Tell your creepy Forest Story

i think there was one or two more boulders with stuff like this on them

and the bridge to nowhere. just to the left out of frame it pretty much ends in a mountain. built in the 30s.

reply to post by madmark


Awesome, thanks for the pics and the effort to post them here!

The knife looks nice, stabbed into what looks like some kind of oak tree.

As for the stacked rocks, they mean nothing to me except a bored person. I see them a lot here from people with time waiting on the road for a ride. It's obvious you're in a riverbed with the washed stones.

The bridge looks amazing, I wish that technology was here in some places, though I understand that roads eventually lead to destruction these days..

Ive wondered about posting my 'creepy' forest stories in this thread, as the most real one has nothing to do with paranormal or anything of that sort. But Ive decided to do it anyway. This was truly, the most scared Ive even been.

I was with my girlfriend, towards the beginning of our relationship (we are now closing in on 8 years). We were driving down some logging roads along a creek outside of Canby, Oregon. My dad grew up on this creek, and there are some amazing places to stop along the creek. We were looking for a particular waterfall which is off of a logging road, and isnt really marked.

I turned onto what I thought was the correct logging road, and we traveled about 3/4 of a mile. About halfway into that, the road started to narrow, all the way down to the point where the branches of evergreens were tickling the side of my pickup.

I realized that I obviously went the wrong way, but I couldnt turn around with the road as narrow as it was. So I continued on, hoping to find a wide spot in the road.

Eventually we could see a clearing in the trees up ahead. We pulled up to it. As the nose of my truck rolled a couple of feet passed the tree line, The hair on my became sharp as needles.

About 300 yards ahead of us was a silo, 3 flat, forest green-colored transport trucks, and a group of about a half dozen men, all dressed in camo pants, all holding rifles.

I stopped dead, threw it in reverse, and backed the entire way down the gravel road at what felt like about 40 miles an hour.

I can only assume what we came across was one of 3 thing: Some sort of military training (though they didnt look like military to me), some sort of militant group, or some sort of *ahem* herbal farm (this is the oregon forest, after all).

reply to post by madmark


Wow thanks for uploading the pics! Really cool! The area looks nice and I wish we had such great outdoors here in europe. Im planing on coming to the US next year and we will be hiking a lot of the national parks. You bet we will be extremely careful!!

Wierd, I would really like to know what type of person that was camped up near the creek. Just as the other poster here said, you need to be aware that strange things happen especially near creeks. Seems its a good way to travel without leaving any footprints. I will check the books if there was anything written about the area.

reply to post by LadyGreenEyes


I agree with everything you wrote. I would encourage everyone that loves to spend time outdoors in isolated areas to read those books!

Another thing that got me thinking and wondering is that there are a number of cases were the searchers found crude shelters near or around the place people disappeared or were found. In some cases little kids were even found alive inside the shelter. It was apparent that whoever/whatever was with the kids and kept them warm throughout the night, left shortly before the searchers arrived.

Sorry, this is "kinda" offtopic... But spooky...

I had an old ATS membership and forgot the password to it,so I made a new account just to subscribe to this thread.I find it fascinating to say the least. I grew up surrounded by woods and forests in central Pa.I don't have any creepy or interesting stories to tell.But I am interesting in hearing more.Thanks OP for a great thread.

the only thing i can share from my experience being in a forest at night is..

its cold.. its cold..and you hear everything around you, i doubt also that anyone can see you.

i slept in the forest at night, when it was snow outside. man it wasnt fun

I know I already posted on here, so I guess this can be "Part two" of my creepy forest stories.

I've found another area where everything seems to hold "tension" - I now live next to a fairly large park that is pretty much a "woods" - inside are natural trails (basically small, narrow dirt paths), and much of it wraps around a river. There also used to be a farm and a missile silo in the area.

Anyway, I was following random trails when I happened to stumble on a path that didn't seem to see much traffic - usually, when going in this park, you would see carvings in the trees or stumps, or wrappers lying around. When I entered the trail, it felt like I was under a "dome" so to speak - I couldn't hear the cars, people, or even any wildlife. I continued down the path, and found that it led to an arched wood bridge, with a row of stairs leading up the side of a ridge - Everything about the place looked wrong - it "looked like all the angles were off" (to paraphrase Lovecraft), and something about that place didn't sit right.

Even though someone was clearly there to build the bridge, the rare times I have felt that was when I went to some of the older state parks farther north - it felt like what I would imagine a "pristine" forest would feel like; one that has never seen a human before.

Either way, I'm heading back there for some pictures, as I need new sketching subjects.

-fossilera

Originally posted by hesse
reply to post by LadyGreenEyes

 

I agree with everything you wrote. I would encourage everyone that loves to spend time outdoors in isolated areas to read those books!

Another thing that got me thinking and wondering is that there are a number of cases were the searchers found crude shelters near or around the place people disappeared or were found. In some cases little kids were even found alive inside the shelter. It was apparent that whoever/whatever was with the kids and kept them warm throughout the night, left shortly before the searchers arrived.

Sorry, this is "kinda" offtopic... But spooky...

Well, considering that most of those cases were in or near forests, not really off topic! Some of those literally made me lose sleep. The shelters...yeah...."bears" keeping kids warm.....NOT bears! Some serious weirdness going on. That Manitoba story near the end of the Western book....wow. Very spooky. After reading the book (still need the others), something clicked with me. I have been watching, on Netflix, the series Supernatural. Never watched on TV, but enjoying it. I find it quite interesting that, out of all they go after, the ONE thing they claim isn't real is....Bigfoot. What are the odds?

reply to post by captaintyinknots


Oh, wow! YIKES! Definitely sounds like backing out was a good plan! Always trust the gut feelings. I got something like that sort of feeling near town here once at night. We were driving around, just to see where some roads went (I like night driving), and found one that seemed to lead to some sort of rural racetrack. Near there, we found another, that looked like it went no place, but then we saw, LATE at night, a lit-up large building (well, large for rural), and vehicles about. This area, you don't see people out late much, except weekends around the bars and clubs. We thought about driving on, for about two seconds, then got the clear feeling that would be a BAD idea. Not sure what was going on, but it felt all sorts of wrong. Glad you got out of that one alright!

reply to post by LadyGreenEyes


I have never watched Supernatural. But from watching the trailer it does seem strange that its like the "only" thing thats not real. To me it definitely seems more real that most of the creatures in the trailer.

Yeah, I really would like to know what is causing all of these disapperances. It such a staggering mystery!

Originally posted by hesse
reply to post by LadyGreenEyes

 

I have never watched Supernatural. But from watching the trailer it does seem strange that its like the "only" thing thats not real. To me it definitely seems more real that most of the creatures in the trailer.

Yeah, I really would like to know what is causing all of these disappearances. It such a staggering mystery!

I am in season 4 at this point, so still a lot to go, but they stated BF wasn't real WAY back near the start. They chase after all sorts of creepy things, but not Bigfoot? Considering some of these disappearances, that is VERY odd. Something that might well be out there, attacking people, and who knows what else, and the show ignores it. Not uncommon, though. We have many programs talking about "ghosts", meaning, they think, people that have died, and these can be acceptable things to research, but Bigfoot research is treated as a joke. Even the shows supposedly supporting it are sometimes a joke, such as that "Finding Bigfoot" program. 10-15 minutes of that, and I was done. The people behaved like drunken idiots, and not real researchers at all. It's like someone wants us to think they aren't real, because someone knows they are, and WHAT they are.

I have one although its still more of a mystery than anything. It was early fall and my brother and I and our dog parked in state game lands near the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. We walked up a trail until we reached the Appalachian Trail and then followed it for a distance. We passed a boyscout clearing which is used for star gazing activites and campouts. I got a feeling of unease and the area seemed very quiet and brooding. Then up on the mountain ahead of us we heard a " Whump". It sounded somehting like a car trunk closing or if you dropped a heavy soft object on the ground. Then we heard a crashing of brush ahead of us and above us. Our dog began to pull to go back and we figured, yeah this is creepy. So we started walking back and after a few minutes stopped to listen. We heard the same " whump" and more crashing this time ahead of us and still above us. So whatever it was was moving faster than we were, but was paralleling us. We reached the trail turnoff to go down to the parking area and left.
Some two hundred years ago a man ran an inn of sorts on the mountain and murdered solitary travellers and peddlers.

reply to post by Dutchowl


That sounds pretty scary! At least you got out alright. So, at the time, did you get the impression of some animal stalking you, or something more human?

That was the thing that probably spooked us the most. Yes, we got the impression that it was aware of us and trying to circle around behind us. I don't know what the " whump" sound could have been, there are no homes or occupied areas near there. Maybe it was my imagination but I started thinking that we'd see an indian approaching us, or that innkeeper , their ghosts. Or maybe a maniac. That our dog pulled to go back was a bad sign too, they can sense things we can't. I've always said that if I go to buy a home, say an older home, I'd take her along just to see if theres any ghostly presence in it.
Even with that , I'm still hoping to buy or build a weekend cabin near there.

A thread right up my alley
I live in Sweden and spend quite a lot of time in the woods. Normally I'm very comfortable and happy there, even when I'm by myself, but occasionally I run into these areas that basically just creeps me out for no apparent reason.
One of the trails I often hike goes through this fairly small patch of wood that I just couldn't go through all last summer. The discomfort began even before I entered the actual woods. There are young trees and shrubs before the trail veers off into the woods and last year I found myself walking along the path and then just slowing down and finally stopping as I got to this point. I would stand there for a while trying to understand my unwillingness to proceed and to try and force myself through this irrational fear that suddenly gripped me, and that kept growing with every second that passed. At one time I heard this weird sound, like a small monkey chattering, but normally it would just be very, very quiet. It always ended with me going back the way I came and taking the long way round.
I even tried going through this patch of woods from the other side with the same result right as I entered that particular forest.
Looking at google maps this little patch of forest is a bit different from the forests surrounding it. Where as the other forests are logged and looked after, this section seems to not have been touched ever.
Last fall I was picking lingonberries at a clear-cut logging area right next to this little forest.I was there for a few hours and I wasn't relaxed for one second of those hours. I tried to tell myself that I was, that everything was normal, that I could see everything around me since it was clear-cut and nothing was watching me or wanting me gone. But that's what it felt like. Every single second I felt that "get out of here"-feeling. I had my camera with me, since I love taking nature pics, and I kept turning the video function on and sweeping around, filming my surroundings, just in case I should see something on video that I couldn't see with my eyes. I felt so strongly that I wasn't welcome. Not a damn bird chirped the whole time I was there. Absolute quiet.
Eventually, in September/October I did defy the irrational fear and went through that patch of forest. This time I did not encounter that strange feeling of resistance in the area of young trees and bushes. It just wasn't there. I walked for 10 yards. Stopped and looked back. Recognizing that I'd never managed to get this far before. Walked another 10 yards, and so on. As the trail veered off into the forest I took some pics that came out somewhat blurry but you can still see what an old, not maintained forest that is. Trees and shrubbery so dense that passing straight through them would have been impossible.
I did survive and I did come out on the other side, but having done it, I still wouldn't do it again. At least not alone.
I just don't get what can cause such feelings in certain areas in the woods when everything around them feels just fine. I grew up in the woods, I've spent my whole life in the woods so I'm pretty used to them.
I have other stories as well about freaky stuff in the woods, but unfortunately I have never encountered a Bigfoot or anything like that.
Another freaky thing last summer was the weird moss on sticks in the woods.. I might write that story down later.
Keep this thread going please! Love it!

Hey y'all, this is my first post so here goes. I'm from Florida, and if you're familiar with it you can go a mile off the beaten path and be in primordial forest/swamp. It was early June 1983, I was 14 and school had just gotten out. I used to hang out with my neighbor who was a few years older than myself(woo hoo beer connection). Well we were bored and decided to go canoeing on the Wekiwa River(I live about a mile away as the crow flies). We went to Wekiwa Springs state park and rented a canoe, and started paddling. We went past the marina and kept going past Shell Island. About 30 minutes later my buddy said I have a fatty lets smoke it. Well the river had some people on it so we looked for a backwater. We found one and made our way into the swamp. We went until we beached the canoe in some muck. So when he fired it up he started to cough. Well we startled something. About 20 yards to our right a palmetto bush exploded and this huge(6'+) reddish brown haired thing jumped up and ran on 2 legs into the swamp. We were freaking out to say the least. We gathered up our courage and headed towards the palmetto then the stench hit. It was like a wet dog who rolled in manure tangled with a skunk at the dump on a hot August day after it rained. It was so bad it made me gag. We get to the palmetto and there are 5 toe human like prints that are 16" long by 6" wide 2 1/2" deep going into the swamp. Now our prints were only 1/2" deep. This thing was heavy and was at least 3' wide at the shoulders.We thought about following the track way than decided not to. Now I can't prove what it was but we either saw a Skunk Ape or a 6'+ escaped orangutan that ran on 2 legs with human like feet. When you figure how the bigfoot sightings transcend cultures and geography, they do exist. I don't believe, I know.

here is the general area maps.google.com...,+Apopka,+FL&hl=en&ll=28.746299,-81.421416&spn=0.005249,0.006899&sll= 32.694866,-88.59375&sspn=20.570301,28.256836&oq=wekiwa+island&t=h&hq=islandsk+restaurant&hnear=Wekiwa+Springs+State+Park,+1800+Wekiwa+Cir,+Apopka,+Flo rida+32712-2581&z=17

I used to play in the woods as a kid, always felt like there was an audience around me, had a lot of trees, so kinda felt they were watching. Could even swear you heard whispers, and I used to walk the riverbanks and just randomly walk around, never had anything bad but got freaked out plenty of times.

The woods made me feel relaxed most the time, most free experiences I've ever had was in the woods. It's where I will retire, just add some Mtns...

It was like a wet dog who rolled in manure tangled with a skunk at the dump on a hot August day after it rained.

reply to post by dudeman351


You get a star for that description alone.

Cool story! I have always wanted to see Skunk Ape or Bigfoot or what have you... I'm always jealous of the people who actually have encounters with him/her/it.

I don't think I will ever forget that stench. It was the worst thing I've ever smelled. Makes road kill smell like ginger bread and peppermint. The thing that always got me about it was the bulk this thing had. It made a bodybuilder look like a 98 lb. weakling. I don't think they are aggressive unless threatened. The speed and grace it had was amazing. It could have been on us before we could react if it wanted to, but it chose to retreat. I am in the woods quite a bit being my son is in cub scouts. But I never go unarmed.

Off topic as it gets, but this is the best thread on the entire ATS site...