Morbid Outdoors
The podcast about the times when the "great outdoors" aren't always great. Join us to hear tales of all things morbid in the wild. We cover murders, missing persons, legends, and more all within our great national parks, wildernesses, and forests. "The woods are lovely, dark, and deep..." -Robert FrostIf you've ever been told you're weird for liking morbid stuff, you're our kind of people. Come along and learn about all of the morbid tales in our lovely wild lands. Dark Horizons Media, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
71. 13 Haunted Hikes (USA)
Tonight, on this Halloween-leaning episode, we’re going on a journey across America — coast to coast, forest to canyon, swamp to cliff — to explore 13 trails where something other than wind might be watching. These are hikes with history. W…
70. Nature News: October 2025
This October, we have stories of bears, bison, caves, skulls… nature’s power and reminders that the wilderness is not always polite. So pull up your jacket, light your lantern in your mind, and let’s step into the wild. Tune in today for Oc…
69. Haunted Parks: Joshua Tree National Park, California
Joshua Tree National Park is famous for its surreal desert landscapes, but it also carries a haunted reputation. From ghostly figures wandering abandoned mines, to hikers reporting strange lights and unexplained sounds, to real-life tragedi…
68. Weiser Forest Mystery (Weiser State Forest, Pennsylvania)
On June 18, 2014, a 54-year-old runner went out for a routine run in the Roaring Creek area of Pennsylvania’s Weiser State Forest—a terrain he knew very well. But he never returned. This is the tragic story of a runner's mysterious death. *…
67. Into the Sawtooth Silence (Sawtooth National Forest, Idaho)
In October 2020, a woman set out for a solo hike in Idaho’s rugged Sawtooth National Forest—and never came back. Her car was found parked neatly at the Prairie Creek Trailhead, her backpack missing, and no sign of a struggle. Searchers have…
Microphone Update (& rambling)
Just a short mic update on the issue. Not sponsored by SHURE haha. Its been a long day and I just wanted to update everyone on the mic issue & how it was resolved. Tomorrow's episode (67) and next week's episode (68) will be with the old mi…
66. Vanished While Writing (Rocky Mountains, Colorado)
Silver Plume, Colorado—a sleepy, semi-ghost town nestled in the Rockies, once a mining hub, now a place people visit to disappear...or vanish. In the summer of 1988, a seasoned sportswriter took a sabbatical and moved here with dreams of wr…
65. Murder on a Bike Path (Ashland, Oregon)
On a quiet November evening in 2011, a man was walking home from work along a bike path. Just a mile from home, a woman on a bike discovered him lying unconscious. But this wasn’t an accident. He had been brutally attacked with a heavy blad…
64. Nature News: September 2025
September has brought us stories of rediscovery, resilience, and the reminder that nature still has plenty of surprises hiding in plain sight. From mountain forests to remote corners of the globe, species once thought lost are stepping back…
63. Haunted Parks: Big Bend National Park, Texas
There’s something eerie about Big Bend. Maybe it’s the silence—so wide and deep it feels like you’re standing on another planet. Maybe it’s the isolation, where you can hike for days and never see another soul. Or maybe… it’s something else…
62. Missing in the Mist (Olympic National Park, Washington)
Olympic National Park is one of the wildest, wettest places in the United States. Towering trees, moss-draped trails, and a rainforest that breathes with mist and silence. It’s beautiful—and isolating. And in June 2006 a former military int…
61. Off-grid Gone Wrong (Gunnison National Forest, Colorado)
There’s a certain romantic pull to the idea of going off-grid. Leaving behind the noise, the stress, the modern world—to find peace in the wild. But for one family, that dream ended in heartbreak. In 2023, the remains of three family member…
60. Bizarre Incident Reports: Part 1 (USA)
National parks are supposed to be peaceful—untouched slices of wilderness. But dig through the right reports, and you’ll find something else: the weird stuff. The unsettling stuff. The “what the hell actually happened out there?” stuff. Joi…
59. Nature News: August 2025
Welcome back to Nature News, where we bring you the latest stories from our wild places, our national parks, and the natural world. It’s August 2025, and this month the outdoors is full of headlines—some inspiring, some sobering, and all im…
58. BONUS: Murder at Devil's Den (Devil's Den State Park, Arkansas)
Recent headlines of a double murder in Devil’s Den State Park shocked the entire nation. A family of four was out enjoying their new state after having moved to Arkansas just ten days prior when their hike turned into a nightmare. An unknow…
57. Haunted Parks: Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Tucked up against the jagged spine of the Rockies, Grand Teton National Park is breathtaking. Towering granite peaks, crystal alpine lakes, and some of the most dramatic scenery in the country. It’s a paradise for hikers, climbers, and trav…
56. The Island of Death (Koh Tao Island, Thailand)
Crystal blue water, white sand beaches, lush jungle trails—and a steady stream of tourists chasing that perfect, carefree island life. But under all that beauty… something festers. This is Koh Tao. A remote island in the Gulf of Thailand. A…
55. Missing in Maine's Forest (Maine, USA)
There’s something about Maine’s wilderness. It’s beautiful—towering pines, remote lakes, fog-covered trails that twist for miles. But it’s also… quiet. Too quiet sometimes. Because out here, people disappear. And not just a few. Some storie…
54. Missing near Mt.Hood (Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon)
In July 2010, a 57-year-old outdoorsman hiked into Oregon’s Mount Hood National Forest for a solo fishing trip—and never came back. His camp was found untouched, his gear left behind, and despite a massive multi-day search, no trace of him …
53. Nature News: July 2025
July 2025 has been a wild month in the natural world. In this episode, we’re covering the latest stories making headlines across forests, deserts, coastlines, and backcountry trails. Whether it’s bizarre behavior, haunting headlines, or hop…
52. Haunted Parks: Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite National Park—towering granite cliffs, ancient sequoias, and waterfalls so tall they vanish into mist. It’s one of the crown jewels of the American wilderness. But behind all that beauty? There are stories. Strange ones. Old ones. …
51. The Missing Runner (Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming)
On July 24, 1997, a runner vanished while out on a run in the Shoshone National Forest near Lander, Wyoming. A talented distance runner and aspiring Olympian, she had gone out to scout a route for an upcoming race. Her car was found abandon…
50. An Employee's Deadly Hike (Glacier National Park, Montana)
A national park employee set off alone into the stunning but unforgiving backcountry of Glacier National Park. He planned to hike the Floral Park Traverse—a brutal off-trail route with sheer drop-offs, icy creeks, and unpredictable terrain.…
49. Campground Murders (USA)
There’s something about camping—right? Sleeping under the stars, miles from the nearest streetlight, tucked into the trees with nothing but canvas between you and whatever's out there. For some, it's peaceful. For others? It's prime nightma…
48. BONUS: A Ted Bundy Summer (Utah, USA)
Patreon Bonus just for you today! This episode was December 2024 Patreon Bonus episode! Most Utahns are enjoying summer by enjoying sun on the beaches of Bear Lake, hiking in the Wasatch mountains, or flying somewhere exotic for family vaca…
47. Haunted Parks: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
We’re heading to Colorado, right into the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park. Towering peaks, glacial lakes, alpine meadows… it’s the kind of place that looks like it belongs on a postcard. But if you hang around long enough…after the to…
46. Vanished in Washington (North Cascades National Park, Washington)
When a young woman sets out on a cross-country road trip, it seems like it would have been a great getaway from her recent hardships in life. But when her car is found abandoned and she is missing, an investigation starts. Was she seeking …
45. The Good Samaritan Hiker (Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico)
While the outdoors can be dangerous and dark, there are good people in the world. What happens when someone needs help in the wilderness? Oftentimes there’s no one around to help, but in August 2020 in New Mexico, there was. This is the sto…
44. Missing in Montana (Bitterroot National Forest, Montana)
Montana is known for its spectacular hiking trails and its residents frequent them often. In July 2007, an experienced hiker and her friend set off to hike a 4.5 mile trail she’d done many times. Her friend turned his back to take in the vi…
43. Haunted Parks: Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
Mount Rainier National Park is a place of breathtaking glaciers, alpine meadows, and dense, moss-draped forests. It's one of the most visited parks in the Pacific Northwest—and one of the most mysterious. How haunted is one of the most myst…
42. The Cryptids of Our National Parks Vol. 2 (USA)
Our national parks are beautiful and contain many beautiful sights: from flowing rivers to snow capped mountain peaks to orange desertscapes. But do they also hold much more sinister sights that only few see while visiting? Tune in to hear …
41. Mysterious Death in Yosemite (Yosemite National Park, California)
Yosemite is known for being a hot spot for missing hikers and strange disappearances. In fact, Yosemite National Park has a higher-than-average number of missing persons. But it has less frequent mysterious deaths. In 1979, one park employe…
40. Disappeared in Dorena (Umpqua National Forest, Oregon)
Oregon ranks 3rd nationally for disappearances and one person on that list is a man from Eugene who disappeared from a campground in the Umpqua National Forest in August 2020. He was last seen walking away from a party and has never been se…
39. Missing on Mt. Shasta (Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California)
An experienced outdoorsman set out to summit Mt.Shasta with two of his friends. He became very ill with altitude sickness and the trip went sideways from there. He was last seen heading towards Lake Helen and was never seen again. His disa…
38. Haunted Parks: Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana
Indiana Dunes National Park—on the surface, it's a peaceful stretch of sand and forest. But look a little closer… and you'll find something else entirely. Stories of shadowy figures along the shoreline, phantom footsteps in the dunes, and c…
37. Victims of Mount Rainier National Park (Washington, USA)
Mount Rainier is the crown jewel of Washington State’s natural beauty. In fact, the beauty and majesty of it are indescribable. But underneath all of its glory and thick forests might be something sinister. 400 people have vanished from thi…
36. Serial Killer in the Everglades (Everglades National Park, Florida)
The original “Florida Man” was likely a prolific serial killer. Edgar Watson killed multiple people and even a famous female outlaw. He was active from the late 1800s until 1910 and left a trail of bodies from Oklahoma to the Everglades. He…
35. The Missing Skier (Mt. Saint Helens, Washington)
An experienced skier took off suddenly down a mountainside, seemingly frightened of something. He was with 20 other people on a climbing expedition, but they had gone down ahead of him. And this instance was the last time the experienced sk…
34. Haunted Parks: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina & Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known for its breathtaking beauty, rich history, and deep Appalachian roots. This park is also home to legends, ghostly encounters, and unexplained phenomena that have left visitors questioning what tr…
33. Forgotten Cold Case in the Uintas (Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Utah)
Similar to the infamous disappearance of Everett Reuss, a young man vanished from the High Uintas in Utah while on a job. Lynn Simmons was 25 years old when he went missing in 1940. It's been 84 years and there has never been a trace of him…