National Park After Dark podcast

National Park After Dark

Hosted by two friends who share a passion for public lands and a fascination with what can go wrong there, each week hosts Danielle and Cassie explore the darker side of our National Parks. But it isn’t always chills and thrills. By sharing inspiring tales and their desire for protecting our planet’s wild places, they hope listeners will be inspired to take a walk into the wild and create meaningful adventures of their own. 

Hosted by two friends who share a passion for public lands and a fascination with what can go wrong there, each week hosts Danielle and Cassie explore the darker side of our National Parks. But it isn’t always chills and thrills. By sharing inspiring tales and their desire for protecting our planet’s wild places, they hope listeners will be inspired to take a walk into the wild and create meaningful adventures of their own. 

 

#347

341: Death on a Painted Lake: Algonquin Provincial Park

In July of 1917 a pioneering landscape painter paddled out onto Canoe Lake in Algonquin Pr... more

15 Dec 2025

1 HR 29 MINS

1:29:50

15 Dec 2025


#346

340: Death-Defying Dreams: Grand Canyon’s Most Daring (and Foolish) Stunts

The Grand Canyon has always been a magnet for the bold, the reckless, and the people who l... more

08 Dec 2025

1 HR 16 MINS

1:16:28

08 Dec 2025


#345

339: Trail Tales 82

Trail Tales 82 - Today’s stories include cemetery tales, childhood tubing trauma almost fe... more

04 Dec 2025

58 MINS

58:37

04 Dec 2025


#344

338: Your Leg or Your Life: Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park

In November of 2024, 65 year-old Valdas Bieliauskas was on a rafting trip with a group of ... more

01 Dec 2025

1 HR 18 MINS

1:18:17

01 Dec 2025


#343

337: The Fight for Native Lands: The Leonard Peltier Story. Badlands National Park

In honor of National Native American Heritage Month, we venture into Badlands National Par... more

24 Nov 2025

1 HR 23 MINS

1:23:12

24 Nov 2025


#342

336: Trail Tales 81

Today’s stories include rites of passage, veiled threats, small town legends, and mysterio... more

20 Nov 2025

1 HR 24 MINS

1:24:04

20 Nov 2025


#341

335: Broken Promises, Broken Hearts: Nez Perce National Historical Park

In June of 1877, 800 people were faced with an impossible choice - leave their home or be ... more

17 Nov 2025

1 HR 35 MINS

1:35:55

17 Nov 2025


#340

334: Lost & Found: The Miraculous Survival of Truman C. Everts. Yellowstone National Park

Truman Everts, a 54-year-old bureaucrat, joined the 1870 Washburn Expedition to explore Ye... more

10 Nov 2025

1 HR 07 MINS

1:07:07

10 Nov 2025


#339

333: Trail Tales 80

Today’s stories include wilderness tripping, formative moments, interrupting crimes and pr... more

06 Nov 2025

50 MINS

50:52

06 Nov 2025


#338

332: The Forgotten Winchester: Great Basin National Park

Topping every “America’s Most Haunted” list sits The Winchester Mystery House. It’s story ... more

03 Nov 2025

1 HR 11 MINS

1:11:48

03 Nov 2025


#337

BONUS: The Morbidly Curious Book Club x NPAD

We have a special Halloween episode for you this month to celebrate spooky season. We’ve d... more

31 Oct 2025

1 HR 36 MINS

1:36:58

31 Oct 2025


#336

331: The Death of Folklorist Robert Kirk: Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

Do you believe in goblins and fairies? Do you believe in their the magic? Well, the Fairy ... more

27 Oct 2025

59 MINS

59:32

27 Oct 2025


#335

330: Trail Tales 79

Today’s stories include haunted government housing, mystery hair, almost animal attacks, b... more

23 Oct 2025

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:36

23 Oct 2025


#334

Introducing: CRIMES OF...

Power. Fame. Obsession. Betrayal. These are more than headlines. They are the forces behin... more

20 Oct 2025

05 MINS

05:22

20 Oct 2025


#333

329: Cemeteries: Our First Public Parks

Graveyards are often portrayed as eerie, haunted places. Today, they’re depicted as places... more

20 Oct 2025

1 HR 10 MINS

1:10:48

20 Oct 2025


#332

328: The Dark History of Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Carved into the granite heart of the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore is one of America’s most ... more

13 Oct 2025

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:11

13 Oct 2025


#331

327: Trail Tales 78

Today’s stories include traumatizing rites of passage, calls for help, wedding dress ghost... more

09 Oct 2025

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:30

09 Oct 2025


#330

326: Short Life, Long Legacy: The Vision of George Meléndez Wright

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, today’s episode is dedicated to George Meléndez... more

06 Oct 2025

1 HR 17 MINS

1:17:27

06 Oct 2025


#329

325: Never. Give. Up.: Angeles National Forest

When a small Cessna went down in the San Gabriel Mountains in February 1979, eleven-year-o... more

29 Sep 2025

1 HR 18 MINS

1:18:08

29 Sep 2025


#328

324: Trail Tales 77

Today’s stories include being locked in taxidermy museums, meeting legends, lightning esca... more

25 Sep 2025

54 MINS

54:58

25 Sep 2025


#327

323: The Pablo Escobar of Eggs: Matobo National Park

When Jefferey Lendrum was a boy, he loved birds. What began as a childhood passion volunte... more

22 Sep 2025

1 HR 16 MINS

1:16:35

22 Sep 2025


#326

Introducing: CRIME HOUSE DAILY

Crime doesn’t take a day off. And neither does Crime House Daily. Hosted by self-defense i... more

15 Sep 2025

07 MINS

07:35

15 Sep 2025


#325

322: National Park After Dark X Heart Starts Pounding

In today’s long awaited collaboration, we team up with Kaelyn Moore of the podcast Heart S... more

15 Sep 2025

1 HR 15 MINS

1:15:58

15 Sep 2025


#324

321: Dying for the Lost City of Z: Xingu National Park

In 1925 famed British explorer Percy Fawcett set out on his most ambitious journey yet — t... more

01 Sep 2025

1 HR 13 MINS

1:13:42

01 Sep 2025


#323

320: Trail Tales 76

Today’s stories include lightning drama, peeing with friends, and choosing the bear. Outsi... more

28 Aug 2025

52 MINS

52:04

28 Aug 2025


#322

319: Happy Birthday National Park Service, Not Everyone Loves You!

Today marks the NPS’s 109th birthday! In celebration (?) we pulled a few less than enthusi... more

25 Aug 2025

1 HR 20 MINS

1:20:49

25 Aug 2025


#321

318: The Murder of Tomomi Hanamure: Grand Canyon National Park

On May 8th, 2006 to celebrate her 34th birthday, Tomomi Hanamure laced up her hiking boots... more

18 Aug 2025

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:58

18 Aug 2025