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Hey! So today we're diving straight into some of the wildest and weirdest things people have stumbled upon in the middle of the woods. From creepy trinkets to downright odd discoveries, these stories will make you think twice before your next forest stroll. Ready? Let’s jump right in!
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Spent most of my childhood in the woods, so I've got stories. The creepiest man-made thing was a bunch of little Blair Witch stick figures someone set up as a prank back in the day. But the real star? A live mountain lion that just casually strutted through our camp like it owned the place. It was massive—muscles rippling and all. Instant nature-sized thriller moment.
As kids, we found a lonely tombstone standing in the woods, with the ground in front sunken where the coffin probably rested. The tombstone was for a woman born in the 1800s who died in 1914. No other markers or signs around – just that mysterious, forgotten grave in the wild.
We often camp near old mining cabins. Once, my kids brought a metal detector and found a big heavy “rock” buried about 3 feet deep. We thought we hit the jackpot! Turns out it was just a bunch of broken twigs wrapped in a towel. We still don’t know how the twigs vanished, but hey – keeps the forest vibe mysterious!
Imagine a dead raven, stuck on a stick, wings spread out as if ready to take off, beak and eyes wide open. Yep, that’s exactly what I saw poking out of the forest floor like a weird bird sign post. Super unsettling.
Out for a walk and spotted a sled hanging out, literally trapped about 30 feet high in a tree branch. How it got there? No clue. Forest magic? Probably.
When I was 14, my friend and I found a big pile of animal bones in the woods, and right in the middle of the river was a giant barefoot print. Suddenly, the trees started shaking, and my friend bolted. I followed, and yeah—we definitely didn’t go back. Bigfoot? Forest monster? Whatever it was, it was giving me all the creeps.
We went canoe camping and stumbled on a total mess of a campsite—clothes everywhere, half-eaten food, torn tarps, muddy sleeping bags—but no people or canoes in sight. It looked like someone just vanished. To this day, we have no clue what happened, but it definitely wasn’t your typical bear encounter.
Found a sketchy little campsite with towels, clothes, and car parts scattered about in some woods near my house. A couple days later, a weird dude jumped out of a bush and fled into those same woods. Turned out he’d been stealing car parts and stashing them there. Creepy coincidence or what?
A staircase, standing alone in the woods with no house or anything attached. Like someone got halfway through a project and just bailed. Made me wonder who ghost-built that thing.
We called these spots the "tar pits." Deep holes filled with weird purple-green muck that sucked in anything unlucky enough to step in. One summer, the pits dried up to reveal piles of bones from deer, squirrels, and who knows what else. It was like a natural bone collector.
My mom found a clearing with a tent and, right in front, about 20 deer carcasses piled up with a dead golden retriever on top. Under a nearby bush, lingerie and high heels were stuffed—super offbeat and definitely gave her the creeps.
Found a fresh raccoon head lying around, no body. I figure an owl had a midnight snack and dropped the head. Still, it was pretty unsettling to stumble on that little scene.
Found a run-down shack full of old clothes and creepy voodoo bottles in the woods near my parents’ property. There was even a tire tied to a tree acting like a swing. The place was quiet during the day but gave off serious spooky vibes come evening.
Spotted a white van off a dirt track with the back door wide open and bags full of weed plants inside. No person around. I didn’t stick around to say hi — nope, nope, nope!
Deep off the path, someone had nailed a child’s drawing onto a tree. A little creepy, a little sweet, but mostly a total ‘huh?’ moment.
One night, when we grabbed our food, a whole pack of rats surrounded us. Rustling leaves everywhere and those glowing little eyes! Definitely not the kind of campmate we wanted.
13 years ago, hunting in familiar woods, I saw a huge black figure moving fast along the treeline. It wasn’t human-level fast — more like ‘blink and it’s gone’ fast. My buddy confirmed it on the walkie-talkie, and yeah, we didn’t stick around to make friends.
Found a random pair of shoes and an old Nokia phone chilling alone in the forest. No clue how or why, but it felt like someone just dropped out of time.
When I was 12, we found an old milk can and tipped it over. Out spilled a weird liquid followed by a dead baby pig. We freaked and ran. Probably should’ve told someone, but hey, it was creepy enough!
Found a wooden bird sculpture near my grandparents' isolated farm. They’d never seen it before. It was too heavy to be carried by wind, so someone must have dropped it nearby. Still gives me the creeps thinking about it!
Came across a homeless camp made from abandoned shipping containers set up in a circle. Found a really old roll of duct tape and a jar of Vaseline nearby. Super strange stuff to find deep in the forest.
Picnic in Lebanon turned spooky when we found a centuries-old abandoned home next to a grave, then a tree stump hammered full of teeth and nails. No fewer than 30 teeth stuck in that stump. Yeah, we left fast.
Found an old treehouse in the woods with no houses around. Like, who built this secret hideout? Either way, it gave off major mystery vibes.
Came across dogs caged up for fighting. They were scary — barking like crazy and ready to attack — but also covered in scars and missing ears. Brutal and terrifying all at once.
Hiking in the Arizona desert wash, I found a dog lying dead in the middle of a natural funnel formed by trees and shrubs. The leash wasn’t tied, so I like to think it was just some unfortunate accident. Still, it’s a haunting sight.
At 6 or 7 years old, waiting outside my parents’ car near a woody area, I saw a huge, bright vertical light about 20 meters away. Told my dad, who joked ‘maybe it was a UFO.’ It’s still the brightest thing I’ve seen to this day.
About 2 miles deep in the bush, I found a doll head missing an eye. It’s from the ‘80s with those creepy blinking eyes and lashes. Totally out of place and gave me the heebie-jeebies.
My wife and I drove down a rural backroad and saw 4 cops and 3 guys in suits hanging out outside their cars—pretty strange since it was miles from anywhere. We were probably high, but it was a seriously odd sight.
During a summer drought, I saw a white man in overalls and dreads jamming on his bongos in the middle of a thick mud bog. The mud was so deep, he must have crawled out belly-first. I got outta there real fast.
Not super creepy, but hiking with a friend, we found a full deer skeleton in the woods—everything except the skull. Was like nature's version of a puzzle.
Me and a buddy were out and thirsty with nothing to drink. We searched for berries but instead found a cooler full of ice and beer. Score!
My parents bought forest land near town only on paper, and they found an old rusty baby stroller sitting there. Who drags a stroller way out there and just abandons it? No clue, but it’s creepy.
At Girl Scout camp, I found logs covered in bizarre marks that looked like alien language. Even now, years later, I can’t explain what they were. Totally otherworldly.
Me and my dad found a 3x5 foot pile of yellow cubes wrapped in paper with metal caps on each end, buried in a place so remote you’d think no human had ever been there. The paper was old and falling apart. Neither forest workers nor game wardens knew what they were. Maybe dropped out of a plane? Mysteries of the wild!
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