Podcast Summary:

National Park After Dark
Episode 330: Trail Tales 79
Date: October 23, 2025
Hosts: Danielle & Cassie

Episode Overview

In this Trail Tales edition, Danielle and Cassie read listener-submitted stories weaving together eerie paranormal encounters and gripping wildlife run-ins from America’s national parks and beyond. As spooky season wanes and autumn deepens in New England, the duo balances tales of animal misadventures with chilling ghost stories, all the while maintaining their signature blend of humor, warmth, and campfire camaraderie. Whether it’s the hard-to-explain twist of a haunted hairbrush or the heart-pounding dread of being capsized by an alligator, this episode delights in the unpredictable and sometimes unsettling magic that awaits in wild spaces—and the people (and dogs) who venture there.

Key Discussion Points & Listener Stories

1. Spooky Season Vibes, Foliage Chat, & New England Life

• Danielle and Cassie discuss the underwhelming foliage in New England due to drought ([01:00]) and reflect on activities that help rediscover local charm—historical tours, haunted houses, and, of course, Halloween.
• Danielle debates house shopping, specifically pining for a “Victorian era home,” prompting Cassie's reminder to stay in New England ([05:00]).

2. Story One: "A Bang, A Mermaid, and a Hairbrush" (Listener: Holly)

Theme: Childhood ghost encounter in a Massachusetts duplex

• Holly recounts a paranormal childhood memory: a slamming, locking bedroom door, a Little Mermaid figurine mysteriously turned, and strands of white hair left behind on a brush ([06:16]-[10:20]).
• Notable moment:

  “That’s when I noticed two things: my Ariel figurine, which I had left facing forward, was completely turned backwards. And in my hairbrush... were strands of white hair. Nobody in that house had white hair.” —Holly ([09:47])

• Cassie and Danielle shiver:

  “Yeah, the hair is throwing me off for sure.” —Cassie ([10:47])
  “Consensus: you got haunted.” —Danielle ([11:00])

3. Story Two: "I Survived Being Capsized by a 12 Foot Alligator" (Listener: Emma)

Theme: Perilous canoeing in Florida’s Myakka River State Park

• Emma describes a tense encounter where an aggressive gator capsized her canoe, leaving her, her boyfriend, and friends stranded waist-deep among lurking predators ([13:50]-[19:20]).
• Notable quote:

  “My mind goes to the only possible logical explanation: my boyfriend lost his balance and flipped us... Meanwhile, my boyfriend says in a shaky and honest voice, ‘It wasn’t me.’ And there it was. The panic.” —Emma ([16:13])

• Danielle:

  “I do not want to do it, and I won’t.” ([19:49])

• The hosts reference a recent fatal alligator attack in Florida, underscoring the reality of wildlife danger ([20:00]).

4. Story Three: "Prairie Dogs and Buttercream Frosting" (Listener: Karen)

Theme: Mistaken (and wholesome) canine chaos in Devil’s Tower National Monument

• Karen confesses an accidental park violation: her poodle, Buttercream Frosting, escaped the car and gleefully chased prairie dogs.
• The family was so guilt-ridden they mailed a check to the park to cover the standard fine—even though no one witnessed the incident ([24:28]-[34:17]).
• Notable quote:

  “But before the sneeze was even finished, I saw a flash of cream colored curls streak through the back window and out of the car. Holy shit. Our poodle was running into prairie dog town.” —Karen ([29:34]) “You’re better than me. You would never.” —Cassie ([33:19])

5. Story Four: "Earwigged Out of Lolo National Forest" (Listener: McKenna)

Theme: Nightmarish camp bug encounter

• McKenna, a raft guide, details the trauma of waking to an earwig burrowing into her ear, excruciating pain, and a midnight trip to the ER ([37:27]-[45:25]).
• Notable (and squirm-inducing) description:

  “The only way I can describe it is like how loud Mac and cheese is when you stir it, especially coming from inside your own head.” —McKenna ([41:40])

• Cassie, relating with her misophonia (sound-hatred), admits she would have “ripped [her] ear off” ([41:48]).

6. Story Five: "Trail Tale" (Listener: Kaia)

Theme: Haunted vacation rental on Marrowstone Island, Washington

• A family vacation turns into a group panic with mysterious door openings, flickering cellar lights, and a suspicious Ouija board ([49:19]-[57:17]).
• Notable moment:

  “As I went to walk out [of the bathroom]... there was a mass blacker than black in there. Maybe stay out of the bathroom until morning.” —Kaia ([54:11])

• The group barricades themselves in a bedroom, watching Peter Pan until sunrise.

7. Story Six: "Near Cougar Attack in the Grand Tetons" (Listener: Kelsey/Kylie)

Theme: Narrow escape from a lurking mountain lion

• Hiking solo in the Tetons, Kylie stumbles upon a fresh fawn carcass; the cougar’s meal disappears on her return—a ranger confirms she was almost certainly watched by the big cat ([58:05]-[65:44]).
• Notable quote:

  “Her words struck me to my core. Cougar. Why did I not think of that?... The fact that a cougar’s eyes were following me... my mouth went dry.” —Kylie ([63:54])

• Danielle finds it “reassuring” that the cougar chose not to attack—an encounter with the wild that ends in awe ([66:27]).

Notable Quotes & Highlights

• On guilt and honesty:

  “We decided to stop at the ranger station on our way out and turn ourselves in and pay the $275 fine...And we did.” —Karen ([32:42])

• On wildlife boundaries:

  “We all have our limits, and gators are yours.” —Cassie ([21:19])

• On camping hazards:

  “New fear unlocked.” —Danielle ([45:25])

• On shared fear and hysteria:

  “Something about that place was truly strange...[but] maybe one day I’ll finally get to see the Hoh Rainforest, but I don’t plan on going back anytime soon...” —Kaia ([55:56])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:19] Pre-story banter: New England autumn, post-COVID life changes
• [06:16] Story 1: Holly’s haunted hairbrush and Ariel figurine
• [13:50] Story 2: Emma’s alligator encounter in Florida
• [24:28] Story 3: Buttercream Frosting’s prairie dog chase (Devil’s Tower)
• [37:27] Story 4: Earwig in ear camp trauma (Lolo National Forest)
• [49:19] Story 5: Ouija board & haunted island rental (Marrowstone Island)
• [58:05] Story 6: Cougar encounter, Grand Tetons

Episode Tone & Takeaways

Danielle and Cassie seamlessly blend humor, empathy, and real wilderness wisdom, treating every story—creepy, funny, or harrowing—with curiosity and care. Listeners are reminded to respect wildlife, stay vigilant during adventures, and maybe avoid Ouija boards in Airbnbs. The hosts’ camaraderie, along with the community’s willingness to share vulnerable, often intimate experiences, make for a compelling, relatable, and thoroughly entertaining listen.

Closing

If you have your own wild tale—paranormal, animal, or otherwise—Danielle and Cassie invite listeners to share via their website. As always:

“Enjoy the view, but watch your back.” ([68:05])

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