By the crystal clear waters of Grouse Lake, there is allegedly a ghost of a Native American boy who drowned many, many years ago. Now he calls out for help, but don’t be fooled as he supposedly drags those approaching down to the bottom.
Yosemite National Park covers 759,620 acres and stretches into four counties in California. It has been a World Heritage Site since 1984 and is filled with granite cliffs, giant sequoia groves, crystal clear lakes and streams and storming waterfalls from the mountains.
Although the European settlers’ story in Yosemite is from 1851 when it was “found” by James D. Savage, the Native Americans story in the valley stretches back to nearly 4000 years. As for human presence, perhaps as far as 10 000 years. And by the look of it, it also seems to be one of the more haunted National Parks in the USA as well.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA
Grouse Lake, a serene place by the mountains southwest within Yosemite National Park, harbors a ghostly secret dating back to September, 1857 when it was first written down. Galen Clark, Yosemite’s first park ranger.
Galen Clark had traveled to Yosemite and explored the area. He is the first white man to supposedly have seen the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. He was also one of the lobbyists to make Yosemite a park and helped President Abraham Lincoln write the legislation to establish it as such. He was then named the park’s guardian and stayed that way for 24 years.
The Scary Hike of Chilnualna Falls Trail
Grouse Lake is one of the destinations if you follow the steep and long Chilnualna Falls Trail in the southwest corner of Yosemite National Park, which was dubbed as the scariest hiking trail in the U.S by Travel Channel.
According to Clark’s entry in his diary he reported an otherworldly wail by the lake, believed to be a dog when he was hunting deer, but that turned out to be something much darker.
Grouse Lake: Grouse Lake is a picturesque alpine lake located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, specifically within the Stanislaus National Forest. Grouse Lake is nestled amidst stunning granite peaks, lush forests, and scenic meadows, making it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, and backpackers. //Source
On this trail you can also hike up to The Bridal Veil Waterfall which is also thought to be haunted by an ominous spirit known as Po-ho-no that pushes people off the cliff to their death.
The Wailing Ghost by Grouse Lake
A big part of Clark’s life was exploring the area that would become Yosemite National Park and he spent a lot of time trailing through the wilderness.
One of the days he was on a deer hunt he stopped by a small lake he had named Grouse Lake because of the grouse he saw there once. A large group of local natives stopped on the opposite side of the lake to get water, also on a deer hunt.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Haunted Lakes
This is when Clark heard the cry of what he thought sounded like a sulking puppy and went over to the natives and asked if some of them were missing a puppy. He stayed with them that night and was told that it was something completely else.
The sound of the cries of a dog was actually the dying screams of a native american boy who drowned in the lake many years ago and you shouldn’t go near it because of the danger it posed for those the ghost managed to lure down to the water.
The spirit of the boy was always crying after them after help, but no one dared to. According to the legend, the spirit of the wailing boy would grab the legs of those trying to help and drag them under the water to drown.
Haunting and Hiking the Grouse Lake Trail
By day the area is filled with green trees, blue sky and fresh air. By night, the popular hiking spot is lit up by bonfires around the lake for other travelers. But be aware, perhaps don’t follow the sound of something that could sound like the crying of a long drowned boy from the water.
Hiking up to the beautiful waterfall Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite National Park, you wouldn’t believe it is supposedly haunted by the Native American legend of Po-ho-no that are said to push people off the cliffs.
Yosemite National Park covers 759,620 acres and stretches into four counties in California. It has been a World Heritage Site since 1984 and is filled with granite cliffs, giant sequoia groves, crystal clear lakes and streams and storming waterfalls from the mountains.
Although the European settlers’ story in Yosemite is from 1851 when it was “found” by James D. Savage, the Native Americans story in the valley stretches back to nearly 4000 years. As for human presence, perhaps as far as 10 000 years. And by the look of it, it also seems to be one of the more haunted National Parks in the USA as well.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA
Yosemite National Park’s vast expanse harbors a legend steeped in tragedy and malevolence. One of the most famous legends comes from the Native Americans from the 620 feet high Bridal Veil Falls, one of Yosemite’s 26 main waterfalls. In spring it will most day be a rainbow as the sun slowly sets in the afternoons.
The Beautiful yet Haunted Bridal Veil Falls
The Bridal Veil Falls is in the Yosemite Valley on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. And although it only takes up only one percent of the park, it is considered the centerpiece of the park and where most people visit.
To get to the Bridal Veil Falls you have to walk up the Chilnualna Falls Trail, which was dubbed as the scariest hiking trail in the U.S by Travel Channel. Not because of the dangerous nature, but because of the haunted legends. The trail leads to the waterfall, but it is at the Bridal Veil Falls you will find the spirits. Along the trail you will also pass Grouse Lake, another haunted place within the park.
The water source of the waterfall comes from Ostrander Lake, 10 miles south and is all year round. It has a strong wind and can make the falling water look like it flows sideways, sometimes it doesn’t even look like the water reaches the ground even. Perhaps this is what prompted the legend of the evil spirit of Po-ho-no?
Po-ho-no is The Spirit of the Evil Wind
The story comes from the native american tribes of Ahwahnechee of the Yosemite Miwok who still live in the surrounding area of Yosemite and has done so for several thousands of years, although the US federal government has evicted them from the park several times, the last one being in 1969. They are one of the tribes that are still fighting for Federal Recognition.
The very word Yosemite comes from the Miwok yohhe’meti which means, “they are killers” and was the name the Miwok gave to the tribe.
The legend goes that women of the Ahwahnechee tribe gathered grass to weave baskets on a spring day close to Bridal Veil Falls. They had a long tradition of using the local splints from American dogwood, big-leaf-maple, Willow and American Hazelnut among some sorts. One of the women was too close to the water as she was picking grass. In some versions it was an old woman and a young girl picking berries or some sort of plants they ate or brewed drinks from.
The Native American Legends: This is a painting by Albert Bierstadt from 1872. It shows the Miwok tribe in the Mariposa Indian Encampment, Yosemite Valley. This was also where they sent the Ahwahnechee tribe that many of the legends and stories about the Yosemite National Park originates from. //Source
The rocks were slippery from the wet moss and an unknown danger was lurking just ahead. Because the natives knew the waterfall as: Po-ho-no, or The Spirit of the Evil Wind.
Po-ho-no, meaning the Evil One or Puffing wind depending on who you ask, lived in the mist and had placed the slippery mossy stones there, just waiting for things to unfold. The young woman slipped and fell into the water, and it was like an unseen force pushed her off the edge and she died on the rocks below, to never be found. The rest of the women ran back to their valley and their homes, huts known as o-chum, to tell what happened to the rest of the tribe, scared to suffer the same fate.
They returned to search for her, but she was never found ever again, and it is said that many souls suffered the same fate as the spirit of Po-ho-no had imprisoned her there, making her work to lure other to the same fate she had suffered, Only then would she be released to get home to the Great Spirit in the West.
The Haunted Bridal Veil Falls
After this, the chief of the tribes allegedly forbade anyone from going close to this evil spirit by the Bridal Veil Falls of the misty cascading water. However, over the years, many hikers have met their end at the waterfall and the natives still talk about an unseen force pushing people over the edge to meet their watery end on the rocks below.
After this many legends have come about this waterfall. Some say that you shouldn’t look directly into the waterfall as you leave the valley as it will curse you. Another more hopeful legend is that by inhaling the mist of the gushing waterfall, your marriage will be blessed.
So if you feel a gushing wind as you hike up the path to get a look at the beautiful Bridal Veil Falls, perhaps think twice.
People have always feared the wilderness. This is also the case of the area around Glastenbury Mountain where several strange disappearances have made people think that it could be something strange going on in what has been known as The Bennington Triangle.
Deep within the picturesque landscape of Vermont lies a region cloaked in mystery and shrouded in eerie tales—the Bennington Triangle. An area encompassing the southwestern part of the state, the Bennington Triangle has become synonymous with a series of unexplained disappearances, ghostly encounters, and inexplicable phenomena that have perplexed locals and intrigued paranormal enthusiasts alike.
The Bennington Triangle has been compared to the similar Bridgewater Triangle of Bermuda Triangle, a place where strange things happen. The phrase was coined in 1992 by the author Joseph A. Citro, who wrote about this in his books, Shadow Child. Citro has also called the area as a “Yankee Shangri-La”, a place where people go to never be seen again.
The area is said to be around the Glastenbury Mountain and Long Trail, encompassing towns like Bennington, Woodford and Shaftsbury as well as once thriving logging towns, now abandoned ghost towns of Somerset and Glastenbury.
It is said that strange disappearances started way back and that from 1920 to 1950, as much as 10 people vanished in these parts. At the heart of the strange things said to go on in the triangle is a series of disappearances from 1945-1950:
The Disappearances of the Bennington Triangle
The unsettling reputation of the Bennington Triangle stems from a series of unexplained disappearances that occurred between 1945 and 1950. Five individuals, including a seasoned hiker, a college student, and a war veteran, vanished without a trace within the confines of Glastenbury Mountain—a prominent feature within the triangle.
Disappearing People: Circulated photograph of Paula Jean Welden; clipping from missing persons flyers. Her case in particular drew a lot of media attention.
The first incident occurred on November 12, 1945, when 74-year-old Middie Rivers vanished during a hunting trip in the mountains by Long Trail Road. Despite an extensive search, the only evidence discovered was a rifle cartridge in a stream.
A year later, on December 1, 1946, Paula Jean Welden, an 18-year-old sophomore at Bennington College, disappeared during a hike on the Long Trail. An elderly couple said they saw her in front of them on the trail. She turned a corner, and when they turned the same, she had vanished. Despite a substantial search effort and FBI involvement, no trace of her was found. Her disappearance got a lot of attention, and it even inspired the Shirley Jackson novell from 1951, Hangsaman.
On December 1, 1949, James E. Tedford, a veteran from the Bennington Soldiers’ Home, vanished mysteriously while on a bus from St. Albans. According to the stories, he vanished into thin air between the last stop and Bennington, leaving all of his belongings in the luggage rack with an open bus timetable on his seat. Skepticism surrounds claims that he “dematerialized” as he wasn’t reported missing until a week later.
In 1950, the mystery continued with the disappearance of 8-year-old Paul Jepson, left unattended near a local highway for an hour as his mother fed some pigs. He was wearing a red jacket at the time and were supposed to be clearly visible in the greenery, but not a trace was found. It is said that just in case, people don’t wear red clothes in the area because of this.
Lastly, 53-year-old Frieda Langer, who vanished during a hike near Somerset Reservoir. Frieda Langer’s body was found seven months later, three and a half miles from the campsite, with no determined cause of death.
Other than the area they disappeared in and the time period, they found no other connections between the five disappearances.
The Bennington Monster
So what happened in this time period? Some claim it had to be UFOs, perhaps even Bigfoot himself. Others say that the forests of the area have become haunted and people claim to hear strange noises and voices.
The place has been known as a place to avoid since colonial time with people encountering strange lights and even monstrous animals in the wilderness.
The legend of the “Bennington Monster” dates back to the early 1800s when a stagecoach encountered a washed-out road. The stage driver discovered massive footprints in the mud, distinctly larger than human. Suddenly, the coach was assaulted by a colossal creature, toppling the vehicle on its side. Terrified passengers glimpsed only a pair of eyes before the monster emitted a roar and vanished into the forest. Subsequent sightings portrayed the creature as a towering, hairy figure, dark in color, and exceeding six feet in height.
There is also a story about a man named Carol Herrick who in 1943 went missing while hunting. He was found three days later near Glastonbury, crushed to death, surrounded by big footprints.
Native American Legends
There are also early colonists that have retold native american stories and Algonquin legends that called the Glastenbury Mountain a human eating rock. An evil stone on the mountain that would open up and swallow those standing on it.
Legends tell of ancient Native American curses and supernatural entities that haunt the region and that they wouldn’t step on the land unless to bury the dead. They said that the “four winds” met there in an eternal struggle, which has some truth to it, as the wind on Glastenbury Mountain is prone to sudden shifts, and even the plants grow in weird angles because of this.
The Vortex of The Bennington Triangle
While the disappearances of the 1940s and 1950s remain unsolved, the Bennington Triangle continues to captivate the imagination of those intrigued by the unknown. What could it be? Some from the native tribes legends? Could it be a monster like Bigfoot roaming the place, or perhaps even a serial killer wandering the mountain?
Ghost hunters, paranormal investigators, and curious seekers venture into the depths of the triangle, searching for clues and attempting to unlock the secrets that have eluded explanation for decades.
Today as well as in the old days, the wilderness of Glastenbury Mountain and the surrounding Bennington Triangle makes us afraid for what could be in the vast and wild area where a person can disappear without a trace.
Sometimes you can tell which dark trees are covered in darkness, and the haunting that follows. The Haunted forest of Freetown State Forest in Massachusetts is one example said to be in the mysterious Bridgewater Triangle, where the area seems to have attracted much evil throughout the years and lingers within the trees.
Behind the picturesque scenes of Massachusetts’ Freetown State Forest lurks a haunting history steeped in murder, fear, and the ominous presence of the paranormal outside of the Hockomock Swamp. The natives named it as a place where the spirits dwell, and the early settlers named it the Devils Swamp.
Being a part of the infamous Bridgewater Triangle, this seemingly serene forest conceals a dark reputation, earning it the chilling moniker of the Cursed Forest of Massachusetts of alleged paranormal phenomena, ranging from UFOs to poltergeists, and other spectral phenomena, various bigfoot-like sightings, giant snakes and thunderbirds.
The Cursed Bridgewater Triangle
Part of the legendary Bridgewater Triangle, Freetown State Forest stands as a magnet for the weird and horrifying lingering inside of the 5000 acres forest. Amidst its shady paths and sunlit clearings, people seem to think that the very forest emits a dark energy that creates more darkness.
The Bridgewater Triangle is an area of about 200 square miles in southeastern Massachusetts. First described in the 1970s by cryptozoologist, Loren Coleman in his book, Mysterious America.
Read more: One of the more famous spots in the Bridgewater Triangle is perhaps the Lizzie Borden House where a horrible murder was committed and only paranormal forces lingered.
The Bridgewater Triangle is known for hosting an array of spooky sightings, from Bigfoot, Thunderbird to UFOs to ghosts to satanic cults and old Native American monsters and ghost stories. The history of this haunted expanse is more than mere speculation—it is a documented tapestry of tragedies and crimes that contribute to the ominous allure of the Freetown State Forest.
The Haunted Forest of Massachusetts Of Freetown State Forest Murders
On a cold November in 1978, the dead body of Mary Lou Arruda was found inside of the woods. She was a 15 year old cheerleader that had been kidnapped from Raynham town two months ago when she was riding her bike through the Freetown State Forest, only two days after her birthday. She was found tied to one of the trees. Dead.
An autopsy revealed that she had either died from strangulation or asphyxia. In addition, it was uncovered that Arruda was alive when she was tied to the tree and that she had died the same day she had been abducted. Medical examiners believe that she died when she became unconscious from a ligature around her neck. Ultimately, this caused her to suffocate.
Mary Lou Arruda: 15 year old Mary Lou Arruda is only one of the victims the forest has claimed. Her death was much written about and her case certainly tainted the forest reputation in modern times.
The suspicion soon fell on James M. Kater when a composite sketch was created with the help of an eyewitness. Kater worked at a local donut store at the time of the killing and had previously been convicted for kidnapping. According to him he had gotten married and left on a honeymoon abroad the day after Arruda went missing.
Afterwards, due to the endless efforts of local police and eyewitnesses, he was linked to the crime using multiple pieces of evidence, the most important one being tire tracks found near Arruda’s cycles which matched the unusual patterns made by his car tires.
Kater was found guilty in 1978 and 1986, but both convictions were overturned on appeal due to hypnotized witness evidence. The 1992 trial resulted in a mistrial, which was followed by another one in 1996, when he was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.
Despite efforts by local police and eyewitnesses, Kater’s initial convictions in 1978 and 1986 were overturned on appeal, primarily due to evidence presented by hypnotized witnesses.
The case went through multiple trials, with the 1992 trial resulting in a mistrial. Another trial in 1996 ultimately found Kater guilty, and he was sentenced to life in prison. The crucial piece of evidence linking him to the crime was tire tracks found near Arruda’s bicycle, which matched the distinct patterns made by Kater’s car tires. The complex legal proceedings and the use of witness testimony under hypnosis added layers of intricacy to a case that sought justice for the tragic fate of Mary Lou Arruda.
Satanic Cult Activity and Satanic Panic in the 80s
The murder of Arruda was not the last time the Freetown State Forest got tied up in a murder investigation. In 1980, police investigating a murder near the forest were confronted with reports of Satanic cult activity during the fear and Satanic Panic years of the 1980s and 90s.
Locals spoke of witnessing eerie rituals in the woods, possibly linked to the infamous “Fall River Cult Killings” that was going on simultaneously taking the life of Doreen Levesque, Barbara Raposa and Karen Marsden.
Stained clearings, marked with animal blood, fueled rumors of ritual sacrifice within the haunted woods, amplifying the forest’s already ominous reputation.
Its connection to satanism didn’t stop there though and especially animal mutilation have been reported, most notably in 1998 when the police investigated a case of mutilated animals believed to be the work of a cult. One was of a butchered cow found in the forest, and the other was a group of mutilated calves in a clearing of the Freetown State Forest.
Assaults and Mysterious Incidents Throughout the Years
So what is really going on inside of this forest? Freetown State Forest’s sinister legacy extends to multiple murders, assaults, and bizarre occurrences along the forest and at its paths. From the mistaken killing of a homeless man in 1987 when someone thought he was an undercover cop.
There was also the discovery of gunshot-riddled bodies on Bell Rock Road in 2001, the forest bears witness to a series of dark events. Reports of aggressive dogs, an escaped emu, and wires strategically placed to harm visitors underscore the unsettling atmosphere that pervades the woods.
In 2006 there were aggressive dogs running wild in the area and in May in 2016 they found wires along paths that many people frequented. The purpose of these wires was most likely to decapitate off-road bikers when they came driving.
But there are also more ancient and more supernatural forces at play if we are to believe the local legends that came to be much earlier than the country itself.
Supernatural Forces at Play in Freetown State Forest
The paranormal veil hanging over Freetown State Forest thickens with tales of blood sacrifices, UFO sightings, ghostly apparitions, black helicopters, mysterious orbs of light, and strange disappearances. Legends speak of giant snakes slithering through the shadows, poltergeist activity, and rumored abductions.
Even President Ronald Reagan himself reported witnessing unexplained lights in the forest’s sky. Whispers of the forest’s dark influence leading people to suicide circulate, while ancient legends weave the presence of Pukwedgies, humanoid creatures from Wampanoag native tradition, who are said to stalk the haunted woods.
The Native American Curses
Once, this land around Freetown State Forest used to belong to the native Americans that used to go from Cape Cod up to Rhode Island. Even though there still are tribes in the area, their designated living places have diminished extensively after the first European settlers arrived.
Some of the local legends of the land is that it is a Native American curse over it. One of the legends is about a lost object that is still missing. Once, the wampum belt, a traditional shell bead of the Eastern Woodland Tribes, was lost during the King Philip’s War from 1675-76 between the European settlers and the local tribes.
“Philip’s belt, curiously woven of wampum nine inches broad in black and white figures and flowers, and many pictures of birds and bears. This when hung upon Captain Church’s shoulders it reached to his ankles. And another belt of wampum he presented to him wrought after the former manner, which Philip was wont to put upon his head. It had two flags on the back part which hung down his back, and another small belt with a star upon the end of it, while he used to hang upon his breast.”
Metacom (c. 1638–1676), was Massatoit younger son who is also a part of the haunted Freetown State Forest history, became tribal chief in 1662 after Massasoit’s death. He had taken the name Philip and led the war that was one of the bloodiest wars in Colonial American history. After his loss and his death, more than 1000 colonists and 3000 natives had died. Half of the New England’s towns were destroyed and hundreds of the Natives were enslaved and sent to Spain, Portugal, Jamaica and Barbados.
After the war, the belt was lost, something that was often used as a token of identity as well as currency in the early decades of colonization.
In addition to causing a ruckus and a bad energy in the Freetown State Forest there is also a cave said to belong to King Philip as one of his hiding places. People claim to have seen strange lights known as spook lights inside it, especially around Anawan Rock. Phantoms fires, things that look like campfires are also known to have appeared in the distance, however when coming close to them, they disappear. People also claim to hear the sound of drums that are now known as phantom drums.
The Pukwudgies Roaming in the Freetown State Forest
Another thing said to haunt Freetown State Forest is the monster from the Wampanoag native tribe known as the Pukwudgie. Translated to English often as “little wild man of the woods that vanishes.”
It is said to be a human-like creature about three feet tall that lives in parts of Indiana, Delaware and Massachusetts. Often seen as little people or tricksters of the Algonquian folklore.
According to folklore, Pukwudgies possess the ability to manifest and vanish at their discretion, adeptly shapeshifting into various forms—a common depiction involves a creature resembling a porcupine from the rear and a half-troll, half-human from the front, walking upright. These mystical beings are attributed with luring individuals to their demise, employing magical arts, launching toxic arrows, and wielding control over fire.
In Native American beliefs, Pukwudgies were initially benevolent towards humans but eventually turned antagonistic, warranting caution and distance. Legend has it that those who irked a Pukwudgie faced reprisals in the form of malicious pranks or relentless pursuit, leading to various troubles.
Their menacing activities include kidnapping, pushing victims off cliffs, employing short knives and spears in attacks, and using sand to blind their targets.
The Ghost sitting on Profile Rock
There is also a big rock inside of the Freetown State Forest the local legends claim depicts the Wampanoag Chief Massasoit who was known to have a long standing alliance with the colonists. The 50 foot granite rock is also sometimes known as Old Man of Joshua Mountain, taking its name from Joshua Tisdale, a settler that once claimed to own the land.
The true origin of the rock though is thought to be the result of dynamite in the mid 1800s. Some also claim that the son of Chief Massasoit Sachem, King Philip, spent the last night of his life under this rock.
Some claim that the ghost of the Chief Massasoit Sache has been seen sitting cross legged with his arms stretched out toward something. Almost as if he is blessing his surroundings, or perhaps even cursing it.
In recent years the attraction inside of Freetown State Forest has been severely damaged by both graffiti and incidents where portions of the rock have fallen off, and it is almost unrecognizable. The park issued people to stay away from the area.
The Ghost at Assonet Ledge
The Assonet Ledge is another landmark found in the Freetown State Forest and people think that it’s a haunted place as well. The place is a high rock looking over the dark pond underneath. Many say they have seen the spirit of a native person among the trees as well as mysterious lights and phantom fires. Some even believe that the granite stone is cursed. Allegedly it was one of the victims of the war against the Puritans in the 17th century.
Assonet Ledge: According to the legends, this ledge as well as the waters below is haunted by the many that ended their life jumping off the cliff.
According to the legend, several of the native warriors chose to jump off the cliff rather than die by the hands of the English. One thing though, it is also said that both the ledge as well as the pond underneath didn’t exist in the 17th century.
Another ghost story associated with this place inside of Freetown State Forest is about the lady of the ledge, a young girl who regularly met up with her boyfriend at the ledge. Their parents didn’t approve of their relationships, so it was both risky as well as futile to pursue their love. In some variations of the legend it is the story about a native american princess and a white man. Then one day he suddenly stopped coming. After being left, she threw herself off the ledge and died. Although her spirit remained.
Many have claimed to have seen her ghost wandering on top of the ledge, some even see her jumping off the cliff and disappearing as she hits the water without a splash.
One of the creepiest parts of this legend though, are all of the people that have been standing at the edge with an urge to jump, even though they were far form suicidal before coming. In 2004 a man even did the leap in front of his friends and girlfriend, even though his family claimed he had no history of mental illness.
A Walk Through the Haunted Freetown State Forest
As the moon ascends high in the night sky, casting an eerie glow over the Freetown State Forest, the shadowy woods come alive with whispers of the past. Among the rustling leaves and foreboding silence, the spirits of the departed seem to beckon from the darkness, their spectral presence palpable in the chilling air.
As the brave souls who dare to venture through this haunted realm tread cautiously, an inexplicable sense of unease settles upon them. Wisps of fog weave through the gnarled trees, and the distant sound of phantom drums echoes through the desolate expanse. Amidst the oppressive stillness in Freetown State Forest, the legends and tragedies of the forest converge, intertwining with the present in a spectral dance.
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