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.
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
On October 11th, 1923 deep in Tunnel 13 high in the Siskiyou mountains of Oregon, four men were killed in a train robbery gone wrong. The trio responsible had planned the crime and dreamed of stealing their way to a life of riches but made a series of fatal mistakes that would haunt them forever. What has gone down in Pacific Northwest history as “the last great American train robbery” is also recognized as the birth of modern American forensic criminology. For a full list of our sources, visit ...
Today’s stories include lighting strikes, protective birbs, family lore, finding yourself, poor planning and a strangely large amount of pet psychics. Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreon and Apple Subscribers! Listen to Watch Her Cook on Apple and Spotify ! Follow us on Instagram For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at: Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark Twitter/X: @npadpodcast TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark...
This episode recounts the harrowing 1910 Wellington avalanche, the deadliest in U.S. history, where two Great Northern Railway trains were stranded for days in Washington's Cascade Mountains before being swept away. It delves into the events leading up to the disaster, including severe weather, questionable decisions by railway management like Superintendent O'Neill, and the tragic experiences of passengers. The episode also explores the aftermath, the coroner's inquest that debated human fault versus natural disaster, and the lasting legacy of the ghost town of Wellington.
Explore the complex story of Grant Hadwin, a passionate logger turned environmental activist, who felled the ancient and sacred Golden Spruce, K'iid K'yaas, belonging to the Haida Nation. Driven by a deep love for forests and a growing frustration with unsustainable logging, Hadwin's radical act was a desperate attempt to ignite change. The episode examines the tree's significance to the Haida people, Hadwin's mental health struggles, and the enduring mystery surrounding his subsequent disappearance during a perilous journey to face trial.
Today’s stories include paranormal protectors, New Jersey karma, close calls, ghost sailors and slip and slides from hell. Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreon and Apple Subscribers! Listen to Watch Her Cook on Apple and Spotify ! Follow us on Instagram For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at: Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark Twitter/X: @npadpodcast TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark Support the show by becomin...
Today, more than 1 billion people around the world celebrate Earth Day—but decades before this global movement began, one woman laid the foundation. When aerial pesticide programs drenched the Northeast in chemicals like DDT, devastating ecosystems and killing thousands of wildlife species, marine biologist and writer Rachel Carson sounded the alarm. Her groundbreaking book, Silent Spring , ignited a nationwide reckoning with the hidden environmental costs of modern life. For a full list of our ...
After over a month of a long, arduous overland journey the Roosevelt-Rondon Expedition finally reaches the waters of the River of Doubt. Their troubles have just begun as they are about to face not only the beauty of the unknown, but its perils. Everyone will starve and suffer - but not everyone will survive. For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes Listen to Watch Her Cook on Apple and Spotify ! For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us o...
Today’s stories include disrupting the natural order, shaming tourons, static ghosts, poop strap injuries, hauntings in Japan, Alaskan thank yous, pennies form heaven and cacti-microneedling Brazilian waxes. Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreon and Apple Subscribers! Listen to Watch Her Cook on Apple and Spotify ! For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at: Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark Twitter/X: @npadpodc...
Hosts Cassie and Danielle from National Park After Dark are launching a brand new podcast, Watch Her Cook! Watch Her Cook is a weekly podcast that highlights the incredible women throughout history who have shattered the glass ceiling on the expectations of what women "should" be. From trailblazing inventors and fierce activists to notorious outlaws and criminal masterminds, these women proved their capabilities far surpassed domestic duties. Every episode dives into the lives of these extraordi...
Following a crushing political defeat in 1913, former president Theodore Roosevelt turned to what soothed him the most - the wild and pushing his limits within it. Roosevelt is a complicated historical figure - one who is remembered in teddy bears, for his legacy of public land protection, as the country’s youngest and most influential politician as well as a man who held racist ideals - but not many remember him as a man who lived for adventure and pioneering exploration. When the opportunity p...
Botanists Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter changed the stereotype of women in botany when they found a love for not the delicate flowers, but the cacti with thorns and the vegetation that thrived in the most inhospitable environments. They set out to do something that had never been done before, to be the first women to boat the entirety of the Colorado River and map out the flora of the Grand Canyon. If successful, they would be the first women to ever survive the trip. For a full list of our sour...
In July of 1897, three men were carried into the sky inside a hydrogen balloon with the goal of being the first to reach the North Pole. The fate of their ambitious expedition remained a mystery for decades until a chance discovery unveiled the location of their final camp. But that revelation only gave rise to more puzzling questions we are still trying to answer today. For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and mo...
Today’s stories include slapping the bag, a mother’s intuition, geocaching gone wrong, being saved by spirits, synchronicities and sibling pranks. Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreon and Apple Subscribers! For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at: Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on ...
In today's episode we had the incredible opportunity to speak with Cecilie Skog. Cecilie has cemented her place in the world of extreme adventure sports as being the first person in the world to have skied across both the North and the South Poles and to have climbed all of The Seven Summits. She completed the first unassisted and unsupported trek across the continent of Antarctica and has made several treks across Greenland. Cecilie was also among the 31 climbers who were on K2 on its deadliest...
On Valentine’s Day 2025 4,400 Public Land workers were abruptly and illegally terminated from their positions and since then, news of executive orders threatening to exploit our public lands for their natural resources have been flooding headlines. To better understand the gravity of this situation and to hear straight from those most directly effected we are joined by Yosemite and Devils Postpile Ranger Alex Wild, Liz Crandall a field ranger in Deschutes National Forest, and Morgan Smith a Biol...
Today’s stories include dumpster lemons, haunted marathons, national park first dates, night hippos, hero dads and being saved by science. Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreon and Apple Subscribers! For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at: Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark Twitter/X: @npadpodcast TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus cont...
On April 10, 1815, Mount Tambora erupted in Indonesia, creating an ash cloud that blocked the sun globally for three years, leading to widespread famine, disease, and extreme weather, forever remembered as "The Year Without a Summer." The hosts detail the volcano's current state, the eruption's immediate devastation, and its far-reaching consequences across continents, including inspiring Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The episode concludes by linking this historic natural disaster to the pressing realities of human-induced climate change and the urgent need for collective action.
The Port Chicago disaster, a devastating munitions explosion during WWII, instantly killed 320 people and injured hundreds, primarily African-American sailors forced into dangerous, segregated roles without proper training. The subsequent mutiny trial of 50 Black sailors, unjustly blamed and convicted, became a critical event in the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting racial discrimination and unsafe military practices. Decades of activism, including efforts by Thurgood Marshall, eventually led to the official exoneration of all involved in 2024, acknowledging the profound injustice.
Today’s stories include check ins from the other side, underwater close calls, man ghosts, cases of mistaken identity, cursed Airbnb’s and bodies in the woods. Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreon and Apple Subscribers! For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at: Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark Twitter/X: @npadpodcast TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free ...
This episode discusses the history of Biscayne National Park and the Jones family, particularly Sir Lancelot Jones, who played a crucial role in preserving the land from development. It highlights the family's journey from slavery to land ownership and their fight against corporations seeking to build oil refineries and high-rises. The episode also touches on the importance of Black history in national parks and the disparity in visitation rates.
Finding Aubrey: Langtang National Park investigates the 2010 vanishing of Aubrey Sacco, an adventurous 23-year-old from Colorado, during her solo trek in Nepal. The episode explores her family's tireless, 15-year search, the alarming pattern of other disappearances and assaults on women in the region, and the Nepalese government's often criticized response. It delves into the emotional toll on her family, their efforts to keep her memory alive, and the policy changes influenced by their advocacy, leaving a haunting narrative of unanswered questions.
Today’s stories include ghostly gossip, nature soup, weird places, cursed stories, hellos and goodbyes from beyond and proof that fed bears are dead bears. Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreon and Apple Subscribers! For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at: Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark Twitter/X: @npadpodcast TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free list...
It’s our birthday (or, anniversary)! Four years ago this week we released out very first episode with zero clue what we were doing. Since then we have covered over 200 stories, gained thousands of friends and made a lot of memories. Today’s episode is a look back to some (hilarious, cringy, sad and happy) moments on our journey here as well as some updates on cases we have covered along the way. Thank you to everyone who has made NPAD so special, we love you - cheers to us all! Come see us in Jo...
This episode delves into the mysterious disappearance and death of Cody Johnson, just eight days after marrying Jordan Graham. As Jordan's stories conflict and damning evidence emerges from Glacier National Park, investigators uncover a chilling narrative of deceit, culminating in a surprising courtroom confession and a tragic end to a love story. The hosts further analyze inconsistencies in Jordan's account.
Today’s stories include acts of love, stiff pants, angry neighbors camp ghosts, Gila monsters and cougars in Maine. Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreon and Apple Subscribers! For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at: Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark Twitter/X: @npadpodcast TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon...
The Birthplace of Jazz, NOLA, The Big Easy - no matter how you know it, New Orleans is world renowned. While we visit today to toss beads and eat beignets, these streets - and swamps - were once home to one of the most mysterious pirates in history, Jean Lafitte. His smuggling operations throughout the South earned him quite the reputation in life, but the legends of his buried treasure solidified his story for generations after his death. To support the community of New Orleans in the wake of t...
This episode recounts the chilling 1974 Appalachian Trail murder of Joel Polson and the kidnapping of Margaret McFadden Harritt by escaped convict Ralph Howard Fox. It details Margaret's harrowing ordeal, her eventual escape, and the subsequent investigation that uncovered Fox's extensive criminal history. The story concludes with Margaret's remarkable recovery and her inspiring career dedicated to dangerous environmental work.
Director Andrew Kightlinger joins NPAD to give us all a glimpse into the making of the much anticipated film - Lost on a Mountain in Maine. From his upbringing in Madagascar to his working interview on Katahdin, Andrew shares how he became involved with Donn Fendler’s story and how proud he was to bring one of Maine’s legacies to the big screen. For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodca...
Today we are joined by Leitah Mkhabela of the Black Mambas - the world's first officially formed, registered and recognized all-women anti-poaching unit that operates within Greater Kruger National Park. She highlights the importance of educating and inspiring the next generation to care for our wild world and how her life is a reflection of one of her greatest teachers - her cousin Anton Mzimba. Justice for Anton - sign the petition, donate to the cause and learn more about the movement to brin...
In 1973, Holly and Fitz's adventurous Amazon honeymoon quickly became a nightmare after their plane crashed and they found themselves lost on a handmade raft in a flooded jungle. They endured 25 days of starvation, storms, quicksand, and dangerous wildlife, their love and determination their only lifeline. A serendipitous monkey hunt by locals ultimately led to their miraculous rescue and a tale of incredible survival.
