Hosted by two friends who share a passion for public lands and a fascination with what can go wrong there, each week hosts Danielle and Cassie explore the darker side of our National Parks. But it isn’t always chills and thrills. By sharing inspiring tales and their desire for protecting our planet’s wild places, they hope listeners will be inspired to take a walk into the wild and create meaningful adventures of their own.
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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 John Daggett decide to swim it instead. The guys are having the adventure of their lives - all while the park service has issued a massive rescue mission to find them. In their words, this is a cheap vacation that got a little out of hand. For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our social...
Today's stories include off trail adventures, rescues pups, ghostly encounters and the great bear mace incident. Bonus stories available for Outsiders on Patreon. All tales shared with consent. We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re listening to NPAD! Become part of our Outsider family on Patreon to gain access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, a...
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 unsettling but to the living left behind, knowing your final wishes can be a welcome sigh of relief. Today we venture into Joshua Tree National Park, and discuss the wild ride that was Gram Parson’s life, and untimely death. For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials: Instagram: @ n...
Today’s stories include spirited stays, adventure cats, grabbing a handful, mountain lion laser pointers, creatures of the jungle and near misses. Bonus stories included for Outsiders on Patreon. We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re listening to NPAD! Become part of our Outsider family on Patreon to gain access to ad-free episodes, bonus content,...
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 mysteriously disappears. All while tensions are rising between the countries, as Russia claims the island as their own and threatens to capture the expedition team. For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials: Instagram: @ nationalparkafterdark TikTok: @ nationalparkafterdark Support the ...
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 scurvy and when the ship they are expecting doesn't show up, the group becomes desperate for survival. For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials: Instagram: @ nationalparkafterdark TikTok: @ nationalparkafterdark Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listen...
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 to the remote Wrangel Island to prove that it is survivable. A polar bear habitat and known for tumultuous weather conditions, no human has successfully survived here for long - until Ada arrives. Join us for a LIVE show in Denver! Tickets HERE For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our s...
Today’s stories include lights over Idaho, forest knocks, tornado camping and Colorado moms. All stories shared with consent. Join us for a LIVE show in Denver! Tickets HERE We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re listening to NPAD! Become part of our Outsider family on Patreon to gain access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Follow our ...
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 National Park to share the tragic tale of Glenda Ann Bradley, the first person to be killed by a black bear in US National Park History. The T&C crew share their extensive knowledge on how to enjoy recreating in bear country safely, dissect what likely happened that day in the park and underline how wonderful these animals are. Join us for a LIVE sh...
Discover the harrowing tale of Donnie Priest, the lone survivor of a devastating plane crash near Yosemite National Park during a severe 1982 storm. This episode chronicles the challenging search and rescue mission, Donnie's miraculous recovery from severe hypothermia and limb amputation, and his inspiring journey to become a prosthetic specialist and advocate for resilience. It highlights how he found closure and meaning by returning to the crash site and connecting with his rescuers, transforming personal tragedy into an opportunity to help others.
Today’s stories include making the papers, plane crashes, magical moments, keeping connected, cougar encounters and wrestling in the swamps. Two bonus stories for Outsiders available on Patreon. We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re listening to NPAD! Become part of our Outsider family on Patreon to gain access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, ...
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 especially brutal. Today The Night of Terror serves as a reminder of female solidarity and resistance. It is a reminder of how strong and powerful women are and just how much they are willing to fight and sacrifice for their rights. For more information on the history of the Women's Movement, check out these videos! Women's Suffrage - FilmArchivesNYC...
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 – whatever story you're hearing is muddled. Murky and questionable details lie in layers, coating whatever grain of truth there may be at the center, and finding that grain can be difficult. Today we return to Death Valley National Park to investigate legends and tall tales in a search for that grain of truth, because more often than not where there’s s...
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 visitors and would remove them by force. When he turns up murdered, rumors spread that there is a buried treasure on the island. For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials: Instagram: @ nationalparkafterdark TikTok: @ nationalparkafterdark Support the show by becoming an Outsider and ...
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 places on the planet, conducting research on animals like lions, tigers, bears and lemurs. In this episode Dr. Rae Wynn Grant inspires us and educates us on how we can all contribute to conservation. Don't forget to check out her podcast, Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn Grant where she shares stories of what working in wild places entails. For the la...
Jurassic Park. The Lazrus Effect. Frankenstein. All of these stories emulate our fascination with turning back the clock, to revive those which we have lost. In a time where technological advances have matched our curiosity with the past. No longer is the question if we can bring back species from the dead – but rather, should we? For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials: Instagram: @ nationalparkafterdark TikTok: @ nationa...
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 your bucket list. While it is beautiful, it is also the home of one of the spookiest castles in England. We're taking a deep dive into all the ghostly happenings and terrifying history before we head out to the hill side for a good ole' British Afternoon Tea. For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast....
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 do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re listening to NPAD! Become part of our Outsider family on Patreon to gain access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Follow our socials Instagram , Facebook , and Twitter . To share a Trail Tale, sug...
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 dive into Edgar Allan Poe's short and complex life. Hear all about the real life tragedies and events that inspired some of Poe's darkest works from psychosis, to plague, to being buried alive. For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials: Instagram: @ nationalparkafterdark TikTok: @...
Dive into the astounding survival story of Anna Bagenholm, an expert skier who was trapped under ice in Norway with a body temperature never before recorded in a living person. This episode details the desperate rescue efforts, the critical medical decisions, and Anna's remarkable journey back from paralysis to skiing again. Her case fundamentally shifted medical protocols for hypothermia patients, inspiring new treatments like therapeutic hypothermia and proving that hope should never be lost.
Today’s tales include new perspectives on old favorites, tears of joy, unlikely friendships and a man in the shadows. Two bonus stories for Outsiders over on Patreon! All stories shared with consent. We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re listening to NPAD! Become part of our Outsider family on Patreon to gain access to ad-free episodes, bonus cont...
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 talked much about him, and Alice never wanted to ask – afraid she may open a painful wound. But after her mother died, Alice believes she came back to her from beyond the veil – and encouraged her to finish what she had begun, to find who killed Albert Jones. Today we visit Crater Lake National Park, the location of the biggest unsolved mysteries in the ...
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 that will make you feel like you are still in the 1800s. Learn about Theodore Roosevelt, historic families, sword duels, near mass extinctions of species, and all the (paranormal) activities that take place inside the badlands of North Dakota. For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socia...
Today’s tales include uninvited house guests, strange sights, and sounds & backpacking baptisms! All stories shared with consent. We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re listening to NPAD! Become part of our Outsider family on Patreon to gain access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Follow our socials Instagram , Facebook , and Twitt...
National Park After Dark teams up with Morbid for a gripping episode exploring dark events in America's natural spaces. They recount the horrific, premeditated murders by Randall Lee Smith on the Appalachian Trail, his early release, and subsequent violent acts, alongside the baffling vanishing of rafting guide Morgan Heimer in the Grand Canyon. The hosts also share personal stories of vulnerability and discuss the importance of safety, both indoors and outdoors.
This episode delves into the 1928 St. Francis Dam disaster in Southern California, the nation's deadliest civil engineering failure. It explores the contentious "California Water Wars," the deceptive tactics behind building the dam, and the horrific events of its collapse, which unleashed a 140-foot wall of water. The discussion also uncovers systemic racism in the disaster's response and its lasting impact on safety regulations and communities.
Today's stories include sitting bears, family reunions, yellow bugs, and lost history. All stories shared with consent. We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re listening to NPAD! Become part of our Outsider family on Patreon to gain access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Follow our socials Instagram , Facebook , and Twitter . To share ...
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 places like Kruger National Park and the Rangers who risk their lives to protect the wildlife. We also take the time to honor the legacy of Anton Mzimba, a lead ranger and protagonist of the film, who recently had his life taken because of the work he did in wildlife conservation. For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow...
In 1945, a C-47 carrying U.S. military personnel crashed into Papua, New Guinea's Lorentz National Park, stranding three survivors in the remote "Shangri-La" valley. Injured and fearing the rumored cannibalistic tribes, they faced a harrowing trek and unexpected first contact. Despite cultural barriers, the indigenous people offered aid, leading to a complex rescue operation and profound cross-cultural encounters before their perilous glider escape.
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 during the messy, questionable and confusing process of uncovering the truth. Lean more about and contribute to the Fossey Fund HERE . For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials: Instagram: @ nationalparkafterdark TikTok: @ nationalparkafterdark Support the show by becoming an Ou...
