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Haunted Hikes: Spine-Tingling Tales and Trails from North America's National Parks
Ghosts! Curses! Hoaxes! Unsolved mysteries! Paranormal events! Take a walk on the creepy side of North America's National Parks! Andrea Lankford, a 12-year veteran ranger with the National Park Service, has written a thoroughly investigated yet often tongue-in-cheek guidebook that takes the reader to the scariest, most mysterious places inside North America's National Parks.
Lankford shares such eerie tales as John Brown's haunting of Harper's Ferry, the disembodied legs that have been seen running around inside the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center, and the "wailing woman" who roams the trail behind the Grand Canyon Lodge. Lankford also uncovers paranormal activities park visitors have experienced, such as the chupacabra that roams the swamps inside Big Thicket National Preserve and the teenage bigfoot who rolled a park service campground with toilet paper.
She also reports on long-forgotten unsolved murders, such as the savage stabbing of a young woman on Yosemite's trail to Mirror Lake, and the execution style shooting of two General Motors executives at Crater Lake. The witnesses to the supernatural occurrences are highly credible people-rangers, park historians, river guides, and the like-and each tale has factual relevance to the cultural or natural history of the park.
Haunted Hikes provides readers with all the information they for each a "fright factor rating" is listed along with trailhead access information, detailed trail maps, and hike difficulty levels. Most of the haunted sites included in the book can be reached by the average hiker, some are wheelchair accessible, and others are for intrepid backpackers willing to make multi-day treks into wilderness areas. Intriguing photographs of many sites are included.
Haunted Hikes is sure to satisfy readers looking for those spine-tingling moments when you begin to wonder if maybe, just maybe, we are not alone.
Lankford shares such eerie tales as John Brown's haunting of Harper's Ferry, the disembodied legs that have been seen running around inside the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center, and the "wailing woman" who roams the trail behind the Grand Canyon Lodge. Lankford also uncovers paranormal activities park visitors have experienced, such as the chupacabra that roams the swamps inside Big Thicket National Preserve and the teenage bigfoot who rolled a park service campground with toilet paper.
She also reports on long-forgotten unsolved murders, such as the savage stabbing of a young woman on Yosemite's trail to Mirror Lake, and the execution style shooting of two General Motors executives at Crater Lake. The witnesses to the supernatural occurrences are highly credible people-rangers, park historians, river guides, and the like-and each tale has factual relevance to the cultural or natural history of the park.
Haunted Hikes provides readers with all the information they for each a "fright factor rating" is listed along with trailhead access information, detailed trail maps, and hike difficulty levels. Most of the haunted sites included in the book can be reached by the average hiker, some are wheelchair accessible, and others are for intrepid backpackers willing to make multi-day treks into wilderness areas. Intriguing photographs of many sites are included.
Haunted Hikes is sure to satisfy readers looking for those spine-tingling moments when you begin to wonder if maybe, just maybe, we are not alone.
374 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
15 people are currently reading
642 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 18, 2009
I have mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoyed all the stories about the parks and I liked the fact that it covered a lot of the US and Canada. I was dreaming of all the places I'd like to hike before I die as I read this book.
That being said, I found the actual hike descriptions and the maps (if you can call them that) are unbelievably vauge. The maps are only dotted lines and dashes with no reference to where they are in real life (i.e. no mileage, no legends, no cardinal directions, nothing useful). One, the map for the Natchez Trace Trail, was completely maddening. It was nothing more than a solid line and a couple of dots. No reference as to the states involved. Nothing!
Still, a fun read with some good references.
That being said, I found the actual hike descriptions and the maps (if you can call them that) are unbelievably vauge. The maps are only dotted lines and dashes with no reference to where they are in real life (i.e. no mileage, no legends, no cardinal directions, nothing useful). One, the map for the Natchez Trace Trail, was completely maddening. It was nothing more than a solid line and a couple of dots. No reference as to the states involved. Nothing!
Still, a fun read with some good references.
July 14, 2015
Haunted tales that are real! This book provides details of some common and some out of the way hikes along with a haunted history to accompany your walk. I've added more trails to my to do list now that I've read this book. It's a good source for trails that I've never heard of before. The author does a good job of combining facts along with myths to spark interest when you strap on your boots for exploration.
April 4, 2008
I really like to know if I am going to a park that has ghost stories. This one's a good read. It breaks down the stories to different parks.
February 7, 2025
1.5 stars
Ok so I'd pretty much sworn off Lankford after the debacle of Ranger Confidential: Living, Working, And Dying In The National Parks, but in fairness I'd already bought this before I'd read the other shitshow! Meh!
So this was alright but just alright. There's a mixture of ghost stories, mysterious disappearances, crazy happenings and the obligatory sasquatch tale thrown in. Lankford's writing style is juvenile and sensationalist, much like her other above-mentioned excuse for a book! I quickly grew bored as the format is repetitive and somewhat tedious. There are crappy black and white grainy photographs that do nothing at all to enhance the stories. And the word count overall isn't actually that much when you remove all the trail guides and maps.
A pretty poor show from Lankford if I'm honest. The only spine tingling that it gave me was what I bloody paid for the book!! A rip off!
Ok so I'd pretty much sworn off Lankford after the debacle of Ranger Confidential: Living, Working, And Dying In The National Parks, but in fairness I'd already bought this before I'd read the other shitshow! Meh!
So this was alright but just alright. There's a mixture of ghost stories, mysterious disappearances, crazy happenings and the obligatory sasquatch tale thrown in. Lankford's writing style is juvenile and sensationalist, much like her other above-mentioned excuse for a book! I quickly grew bored as the format is repetitive and somewhat tedious. There are crappy black and white grainy photographs that do nothing at all to enhance the stories. And the word count overall isn't actually that much when you remove all the trail guides and maps.
A pretty poor show from Lankford if I'm honest. The only spine tingling that it gave me was what I bloody paid for the book!! A rip off!
May 16, 2011
I wouldn't use this book as a hiking guide other than to alert the reader to hiking possibilities. You'd then get proper maps from the appropriate park headquarters before heading out, one of the rules stated in the first chapter - don't hike without a proper map and don't hike without knowing how to use the map.
The best part of this book is the ghost and murder stories from parks across the USA, Virgin Islands and Canada. There's some mighty creepy stuff out there. I also had no idea that so many corpses turn to wax in cold water. The only one I ever heard of doing that is the Soap Fat Lady at the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia and that was because of the chemical composition of the soil in which she was buried.
The best part of this book is the ghost and murder stories from parks across the USA, Virgin Islands and Canada. There's some mighty creepy stuff out there. I also had no idea that so many corpses turn to wax in cold water. The only one I ever heard of doing that is the Soap Fat Lady at the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia and that was because of the chemical composition of the soil in which she was buried.
October 28, 2024
The US National Park System has many units & it only stands to reason that paranormal activity pops up. AL is a former search & rescue ranger who worked in some National Parks. Her preface explains that & also Her "about this guide" is worth reading.
The parks are divided up into specific areas of the country. She begins by telling you the tale of scariness in each park. She rates the hikes in scariness & also give you the usual info - mileage, effort, where the trailhead is & trail description.
I liked this book & thought it was very entertaining. If you like hiking & National Parks, then this book should interest you!
Edit - 10/28/24 I increased the stars to 5. I forgot how funny the author is!
The parks are divided up into specific areas of the country. She begins by telling you the tale of scariness in each park. She rates the hikes in scariness & also give you the usual info - mileage, effort, where the trailhead is & trail description.
I liked this book & thought it was very entertaining. If you like hiking & National Parks, then this book should interest you!
Edit - 10/28/24 I increased the stars to 5. I forgot how funny the author is!
September 1, 2017
Always a fan of mystery and true-life spookiness, I really enjoyed this book. The author has a writing style that lends itself to humor, while maintaining the appropriate level of respect for the real people and events described in the tales.
There’s a little bit for everyone in this book. Though mostly ghost related, there are also stories about aliens, monsters, curses, and all sorts of other supernatural occurrences. There’s even a little pirate treasure thrown in for fun.
Hearing the local legends and history of each park was very interesting. You could tell that the author used to be a ranger herself; each story felt like a personal history lesson, the kind you might get if you were actually sitting in the park with the rangers, listening to them tell their stories.
Along with being as detailed as possible with the accounts of the haunting tales, the author also included a map of each trail, along with pertinent information, such as level of difficulty, best time of the year to go, and trail access information.
This was an interesting little guide, fun for even those of us who hate hiking. Each tale is relatively short, which makes them easy to read in between other books or when you just don’t have the attention span to read a long novel. And, let’s face it, who doesn’t love a bit of lore?
There’s a little bit for everyone in this book. Though mostly ghost related, there are also stories about aliens, monsters, curses, and all sorts of other supernatural occurrences. There’s even a little pirate treasure thrown in for fun.
Hearing the local legends and history of each park was very interesting. You could tell that the author used to be a ranger herself; each story felt like a personal history lesson, the kind you might get if you were actually sitting in the park with the rangers, listening to them tell their stories.
Along with being as detailed as possible with the accounts of the haunting tales, the author also included a map of each trail, along with pertinent information, such as level of difficulty, best time of the year to go, and trail access information.
This was an interesting little guide, fun for even those of us who hate hiking. Each tale is relatively short, which makes them easy to read in between other books or when you just don’t have the attention span to read a long novel. And, let’s face it, who doesn’t love a bit of lore?
March 1, 2024
I liked the macabre lens of hiking. I found myself constantly putting down the book to google different trails and parks. It brought some parks to my attention that I would've previously ignored like the Oregon Caves or Effigy Mounds in Iowa.
I felt a little uncomfortable about the inclusion of some of the more recent murders in the book. I thought the book was at its best focusing more on lore.
I felt a little uncomfortable about the inclusion of some of the more recent murders in the book. I thought the book was at its best focusing more on lore.
June 8, 2024
I decided to read this book because I enjoyed Ranger Confidential. Andrea's engaging and personable writing style is present in this book as well. A lot of the stories add an interesting bit of context for any parks and sites you may have already visited and ideas for new parks to visit in the future. Overall I enjoyed the book but felt some of the more recent deaths, at the time of writing, was a bit too macabre for my taste.
November 12, 2023
YES PLEASE SIGN ME UP.
I really loved the way this book was organized (geographically), and with nice short write-ups about all the pertinent locations, and extra useful information regarding the length of each hike, effort involved, location of the trailhead and description. Plus handy maps!
I really loved the way this book was organized (geographically), and with nice short write-ups about all the pertinent locations, and extra useful information regarding the length of each hike, effort involved, location of the trailhead and description. Plus handy maps!
October 10, 2017
I loved the stories in this book! They were both creepy and informative. Plus it made me want to travel and visit all (or most) of the sites listed. Definitely recommend!
March 30, 2018
If you like National Parks and wild places and like spooky stories, including true events, you will enjoy this book!
December 22, 2018
Good stories
June 14, 2023
As a former park ranger myself, I thought it was an interesting book. The folklore and myths surrounding some of the nation's most famous parks was fascinating.
August 20, 2023
Far too many I heard about stories, lots of trail maps which may be the best part of the book.
July 23, 2024
Fun read!
September 25, 2024
Lots of interesting hikes to explore. Fun tales of creepiness.
June 27, 2025
This is pretty good, but a little outdated. It still provides a lot of short little historical snippets of stories and legends in National Parks.
August 30, 2011
I was surprised to enjoy this book so much. Written by a former Park Ranger, Haunted Hikes is an encyclopedia of murders, ghost stories, and Bigfoot sightings from America's National Parks. Lankford quotes rangers about their experiences (I was amazed how often they opened up to her) and often gives a time frame of how long the ghostly experiences have been going on. It makes me want to rush right out and travel.
Incidental to all that is the number of graveyards Lankford mentions offhandedly. I have a bunch more to add to my to-visit list, including the Old Guide Cemetery at Mammoth Caves, Cemetery Island in Lake Superior, and the army cemetery at Fort Yellowstone. Those were an unexpected bonus.
The book reads quickly, covers everything from UFOs to serial killers, and has a fun spirit of adventure. As I read it, the body count kept climbing at Yosemite, where even seasoned hikers have underestimated the power of wilderness this year. I had no idea that death was so common in our national parks. It's given me new respect for the people who choose to work in them.
Incidental to all that is the number of graveyards Lankford mentions offhandedly. I have a bunch more to add to my to-visit list, including the Old Guide Cemetery at Mammoth Caves, Cemetery Island in Lake Superior, and the army cemetery at Fort Yellowstone. Those were an unexpected bonus.
The book reads quickly, covers everything from UFOs to serial killers, and has a fun spirit of adventure. As I read it, the body count kept climbing at Yosemite, where even seasoned hikers have underestimated the power of wilderness this year. I had no idea that death was so common in our national parks. It's given me new respect for the people who choose to work in them.
November 1, 2016
I haven't quite finished this book, however, my rating is a 5 star.Not having finished the book quite yet speaks volumes for the way the book is written and for my rating. Since I was a young child I loved ghost stories and the historical backstory to just about anything or any place. This book is very easy to follow for another from 7 and older. The author provides trail stories from all over the country and inside the National Parks that make me want to go now! The stories are confirmed and people stand by their convictions. The Park Rangers in their silence .avoidance to many of the author's questions intrigue me even more to go try witnesing any paranormal activity in many of the sites.
The bottom line is Read the Book then go on your own expedition!!!!
The bottom line is Read the Book then go on your own expedition!!!!
November 30, 2015
I really enjoyed this. it was not so much about hauntings in national parks but about all kinds of things, including folklore, history, crimes that took place, people who vanished in the parks, and strange animals that were allegedly seen, such as bigfoot sightings. There was also a lot of information about the parks themselves. Obviously, I can't hike (I have RA and have to use a wheelchair for long outings) but I still found this very interesting.
May 12, 2016
A fascinating book filled with interesting stories about North America's National Parks. Don't let the title lead you to believe it is strictly about spooky stories. It is a great guide to interesting trails and locations within these National Parks. The stories just add a little spice to some of the locations. An enjoyable read for anyone wanting to plan a new vacation.
February 22, 2011
I love hiking and ghost stories so when I found this book I was hooked. Can't wait to get out there this spring when I visit my son in Texas and this summer when I spend time with friends in Colorado.
July 4, 2007
GREAT murder/ghost stories in National Parks
July 15, 2010
good book, good girl, good hikes
July 22, 2010
A GREAT travel guide if your into reading about park legends and wanting to visit the haunted parks.
December 26, 2010
Thank God I read this after my many hikes along to Mirror Lake..............
July 25, 2011
interesting book..kind of gives good ideas on interesting places to hike...not really a ghost or haunting book per se though some interesting stories
March 17, 2013
I can't hike for $hit but still a good read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews