Horror Nights - The Forest

OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENT

Forest Horror Nights opens with a truck engine still running, headlights cutting through fog, and no driver in sight—just a foil wrapper on the dashboard that nobody can explain. That is the kind of image this horror show builds every episode around, one complete story at a time, pulled apart piece by piece until you understand exactly how someone walked into the woods and didn't walk out the same. This is a narrated horror documentary podcast with no host chatting in your ear, no banter, no filler. Each episode reconstructs a real case in careful detail: the timeline, the search parties, the physical evidence left behind, the small details investigators can't stop thinking about. You get boots found nine miles from where a woman disappeared, still laced, her feet bare and silent when they found her alive. You get a man whose footprints simply stop on a boulder, as if he stepped out of his own shoes and vanished. These aren't jump-scare stories. They're true horror tales built from case files, witness accounts, and the unanswered questions that make the woods feel different once you know them. The themes running through this horror-driven show are the ones people search for late at night when they can't sleep: creepy encounters on isolated trails, scary true stories from search-and-rescue logs, disappearances near campgrounds, sounds recorded by hikers who never explain what they heard. The forest is the constant thread—not as a backdrop, but as a character that keeps its own secrets, feeding a quiet sense of horror that never quite fades. Every episode asks the same quiet question: what actually happened out there, and why does no one ever fully explain it. New horror episodes drop regularly, each one a self-contained descent into a different case. Subscribe to Forest Horror Nights so you don't miss the next chilling chapter waiting in the trees.

  1. 14h ago

    The orange hunting vest that left her truck three miles away

    A folded orange hunting vest hung on a pine three miles from her truck, and a trained searcher had vanished into Cold Creek-how did that expose her? The orange hunting vest that left her truck three miles away In this episode, we follow the timeline and the people involved in the search for a missing volunteer search-and-rescue member in eastern Idaho. We trace the scene items, the volunteer response, and the puzzles those discoveries created for the teams on the ground; what questions do those objects leave hanging? Person: Marcia Hughes, 48, EMT and 11-year Dellard County Search and Rescue volunteer Date: October 10-14, 2019 Location: Cold Creek Drainage, Harlan National Forest, eastern Idaho Event: Disappearance and seven-day search People: Pete Sondergaard (51) and Tom Briley (44) with Marcia on October 10 - Marcia had hunted the Cold Creek Drainage six consecutive Octobers and routinely volunteered for Dellard County SAR every Thursday for eleven years. - On October 10 she went into the wilderness with Pete and Tom; they lost contact around 11:00 AM at a 6,900-foot saddle and reported her missing 5 hours and 40 minutes later. - Search teams found a folded granola bar wrapper at 6,600 feet, Marcia’s daypack at 6,600 feet, and her rifle 40 feet uphill with the safety engaged, suggesting she had shed gear while moving uphill. - Volunteers cut a new trail on October 12-13 down the eastern slope to Dellard Reservoir; on October 14, a hiker found an orange hunting vest folded on a pine branch at 4,780 feet with both hunting licenses and truck keys in its pockets. - The vest was placed deliberately on a branch of a trail that did not exist when Marcia vanished, raising questions about who moved those items and why. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The orange hunting vest that left her truck three miles away
  2. 1d ago

    The GPS accelerometer recorded zero vertical change and exposed an impossible climb

    A seventh-grade earth science teacher’s GPS shows a 340-ft climb, but its accelerometer reads zero vertical change. How did that expose them? The GPS accelerometer recorded zero vertical change and exposed an impossible climb In this episode, we follow the days after Crystal Phillips disappeared on a Deschane National Forest loop and the discovery that shifts the search: a waterproof map found pinned to a rock, a tracklog that appears to climb a sheer sandstone wall, and an accelerometer readout that contradicts the coordinates. What does the mismatch between GPS and accelerometer data imply about her last movements? Person: Crystal Phillips Date: September 7-14, 2019 Location: Harrow Creek Wilderness, Deschane National Forest Person: Marilyn Hamilton Event: GPS track showing 90 minutes of movement up Meridian Wall with accelerometer vertical delta zero - Crystal, a 31‑year‑old seventh‑grade earth science teacher and experienced navigator, began a planned Harrow Creek Loop on September 7 and did not exit on schedule. - Her hiking partner, Doug Fenn, turned back on Day Two after rolling his ankle and reported Crystal was calm and continuing alone. - Search teams found an arranged tent with a headlamp placed on the sleeping bag, and a waterproof map belonging to Crystal pinned under a rock on the riverbank, nineteen miles from her last camp. - Crystal’s GPS device logged 90 minutes of continuous movement between 9:45 and 11:15 PM on September 13 that ascended the 340‑ft Meridian Wall at about 1.1 mph, a walking pace. - The GPS unit’s internal accelerometer recorded zero vertical change for that entire window, a contradiction search coordinator Marilyn Hamilton could not reconcile. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The GPS accelerometer recorded zero vertical change and exposed an impossible climb
  3. 2d ago

    The boot's brass key proved she'd taken it off-and gone missing

    A lone hiking boot with a brass car key clipped to its lace stands upright in talus two miles off-trail-how did that expose her? The boot's brass key proved she'd taken it off-and gone missing In this episode, we follow the events surrounding Janet Hunt’s disappearance on Clearwater Ridge and the strange physical clues found in the days after she vanished. We outline the search timeline, the discovery that redirected teams, and the unanswered question that kept investigators puzzling over what actually happened. What does a perfectly positioned boot and a clipped backup key tell us about the moments before she went missing? Person: Janet Hunt Date: August 9-12 (missing and discovery timeline) Location: Clearwater Ridge, Hatchett County, Montana Person: Denise Meyer (Hatchett County SAR coordinator) Person: Connie Moore (county surveyor who found the boot) - Janet Hunt, a 52-year-old retired occupational therapist, routinely drove from Millhaven, Ohio to hike Clearwater Ridge and left a written itinerary with her daughter. - She signed the Saddlehorn Lot trail register at about 6:00 a.m. on August 9 and planned a 4.1-mile route to Vantage Cabin. - Search and rescue, led by Denise Meyer, began August 10, working outward from the trailhead through talus fields and creek drainages. - Vantage Cabin log (August 10, 6:30 a.m.) recorded a woman matching Janet’s description drinking water and saying she would descend the south drainage; the entry was not discovered when SAR cleared the cabin the next day. - On August 12, surveyor Connie Moore found an upright right hiking boot in talus, two miles northwest of the trail, laces tied and a small brass car key clipped to the lace-no footprints or other gear nearby. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The boot's brass key proved she'd taken it off-and gone missing
  4. 3d ago

    The size‑11 bootprint that showed someone stood and waited

    A camp stove still warm, a capped insulin kit, and a size‑11 bootprint planted by the food - how did that expose someone in Aldermoor National Forest? The size‑11 bootprint that showed someone stood and waited In this episode, we follow the search for Jessica Hunt after her solo camp is found attended and empty deep in Aldermoor National Forest. We lay out the scene, the routines she kept for her Type One diabetes, and the single piece of evidence that shifted the search from medical emergency to possible contact - who left that print and why? Person: Jessica Hunt Age: 44 Condition: Type One diabetes Location: Aldermoor National Forest Witness: Kevin Lawson - Camp discovered on Day Three: folding chair open, soup simmering on a camp stove, insulin kit with morning dose used and afternoon dose sealed. - Jessica’s schedule: strict morning insulin at six, evening insulin at five, and daily check‑in calls to neighbor Paul Drescher. - Neighbor Paul Drescher’s role: fed Jessica’s diabetic cat twice daily, expected her seven‑p.m. call after the five‑p.m. dose and called SAR when it never came. - First responder Kevin Lawson found the attended but empty camp after smelling wood smoke while driving Forest Service Road Seven. - Searcher Tom Aguirre photographed a distinct size‑11 lug‑soled bootprint facing the food stores under the tarp, a print inconsistent with Jessica’s size and position in the clearing. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The size‑11 bootprint that showed someone stood and waited
  5. 4d ago

    The sealed water bottle stood upright and stopped the trail

    A sealed water bottle stands upright on flat sandstone two miles off trail in Merritt Draw-how did it expose what happened to a day hiker? The sealed water bottle stood upright and stopped the trail In this episode, we follow the early hours of a search for Sarah Gallagher and the puzzling signs that redirected the effort into Merritt Draw. The episode lays out the scene, the people involved, and the lingering questions that kept rescuers and investigators working-what did the bottle mean, and why here? Person: Sarah Gallagher Date: June 11-12, 2011 Location: Merritt Draw, north branch Person: Gail Vaughn Person: Dennis Pruitt - A factory-sealed water bottle with an unbroken cap was found standing upright on flat sandstone in a dry side-channel 4.1 miles from the nearest trailhead and 2.3 miles past Sarah's planned turnaround. - Sarah Gallagher, a 28-year-old experienced local who routinely day-hiked Merritt Draw, failed to make her nightly 10 PM call on June 11 and was reported missing before 1 AM. - Ruger, a trained SAR dog handled by Mara Lind, followed Sarah’s scent from her car to a junction and repeatedly locked at a descent into the side-channel, then stopped and could not recover the trail beyond ~80 yards. - Gail Vaughn, photographing birds on the canyon rim the morning of June 12, almost missed seeing the bottle until she looked down and found it perfectly vertical in full sun with undisturbed silt around it. - SAR coordinator Gail York recognized the search grid as troublingly familiar due to a 2003 disappearance in Merritt Draw and expanded the northern search area while withholding that history from Day One briefings. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The sealed water bottle stood upright and stopped the trail
  6. 5d ago

    The green daypack that stood on Mile 14 forced a search

    A green daypack upright on Mile 14 of Route Nine in Caldwell State Forest - how did that expose the missing hiker? The green daypack that stood on Mile 14 forced a search In this episode, we follow the timeline and key scenes that launched a search for Patricia Schultz after she vanished from a single-exit loop trail while her car and bowling bag remained at the trailhead. The episode lays out the people, places, and puzzling physical clues that framed the question: where did she go and what placed that pack eleven miles away? Person: Patricia Schultz Date: May 9-10 Location: Caldwell State Forest, Ridgeline Spur Person: Leon Green Person: Dennis Okafor - Patricia signed the Ridgeline Spur trail register at 9:14 AM and was seen near the halfway marker around 9:40 AM wearing a blue rain shell and carrying a green daypack. - The Ridgeline Spur is a 4.2-mile loop with one trailhead and one exit; no vehicle left the parking lot and no witnesses reported seeing her exit. - Search dogs tracked Patricia’s scent from the trailhead to mile 2.1 where the scent abruptly stopped at a gated fire road signed CLOSED; the gate’s latch showed recent handling. - Leon Green, a sixteen-year-old delivery driver, found the same green daypack standing upright on the Mile 14 marker of Route Nine at 6:52 AM the next morning, with its contents dry and car keys inside. - Patricia’s car remained in the trailhead parking lot with her bowling bag in the trunk; she had planned to go to bowling league that evening and was reported missing at 10:47 PM. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The green daypack that stood on Mile 14 forced a search
  7. 6d ago

    The Left Hiking Boot That Stopped the Search Dead

    A single left hiking boot on a snowy Forest Service road is the only clue to nine vanished hours-how did that boot expose them? The Left Hiking Boot That Stopped the Search Dead In this episode, we follow the timeline and decisions that shaped a five-day search after Susan Russo disappeared from a familiar trail. The episode lays out the physical evidence, the dog’s inexplicable stop in open snow, and the conflicting terrain math that hangs over every account-what happened in those nine hours? Person: Susan Russo Date: April 14-17, 2023 Location: Sable Meadow / Forest Service Road Seven, Harwick County Status: Missing then found alive Witness: Pete Osman - Susan left the Coldwater Trail junction at 1:40 p.m. after telling Pete she’d be back by six and never arrived for her habitual Thursday visit. - A road-grader operator found a single left hiking boot standing upright on the centerline of Forest Service Road Seven the morning of April 17. - The boot was laced, dry inside, with no footprints, no mud, and the road had been graded clean 14 hours earlier. - Bloodhound handler Marcus Delk recorded his dog “sat” in the center of an open snowfield two hundred yards from the tree line and refused to move. - SAR leader Troy Price logged 36 hours building a theory that fit the dog’s behavior but matched none of the terrain, routes, or timed distances. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The Left Hiking Boot That Stopped the Search Dead
  8. Sep 12

    The granite boulder that arranged her boots and stopped the trail

    A hiker’s boots sit on a granite boulder at 10,800 feet while her pack lies miles away - how did that expose her? The granite boulder that arranged her boots and stopped the trail In this episode, we follow the early timeline of a missing hiker in Sangre Fría National Forest and the first 79 hours of a search that kept returning to one baffling scene. What questions did a set of boots, a folded blanket, and a vanished scent trail leave for rescuers? Person: Marilyn Bauer Date: March 4, 2017 Location: Sangre Fría National Forest Status: Missing during a 79-hour search Event: Two boots found on a granite boulder at 10,800 feet - Patricia Lewis, a power line technician, spotted two size-seven hiking boots neatly aligned on a flat granite boulder at 10,800 feet and reported them at 9:20 AM on Saturday. - Marilyn Bauer signed the Arroyo Seco trailhead at 7:14 AM for an out-and-back to Cutter Ridge but did not return by her planned 4 PM estimate. - Dogs tracking Marilyn’s scent pulled northwest along the tree line and stopped at Teja Creek, 9,600 feet and eight-tenths of a mile below the boulder, where the scent abruptly ended. - Marilyn’s pack was found with all contents intact, including food, a headlamp, first-aid kit, and an emergency blanket that remained folded despite overnight lows near -4°F. - The boulder where the boots were found sat 2.1 miles off Marilyn’s registered route, in the opposite direction from her planned destination and from her habitual morning running route. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The granite boulder that arranged her boots and stopped the trail

About

Forest Horror Nights opens with a truck engine still running, headlights cutting through fog, and no driver in sight—just a foil wrapper on the dashboard that nobody can explain. That is the kind of image this horror show builds every episode around, one complete story at a time, pulled apart piece by piece until you understand exactly how someone walked into the woods and didn't walk out the same. This is a narrated horror documentary podcast with no host chatting in your ear, no banter, no filler. Each episode reconstructs a real case in careful detail: the timeline, the search parties, the physical evidence left behind, the small details investigators can't stop thinking about. You get boots found nine miles from where a woman disappeared, still laced, her feet bare and silent when they found her alive. You get a man whose footprints simply stop on a boulder, as if he stepped out of his own shoes and vanished. These aren't jump-scare stories. They're true horror tales built from case files, witness accounts, and the unanswered questions that make the woods feel different once you know them. The themes running through this horror-driven show are the ones people search for late at night when they can't sleep: creepy encounters on isolated trails, scary true stories from search-and-rescue logs, disappearances near campgrounds, sounds recorded by hikers who never explain what they heard. The forest is the constant thread—not as a backdrop, but as a character that keeps its own secrets, feeding a quiet sense of horror that never quite fades. Every episode asks the same quiet question: what actually happened out there, and why does no one ever fully explain it. New horror episodes drop regularly, each one a self-contained descent into a different case. Subscribe to Forest Horror Nights so you don't miss the next chilling chapter waiting in the trees.