If you get a thrill from walking amid eerie shadows in the woods at night, or standing in the empty chill of a dark canyon, you will love these U.S. National Parks. Enjoy the stunning views in daylight ― but once the sun goes down, prepare yourself for phantom sightings, mysterious sounds, and spine-chilling haunts.
1 | The Grand Canyon, Arizona
The depths of this canyon feature more than just impressive geology ― it’s a prime territory for phantoms, apparitions, and other haunts. Watch where you hike; the sunsets are gorgeous, but you may not want to stick around afterwards.
Haunted Hot Spots
Crash Canyon: In 1956, two passenger jets collided here. At night, eerie lights have been seen coming from this canyon.
Phantom Ranch: The ghost of a worker, who was crushed by a boulder, still haunts this site where he was buried.
Close Encounter
The Wandering Woman: You may hear this woman crying along Transept Trail at night, as she searches endlessly for her husband and son who died in a hiking accident in the 1920s.
2 | Gettysburg National Battlefield, Pennsylvania
During the Civil War, this park saw 51,000 casualties. It’s said that many ghosts of soldiers haven’t given up the fight, and visitors often hear the echoes of battle noises in the night air.
Haunted Hot Spots
Devil’s Den: This hill was used by artillery and infantry during the war. Conveniently, the den causes electronic malfunctions, so there is no recorded evidence of the ghostly visages that have been spotted here.
Close Encounter
The Hippie: This ghost wanders the park barefoot, wearing his floppy hat. He often points visitors towards Plum Run, saying that’s where you’ll find what you’re looking for (Which begs the question: What is it you’re looking for?)
3 | Yosemite National Park, California
Chock full of natural wonders, Yosemite is also full of seemingly unnatural phenomena. The Ahwahnee Hotel within the park was used as a naval convalescent hospital during WWII, and it’s said that many of the patients aren’t entirely gone.
Haunted Hot Spots
Grouse Lake: According to Native American folklore, there’s a young boy in this lake who cries out for help, drawing unsuspecting visitors deep into the lake, where they ultimately drown. The lake lies along the Chilnualna Falls Trail, if you dare to look for it.
Close Encounter
Po-ho-no: This is the name of the evil wind that haunts Yosemite’s waterfalls. Po-ho-no is said to coax visitors to the top of the park’s waterfalls, and then push them over the edge. In 2011, three hikers fell to their deaths from the top of Vernal Falls, making the tale of Po-ho-no all the more suspicious.
4 | Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
Take a guided tour by lantern light through the “most haunted natural wonder in the world.” Keep your eyes and ears peeled for roaming ghosts of the aboriginal tribe members and cave explorers who were buried within this cave.
Haunted Hot Spots
Corpse Rock: You may hear mysterious coughing near this target stone, which sits outside the “consumptive cabins” where tuberculosis patients stayed in the 1800s. The stone acted as a resting place for the bodies of dead patients before they were buried.
Close Encounter
Ghost Of Mammoth Cave: A young girl deserted her tutor in Mammoth Cave when she found he didn’t share her romantic feelings. Feeling guilty, later the girl went back for him ― she died in the cave before she found him, but her ghost continues to search.
5 | Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
North America’s tallest dunes have been home to over 60 UFO sightings. In the 1960s, a rancher found his horse’s dead body on the dunes ― its organs had been removed with precise, surgical-like cuts. Many believed it to be extraterrestrial doings, and it hit national news, though the alien organ harvester was never found.
Haunted Hot Spots
UFO Watchtower: Cimb the watchtower and peer into the night sky, and you may just glimpse an alien lifeform travelling through our atmosphere.
Star Dune: This 750-foot tall sand dune also makes an excellent spot to scan the skies for extraterrestrial goings-on.
Close Encounter
Reports of mutilated animal bodies (mainly livestock) sprang up across the nation after the 1960s news story, and even today, people still come across an inexplicably lacerated anime body now and then. Watch where you step on the dunes.
6 | Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
If you’re patient and alert, you may spot a bear or a wolf at Yellowstone ― but those aren’t the scariest creatures that lurk within the park. If you plan on staying overnight, you may be better off in your RV than booking a room at the Inn.
Haunted Hot Spots
Old Faithful Inn: A hoard of paranormal events have been reported at this hotel ― one visitor spotted a fire extinguisher, spinning unexplainably in the hallway. A headless bride also roams the halls, carrying her own decapitated head in her arms.
Close Encounter
Room No 2: At the Old Faithful Inn, you’ll probably be safe if you stay inside your room ― unless you’re in Room No 2. A phantasmal woman appears to visitors in this room, often floating at the foot of the bed.
