Buzz
Forests have long been a source of both wonder and fear. The dim lighting, the strange noises heard after dark, the endless hiding spots for unseen dangers, and the absence of modern comforts all contribute to the unease that forests often provoke. Horror films, ghost tales, and cryptid sightings are frequently set in the woods for a reason, and many real-world forests show why that is.
Across the globe, numerous forests have been linked to terrifying events, both real and imagined. This list highlights the top ten creepiest forests—excluding the widely known Island of the Dolls, the Screaming Forest, and the Suicide Forest, which have already received significant attention.
10. Cameron Park, U.S.
Cameron Park is located in Waco, Texas, a city known for its eerie vibe, and the park only enhances that sense of unease. For one, it is a popular spot for paranormal investigators, allegedly haunted by two wrongfully executed outlaws from the 19th century. Additionally, a hike through the park will lead you past no fewer than four paranormal monuments.
Jacob’s Ladder is a set of steep, weathered steps that ascend a bluff. It’s rumored to be inhabited by the 'grabbing ghost,' a spirit that pulls climbers to their doom. Then, there’s the Tar Pits, where a motorcyclist tragically died while attempting a risky jump. His restless spirit is said to haunt the area. Also notable is Lover’s Leap, a cliff where a Native American couple, reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, are said to have jumped to their deaths together. They’re said to still haunt the place. But the most chilling is the Witch’s Castle—crumbling stone ruins in the heart of the forest, where the chilling screams and chants of a witch’s ghost can be heard each night.
9. Freetown-Fall River State Forest, U.S.
Freetown-Fall River State Forest, located in southeastern Massachusetts, has attracted the attention of true crime enthusiasts and paranormal investigators alike for a variety of reasons. Stories of the murder of Mary Lou Arruda and a Satanic cult’s involvement in another murder there are common topics of discussion. But the real reason Freetown stands out on this list is simple: it has every creepy thing you can imagine.
Freetown has played a key role in the creation of the eerie nickname “The Bridgewater Triangle.” The area’s claim to fame is that nearly every disturbing event you can think of has been reported or verified within its limits. From UFO and regular abductions to ghostly presences, Native American curses, Bigfoot sightings, murders, ritual sacrifices, toxic waste dumping, mutated creatures, thunderbird sightings, and even an emu on the loose—Freetown’s forest has seen it all.
8. Dow Hill, India
Dow Hill Forest, located in the ironically named Kurseong, India, is a haunting within a haunting. The forest itself is regarded as one of the most eerie locations in the country, and at its core lies the Victoria Boys’ School, which is known as one of its most haunted institutions. Adding to the chilling atmosphere, the road leading to the school is ominously called 'Death Road.'
Numerous ghost sightings, orbs, disembodied laughter, and phantom footsteps have been reported. However, the most terrifying apparition in the area is the headless boy. A young boy with a stump for a neck is said to haunt Death Road, disappearing into the trees if seen. Local legend maintains that anyone who encounters this ghost will be haunted by him forever.
7. Epping Forest, England
The United Kingdom is home to several “ancient forests,” officially designated areas with at least 400 years of continuous history. It’s no surprise that many of these ancient woodlands are rumored to be haunted, nor is it surprising that they have long served as hideouts for criminals and fugitives. Epping Forest is one such place.
In the 18th century, the notorious highwayman Dick Turpin raided the woods, committing at least one murder during his time there. More recent times have seen an even darker side to the forest. Since the 1960s, the woods have become a dumping ground for murder victims, with at least 11 murders linked to the area. Naturally, this dark history has led to numerous paranormal sightings, and the forest has been featured in various horror and murder-mystery novels.
6. Sasan Gir, India
Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, locally known as Sasan Gir, is not regarded as a haunted location. There are no stories of gruesome murders by cannibals, alien abductions, or sightings of Jersey Devils or Bigfoot. Instead, Sasan Gir is feared for one very real and terrifying reason: it is the only place on Earth where both lions and tigers roam the jungle.
In addition to lions and tigers, the forest is home to leopards, hyenas, jackals, crocodiles, and venomous cobras. No other forest, or even land, harbors such a concentration of apex predators. While lions and tigers once shared vast overlapping territories, today they are confined to the Gir Forest. Only in this eerie place can two pairs of glowing yellow eyes stare out from the dark woods, making you wonder, 'Lion, tiger, or leopard? Oh no, I'm doomed.'
5. Hoia-Baciu, Romania
Unsurprisingly, Romania is home to one of the most haunted forests on the planet—Hoia-Baciu. Regardless of its paranormal or violent associations, the forest’s very trees are unsettling, twisting and curving unnaturally, some even spiraling or zigzagging. Some believe this strange flora is linked to the eerie atmosphere, with the air inside Hoia-Baciu feeling different from the outside. This odd sensation is likely a factor in the numerous reports of anxiety and nausea from those who venture into its depths.
Hoia-Baciu’s most infamous paranormal claim to fame occurred in 1968, when a military technician captured a now-famous photograph of an alleged UFO hovering over a clearing in the forest. The glowing object remained suspended in mid-air, but the reason for its presence remains a mystery. Experts have been unable to provide a logical explanation, and curiously, no plants have ever been able to grow in that spot. Some suspect the cause is radiation from the UFO itself.
4. The Devil’s Tramping Ground, U.S.
Speaking of strange clearings, the United States has its own mysterious spot—The Devil’s Tramping Ground, located in a forest near Bear Creek, North Carolina. Despite being surrounded by miles of dense, ancient woods, this clearing remains devoid of all life. It has stood this way for as long as anyone can remember.
The clearing spans about 40 feet across, and over the years, numerous odd occurrences have been reported there. Dogs tend to avoid the spot and often whine when forced to approach. Forest animals are said to go out of their way to bypass the area. Any objects left overnight within the clearing mysteriously end up tossed far outside its borders. Local legend suggests that the Devil himself uses this space for his nightly dances, which is how the spot earned its eerie name.
3. Elfin Forest, U.S.
The Elfin Forest in Escondido, California pulls off a rare and unsettling trifecta: it houses an abandoned insane asylum, is cursed by Native American spirits, and is under the curse of the Romani (the correct term for Gypsies).
The forest is filled with numerous eerie locations, paranormal occurrences, and a violent past. There’s the evil white witch said to haunt its paths. A rock labyrinth at the forest’s center, where the Romani held frequent seances, adds to the mystery. Nearby is Spook’s Canyon, where the Romani once lived before they were slaughtered. The hills above the canyon are rumored to be the site of a mass burial ground for Native American children. Possibly connected to the graves are mysterious children-sized footprints painted on concrete pipes in the area. And let’s not forget Questhaven, the abandoned psychiatric hospital, which has its own share of spine-chilling legends.
2. The Crooked Forest, Poland
Poland’s Crooked Forest lives up to its name. Every tree in this peculiar forest grows with an unnatural curve—and they all bend in the exact same way. Each tree starts straight, but within mere inches of the ground, they bend sharply into a semicircle before returning to a normal upright position. What’s even stranger is that all of these bends point due north.
The cause of the hundreds of identically warped pines remains a mystery. Unlike the Devil’s Tramping Ground, which scientists attribute to a natural salt-lick phenomenon, the Crooked Forest’s trees have yet to be explained. Naturally, many have speculated that the strange bending could be due to alien activity.
1. The Schwarzwald, Germany
Nestled in southwestern Germany, the Schwarzwald, or Black Forest, is a dense and shadowy coniferous wilderness. The forest’s name is derived from its thick trees that block out much of the sunlight, casting the landscape in an eerie twilight that blurs the boundary between day and night. This oppressive, mysterious atmosphere was the perfect inspiration for the Brothers Grimm, who set several of their darker tales within its depths.
Most notably, the expansive and dense nature of the Schwarzwald inspired the Brothers Grimm to pen the tale of “Hansel and Gretel,” where two children become hopelessly lost in the thick, confounding woods. Adding weight to this association, some of the oldest footpaths in the world can be found within the Schwarzwald. These ancient trails have weathered over time, their twisted, crumbling paths serving as a testament to the passage of centuries.
