7 Of The Most Haunted Forests In The World
Is there really such a thing as a haunted forest? It’s hard to say! No one really knows what happens when we’re gone, but according to a Huffington Post poll conducted in 2017, 45% of Americans believe in the existence of ghosts! While you might think of haunted houses and graveyards, there are a number of haunted forests around the world that are said to be populated by the spirits of people long since gone. Here are 7 of the most haunted forests in the world.
Freetown-Fall River State Forest
Freetown-Fall River State Forest, located in Massachusetts in the United States may be one of the most notorious forests for all things paranormal. Visitors claim to have seen ghosts, sasquatch, and UFOs above the treetops. The state forest includes a sacred burial ground for the Wampanoag Tribe. Some believe that the forest is cursed.
Pine Barrens
Not far from Freetown-Fall River State Forest is Pine Barrens, which spans more than a million acres in New Jersey. Pine Barrens is full of a series of abandoned ghost towns. During the 1700s, the area thrived with plenty of work in mills and other industries. But with the coal boom of the 1800s, many left their lives in the Pine Barrens behind, which left some spooky ghost towns. Pine Barrens is also home to the Jersey Devil, a popular mythical creature that supposedly roams the forest.
Dering Woods
Across the pond near Smarden, England, screams are often heard coming from Dering Woods. Locals call it The Screaming Woods because of the sometimes terrifying screams heard coming from the woods. Some believe that the screaming comes from the spirit of a highwayman who was killed in the area in the 18th century. Other people have reportedly died in the forest as well.
Hoia-Baciu Haunted Forest
Hoia-Baciu Forest in Romania has been dubbed the “Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania” by locals, as it is said to be a hot spot for various types of paranormal activity. In 1968, a soldier captured a photograph of a UFO hovering over the forest, and people who trek through the forest reportedly feel anxiety, nausea, and sometimes break out in rashes. Some of the trees take on a sickly looking curvature, which increases the spooky factor of the forest.
Devil’s Tramping Ground
How could a place called Devil’s Tramping Ground possibly be spooky? These woods located 50 miles from Greensboro, North Carolina contain a small, open clearing that is said to be the site of devilish activity. Local legends purport that some night, the devil rises from the ground and dances in the clearing. Some believe they have seen glowing, red eyes staring at them from the forest. It’s said that if you leave items in the clearing, the next morning you’ll find them tossed aside, as the devil needed to clear some room to dance.
The Black Forest
The Black Forest in Germany is aptly named. The canopy of the forest is so thick that very little light reaches the forest floor. There are numerous paranormal myths about the forest. Some tell of a headless horseman who rides a white horse while other believe that nymphs and friendly dwarves call the forest home. The forest is where many of Grimms’ Fairy Tales originate. Forests don't get much more haunted than that!
Dow Hill Forest
Near Kurseong, a town in the West Bengal region of India, is a long since abandoned Victorian Boys’ School that is thought to be the most haunted place in India. People who have spent time in and around the school tell of a number of scary encounters with the paranormal. Some hear the sounds of footsteps echoing through the school. Others report seeing a boy walking the path through the forest.