Buzz
Yellowstone Park is mainly situated in Wyoming, with smaller portions extending into Montana and Idaho. This land boasts a deep history, long predating the arrival of Western explorers. For millennia, Native American tribes such as the Crows, Blackfeet, Bannocks, and Shoshones inhabited the area, hunting and living here—though not always peacefully. Yellowstone became a contested battleground for control over its valuable resources.
In those ancient times, the park was not known by its current name; it was called the 'Burning Mountains.' Some indigenous tribes feared the wrath of an evil spirit believed to reside in the geysers. The exact origins of this belief remain uncertain, but it held strong within the local traditions.
Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the world, was created by an act of Congress and signed into law on March 1, 1872, by President Ulysses S. Grant. Covering 2.2 million acres (890,308 hectares) of varying terrain, from mesmerizing geysers to lush forests, it holds both wonder and tragedy. Over the years, many have mysteriously disappeared within the park, some meeting untimely deaths. Despite its beauty, few visitors pause to acknowledge the chilling history of these disappearances, stretching from the late 1800s to as recently as 2023.
10. Leroy R. Piper
Leroy R. Piper, a 36-year-old man from Ohio, mysteriously vanished from the now-demolished Fountain Hotel on July 30, 1900, located just north of the Fountain Paint Pot in the Lower Geyser Basin. Despite a $1,000 reward (equivalent to over $36,000 in 2024) and weeks of cavalry-led searches, Piper was never found.
There have been theories suggesting that bears might have played a role in Piper’s disappearance. Staff at the Fountain Hotel had a habit of taking the night’s trash to a spot near the hotel, which attracted grizzly bears. This practice led to the creation of an amphitheater with seating for spectators and a concrete feeding pad, which remained until 1941.
Other reports indicated that Piper may have wandered off or been the victim of foul play. Sadly, the hotel was demolished in 1927, likely complicating efforts to find any evidence that might shed light on Piper’s fate.
9. Larry Marvin Morris
Larry Marvin Morris, a 24-year-old from Tulsa, Oklahoma, disappeared on April 26, 1974, while working as a seismograph technician in Riverton, Wyoming. He had planned to visit Yellowstone National Park before returning home, but he never made it to either location.
Morris, who had dark brown hair and brown eyes, was last seen driving a green 1966 Ford LTD pickup truck with the Oklahoma license plate number RO-94.
Two men, James Franklin Jagers and Jack Lincoln, were caught with Morris’s credit cards and personal items. Jagers, who had recently been released from a Colorado prison, and Lincoln, an escapee, were found using Morris’s cards across several states. Lincoln's fingerprints were found on the cards and inside Morris's truck.
Despite evidence pointing to Lincoln, the investigation primarily targeted Jagers. In 1983, Jagers confessed to knowing what happened to Morris and where his body was, but no deal was made. In 2013, Jagers was charged in connection with the case, but the charges were reduced to misdemeanor larceny. Jagers died in 2014 without facing formal charges regarding Morris’s disappearance. Meanwhile, Morris remains missing and holds the distinction of being the first entry in Wyoming’s missing persons database, established in 1974.
8. Daniel Lynn Campbell
Daniel Lynn Campbell, a resident of Sweet Grass County, Montana, was dropped off by his girlfriend at the Hellroaring Creek trailhead in Yellowstone National Park on April 6, 1991. His plan was to hike to Jardine, Montana, to retrieve illegally collected elk antlers before meeting up with his girlfriend. However, Campbell never made it to his destination and has been missing ever since.
Although an initial search was conducted shortly after Campbell’s disappearance, no evidence was found regarding his location. Authorities initially speculated that he might have been murdered or that he staged his own death to escape financial difficulties. However, there were disagreements about his motivations. Authorities dismissed the idea that Campbell disappeared to avoid financial problems, citing an impending legal settlement. Instead, they suspected foul play, possibly related to disputes over the illegal elk antlers.
In 2000, Campbell’s brothers filed a lawsuit against the Park County Sheriff, claiming mishandling of the investigation. They sought $100,000 for each surviving brother, citing the hardships, punitive damages, and legal fees incurred. They argued that a more thorough investigation would have led to the discovery of Campbell’s remains. One of the key mistakes made by the Sheriff was the early return of confiscated camping gear to local horn hunters without proper forensic testing.
7. Luke Adam Sanburg
Luke Adam Sanburg was last seen on June 24, 2005, in Yellowstone National Park, six miles north of Gardiner, Montana, while camping with his Boy Scout troop. He was a white male with brown hair and hazel eyes, standing 5’6″ (1.6 meters) tall and weighing 110 pounds (50 kilograms).
Tragically, Luke fell into the fast-moving Yellowstone River while helping to push logs and was swept away by the rapids. As hopes of finding him alive dwindled, the search efforts were scaled back, and Luke’s family began to accept the grim reality of his situation. Tennis shoes believed to belong to Luke were discovered in the river, five miles (8 kilometers) downstream from the spot where he had fallen in. The lack of any additional clothing further reinforced the family’s belief in the tragedy of his fate.
Luke’s disappearance occurred during a series of other mysterious incidents in Yellowstone National Park, including the case of park employee Joseph R. Miller, 59, from Seattle, who vanished while canoeing in Lewis Lake, and Candace May Kellie, 19, from Belgrade, Montana, whose vehicle plunged into the river. These events stretched the park’s resources, leading crews to use sonar and deep-water cameras to assist in the search efforts.
6. Bruce Parker Pike
Bruce Parker Pike was last seen on August 2, 2006, at a campground on Indian Creek, located in the Wyoming section of Yellowstone National Park. After his disappearance, Pike was never heard from again, and his vehicle was found abandoned within the park.
Indian Creek, the site where Pike was last seen, has a history of bear activity, including both black bears and grizzlies. Bear incidents have prompted temporary campground closures in the past. In July 1986, for example, the campground was closed after a hiker was injured by a female grizzly and her cub. The ongoing presence of bears in the area creates a potential hazard, especially considering the park's rugged wilderness.
In 2019, there were additional reports of black bear encounters in the park, including one where a bear bit a woman inside her tent and another incident where campers left food unattended, resulting in property damage and aggressive behavior from the bear. These incidents underscore the continuous challenges faced by park officials in managing bear interactions and ensuring the safety of visitors.
While the exact details surrounding Pike’s disappearance remain uncertain, the area’s history of bear activity suggests that this could have played a significant role.
5. Nicholas Jeffrey Mostert
Nicholas Jeffrey Mostert was last seen on June 16, 2009, when he jumped from one of Yellowstone National Park’s observation decks into the Yellowstone River. At the time, the river was swollen with around 6,000 cubic feet (1,700 cubic meters) of water flowing per second from the falls of Yellowstone Lake. Mostert was swept over the 308-foot (94-meter) Lower Falls and vanished.
Park officials confirmed that Mostert was the person who jumped into the river, suggesting that it was likely a suicide. Witnesses reported seeing him leap from an observation platform at the edge of the Lower Falls and being carried away by the waterfall into the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.
Search operations were immediately initiated, with searchers rappelling to the canyon’s bottom and recovering some of Mostert’s clothing from an eddy about a quarter mile downstream from the base of the falls. Despite extensive efforts, Mostert’s body was never found.
4. Mike Petersen
Mike Petersen, a resident of Bismarck, North Dakota, was reported missing on June 4, 2017. After an extensive search by the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, Petersen’s body was discovered on June 6, 2017, about a quarter mile south of where Beaver and West Fork Creeks converge.
An experienced backpacker familiar with the region, Petersen had set out on his hike with survival gear. Despite thorough search efforts involving air and ground teams, his body was found near Beaver Creek. It was later determined that his cause of death was drowning.
This unfortunate incident highlights the importance of exercising caution, particularly around water bodies, especially during times of high water levels.
3. Il Hun Ro
Following the grim discovery of a human foot floating in a Yellowstone National Park hot spring, investigators sought to unravel the mysterious fate of the individual behind the tragic incident. Il Hun Ro, a 70-year-old man from Los Angeles, who met a fatal end on August 16, 2022, was later identified as the owner of the foot. Despite extensive searches yielding no further remains, geologists found disturbing fatty deposits surfacing over time, casting an eerie shadow over the once peaceful landscape.
Using DNA analysis, authorities were able to confirm the identity of the victim, piecing together fragments of his lost life. The tragic events that led to Ro's demise occurred on the morning of July 31, a silent tragedy, witnessed by no one.
In a poignant twist, further investigation revealed Ro's abandoned Kia Niro SUV parked in the wilderness, containing personal items that spoke to his life. Among the possessions were a laptop, treasured photographs, park maps, and a wallet containing $447 in cash. However, it was the discovery of a small notebook filled with handwritten poems that gave investigators a deeper understanding of Ro’s inner world, revealing a silent struggle.
As Yellowstone park officials urge visitors to exercise caution around its thermal wonders, Abyss Pool stands as a stark reminder of nature's unforgiving power. With depths exceeding 50 feet (15 meters) and temperatures reaching a scalding 140°F (60°C), it remains a dangerous and awe-inspiring feature of the park.
2. Randall Scott Crawford
On August 8, 2021, Randall Scott Crawford tragically fell into the Yellowstone River while attempting to secure a raft. He was swept away by the strong current near the Bratten fishing access site within the park. According to the accident report, Crawford was not wearing a personal flotation device during the incident.
The Sweet Grass County Sheriff acknowledged the difficulties faced by search teams, including Crawford’s loved ones, due to the river's murky waters and the windy conditions which hindered aerial support. The search efforts, supported by the Gallatin, Stillwater, and Yellowstone County sheriff’s offices, covered roughly 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) along the Yellowstone River from the Bratten site to Reed Point. Randall Crawford’s body was eventually found near the Indian Fort campground, just north of Reed Point, on August 13, 2021.
1. Brandon Steel-Rowe Fitch
Brandon Steel-Rowe Fitch was last seen in the early hours of June 16, 2018, in Reed Point, Montana. According to his friends, Fitch fell from the Reed Point Bridge into the fast-moving Yellowstone River. The water levels were extremely high at the time, and Fitch disappeared without a trace. He is presumed to have drowned, though his body has never been recovered.
After the incident, a witness quickly notified 911, but Fitch’s body vanished swiftly in the rushing waters. Authorities presumed it to be a drowning with no signs of foul play. Extensive search efforts using jet skis, boats, and drones were carried out, but high water levels and debris impeded the search, leading to a temporary suspension of operations.
The exact circumstances surrounding Brandon’s disappearance remain unclear. His parents are left uncertain whether he fell, jumped, or was pushed, and his fate remains unresolved as his body has yet to be found. At the time of his disappearance, Brandon, 20 years old, stood 5’9″ (1.76 meters) tall and weighed 170 pounds (77 kilograms). He was possibly wearing green Wrangler Ripstop pants, Under Armour underwear, Perfect Fit boot socks, and a belt buckle.
Fitch had notable tattoos, including the initials 'KV' on his wrist, a large owl on his left shoulder, and a Bible verse, 'I can do all things through him who gives me strength 4:13,' on his left forearm. His parents expressed their love for their son and their hope for his safe return.
