of the case but lacked definitive evidence. This ambiguity has allowed the mystery to persist for more than three decades, making it one of Yellowstone's most enduring cold cases.Today, Campbell's disappearance stands as a sobering reminder of both the wilderness dangers and human hazards that persist in Yellowstone. The illegal shed antler trade continues, with recent cases demonstrating its evolution and the ongoing risks it presents. In 2023, an Idaho man was charged with attempting to transport and sell more than 1,000 pounds of poached antlers valued at approximately $18,000, resulting in substantial fines and a hunting ban. While regulations have tightened and enforcement has improved since Campbell's day, the fundamental dynamics that may have contributed to his disappearance remain: valuable natural resources, limited oversight capacity, and the human willingness to risk legal penalties for financial gain.For those who venture into Yellowstone's backcountry today, Campbell's story serves as a haunting reminder that beneath the park's spectacular beauty lies a landscape that can still harbor both natural perils and human darkness. As we conclude our exploration of this mysterious disappearance, we're left with the same questions that have troubled investigators and family members for decades: What really happened to Dan Campbell and Freckles on that April journey in 1991? And will we ever know the truth?
Our research for this episode draws on extensive sources, including original search and rescue reports, interviews with former park rangers, newspaper archives from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Freedom of Information Act documents released by the Department of Interior, Campbell family statements, and expert analysis on Yellowstone terrain, weather patterns, and wildlife behavior. Yet despite this wealth of information, Dan Campbell's fate remains one of the park's most persistent mysteries — a story that continues to fascinate and disturb more than thirty years after he vanished without a trace. -
In this chilling episode, we dive deep into the mysterious Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, where moonshine and monsters collide in a story that spans generations. Join us as we unravel the tale of Jim, a master moonshiner whose knowledge of the mountains led to prosperity—and ultimately, his mysterious disappearance in 1972.This haunting narrative, told from the perspective of his grandson, explores how Jim used the feared presence of Sasquatch creatures to keep revenue agents and competitors away from his illegal stills in an area locals called "Booger Holler." But as we'll discover, nature always collects its debts, and some territories should never be trespassed—no matter how profitable they might be.
This haunting tale explores themes of territory, respect for nature, and the price of hubris. The Appalachian Mountains have long been home to tales of strange creatures and unexplained phenomena, with "Booger" being a common mountain term for ghost or monster. While science may not acknowledge the existence of Sasquatch, many mountain communities have their own stories of encounters with something not quite human that protects the deepest, most isolated hollows.Moonshining itself has a rich history in the Appalachians, where distilling skills were passed down through generations and became both an economic necessity and a point of cultural pride for many families. The tension between moonshiners and "revenuers" (federal agents) created a perfect environment for legends to thrive—especially those that kept strangers away from secret still locations.
Listener DiscretionThis episode contains descriptions of implied violence and intense situations that may not be suitable for younger listeners. While not graphically depicted, the story suggests the fate of those who venture too far into territories they aren't welcome in.
What did you think of this episode? Do you have your own strange tales from isolated mountain hollers? Let us know on our social media channels or leave a review.
Website: https://paranormalworldproductions.com/ Instagram: @bigfootbks TikTok @bigfootbks -
In this bone-chilling episode of "Into the Unknown," Brian narrates the extraordinary firsthand account of a man who survived multiple encounters with Sasquatch in the remote Alaskan wilderness. Brian brings to life the story of a former architect who abandoned city life in Anchorage to build his dream home on a hundred-acre property in the Kenai Peninsula, only to discover he had unwittingly entered territory claimed by creatures most believe exist only in legend. Through meticulous research and exclusive interviews with the survivor, Brian reconstructs this harrowing tale of territorial conflict and survival. Listeners will hear how the man's experience began with mysterious knocking sounds in the forest and quickly escalated to an orchestrated campaign of intimidation—rocks hurled at his trailer, destruction of construction equipment, and ultimately, coordinated attacks by multiple Sasquatch displaying disturbing levels of intelligence and strategic thinking. The narrative details the physical characteristics of these massive bipedal beings, their communication methods, and their apparent ability to remember specific humans and hold grudges against those who intrude on their territory. The survivor's account of narrowly escaping death during a night-long siege provides some of the most credible and detailed testimony ever documented about Sasquatch behavior.
This hidden conflict has remained largely unknown to the public due to skepticism, misclassification of deaths as wilderness accidents, and potentially even governmental reluctance to acknowledge the existence of another intelligent species with territorial claims to North American lands. The episode concludes with sobering reflections on what these encounters suggest about humanity's place in the wilderness—that in certain remote regions, we may not be the apex predators we believe ourselves to be, but rather intruders in territories long claimed by something more ancient and unwilling to share. Whether you're fascinated by cryptid phenomena or a committed skeptic, this meticulously researched account will make you reconsider what might really be watching from the shadows when you venture into the deep wilderness.
Content warning: This episode contains descriptions of violence and situations that some listeners may find disturbing. - Visa fler
