When you think of national parks, stunning vistas, peaceful wildlife, and adventure probably come to mind. But beneath the natural beauty of some parks lies a mysterious atmosphere that can leave even the bravest travelers spooked.
From strange occurrences to ghostly legends, America’s national parks hold stories of mystery, isolation, and the supernatural. Whether you’re a thrill-seeker looking for the ultimate scare or simply fascinated by the unknown, here are five of the spookiest national parks in the U.S.
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1. Great Basin National Park, Nevada
Tucked away in eastern Nevada, Great Basin National Park is a quiet, isolated park known for its stark desert landscapes, ancient bristlecone pines, and mysterious caves. It’s also one of the most underrated of all the national parks.
That said, beneath its serene surface lurks an unsettling history and a reputation for the eerie and unknown.
What Makes It Scary:
- Lehman Caves’ ghostly presence: One of the park’s most popular attractions, Lehman Caves, is not only famous for its stunning limestone formations but also its rumored hauntings.
Visitors have reported seeing shadowy figures and hearing strange whispers echoing through the dark passageways, which only heightens the unsettling feeling of being deep underground. - Remote isolation: Great Basin is one of the least-visited national parks in the U.S., making it the perfect place to feel truly alone. The vast stretches of desert, the silence, and the isolation can feel frightening, especially at night when it becomes easy to imagine unseen eyes watching you in the darkness of the star-filled sky.
(Though, to be fair, there’s a good chance those ‘unseen eyes’ belong to cute things like owls or bighorn sheep rather than the scariest of creatures 🙂 - Bristlecone Pines and otherworldly protection: These ancient trees, some over 4,000 years old, have witnessed millennia of history. The knowledge that they were alive during the time of the pyramids adds a mystical element to their existence, causing one to question whether otherworldly forces protect them.
Their gnarled, twisted shapes seem to tell stories of survival and hardship. Many visitors feel an uncanny energy in their presence, as though time itself is warped. Read more about these mysterious trees in this article from the National Park website.
2. Joshua Tree National Park, California
Famous for its surreal landscapes and towering rock formations, Joshua Tree National Park may look like a photographer’s dream during the day, but it takes on a spectral atmosphere at night.
Located in the Southern California desert, Joshua Tree is known for its eerie quietness, strange rock formations, and unexplained phenomena.
Why It’s Scary:
- Ghosts of Old Miners: In the late 1800s, Joshua Tree was a hotspot for gold miners seeking their fortune. Many of these men met their demise in the region, and it’s said that their spirits still haunt the hills.
Hike trails like The Lost Horse Mine Trail, and you just might hear the spooky clanging of pick-axes and gold pans from the other side. - Mysterious Lights: One of the most well-known occurrences around Joshua Tree is the appearance of strange, floating lights in the night sky. These lights, sometimes described as orbs, have been witnessed by campers and hikers alike, moving in patterns that defy explanation. UFO enthusiasts consider this region a hotspot for extraterrestrial activity, adding another layer of mystery to this already otherworldly landscape.
- Haunting Silence: The silence in Joshua Tree is so profound that it can feel spooky. Many visitors even feel a strange sense of being watched in the park, especially when surrounded by the gnarled, spindly Joshua Trees that seem to claw at the sky.
3. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Yellowstone is America’s first national park, known for its geothermal wonders, lush forests, and diverse wildlife. However, one of Earth’s most dangerous and volatile landscapes lurks beneath the beauty, making Yellowstone one of America’s scariest national parks.
Why It’s Scary:
- The Supervolcano: Perhaps the most terrifying aspect of Yellowstone is that it sits atop a massive supervolcano. Though it’s not expected to erupt anytime soon, the very thought of it looming beneath the surface gives the park an ominous air.
Geysers like Old Faithful are beautiful but are also a testament to the volatile magma churning below. - Thermal pools of death: While they appear to be beautiful, colorful hot springs, the thermal pools in Yellowstone are also dangerously hot and acidic.
Falling into one can be fatal, as many tragic accidents have proven. The idea of boiling water just beneath the surface gives the park an unsettling vibe, where danger lurks in even the most tranquil of places. - Ghost stories: Yellowstone also has numerous ghost sightings, particularly around the Old Faithful Inn. Built in 1903, this historic inn has been the site of reported apparitions, most notably, a headless bride said to wander the halls searching for her lost groom.
Adventure-of-a-lifetime drive from Yellowstone to Glacier National Park
4. Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system in the world, stretches for more than 400 miles beneath the surface of Kentucky. The sheer size of the cave system is enough to inspire a sense of dread, but the stories of lost explorers and mysterious disappearances elevate it to another level of spookiness.
Why It’s Scary:
- Endless darkness: Inside Mammoth Cave, the darkness is absolute. When you’re hundreds of feet underground with no natural light, it’s easy to lose your sense of direction, and sanity. The fear of being lost forever in the cave’s twisting passages is a genuine concern for those brave enough to go deep into the caverns.
- Ghosts of the past: Many people have become lost or died in the cave system over the centuries. Their ghosts are said to linger in the dark, and visitors have reported hearing phantom footsteps, distant whispers, and sometimes feeling the icy touch of unseen hands.
- Haunted tunnels: One of the most infamous stories involves the ‘Corpse Rock,’ a location within the cave where a bizarre medical odyssey occurred. Back in the 1800s, a doctor believed that the air in the caves could help cure tuberculosis, so he convinced several patients to live in the cave for a time. The results were disastrous. The cave conditions made the tuberculosis patients worse, costing many their lives. It’s said that the ghosts of those who died there still may linger in the area.
5. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Shenandoah National Park offers stunning vistas and cascading waterfalls. But beneath the natural beauty lies a chilling history that dates back to before the park’s establishment.
Why It’s Scary:
- The ghostly soldiers: During the Civil War, the Shenandoah Valley was the site of numerous bloody battles. Many soldiers died in the area, and their spirits are said to roam the hillsides to this day. Hikers have reported seeing apparitions in Confederate uniforms, hearing disembodied voices, and feeling cold spots in areas associated with significant battles.
- The haunted Corbin Cabin hike: Deep in Shenandoah’s wilderness, the Corbin Cabin is believed to be haunted by the ghost of Caroline “Nee” Corbin, who once lived there. Some hikers on the Corbin Cabin hike have reported feeling a ghostly presence or hearing unexplained noises in the dense woods near the cabin, adding a scary layer to an already remote and desolate trail.
Leave No Trace
What’s even scarier than scary national parks? Folks who leave an unwelcome mark on these precious lands. Don’t let this be you. Always leave campgrounds better than you found them, respect the rules of the trail (and stay on marked paths), and just generally be a good human.
And always stick to The 7 Principles of Leave No Trace when exploring nature.
Whether you’re drawn to the supernatural or simply intrigued by the unknown, America’s scariest national parks offer natural splendor and good-natured scares. Fire up your Roadtrippers app and prepare for an experience that just might leave you sleeping with one eye open.
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