Dense forests and sprawling woodlands blanket over 31% of Earth’s land surface. For many, these natural sanctuaries offer a peaceful escape, perfect for hiking, exploring scenic lakes, mountains, or coastlines, and even settling down in rustic cabins to enjoy the quiet beauty of nature. But not every forest welcomes visitors with open arms.

Unbeknownst to many readers is that some who venture in encounter more than just wildlife and fresh air. They experience fear, mystery, and sometimes, the unexplainable.

The 10 forests on this list are infamous not just for their natural beauty, but for the eerie legends, unsettling encounters, and chilling stories that surround them. These are the woods people whisper about — places many avoid, and some never return from.

10. Dechmont Woods Encounter

In 1979, Robert Taylor — a dedicated forestry worker and war veteran — was inspecting gates and fences in Dechmont Woods near Livingston, Scotland, when he encountered something extraordinary.

While walking through a forest clearing, Taylor came upon a large, dome-shaped object hovering silently above the ground. Roughly 30 feet in diameter, the strange craft appeared metallic and otherworldly. As he stared in disbelief, two smaller spheres detached from the main object and rolled toward him. These spheres were covered in protruding spikes.

Before he could react, Taylor felt a sudden force seize him by the legs. He lost consciousness.

When he awoke about 20 minutes later, disoriented and disheveled, the object was gone. The clearing was silent, empty except for a lingering smell of burning and deep impressions in the soil. Still shaken, Taylor attempted to drive home, only to crash his vehicle into a ditch. He later told police that he had been attacked by “a spaceship.”

Investigators took his report seriously. They documented tears in his trousers and grazing injuries on his legs. At the site, police found 32 deep indentations in the ground, arranged as if made by heavy caterpillar tracks. However, none of the forestry equipment in the area could account for the marks. Experts agreed that whatever had been there must have weighed several tons, but no explanation fit.

What stood out even more was Robert himself. His wife confirmed he was mentally sound and not prone to fantasy. A churchgoing man and respected community member, he never once altered his story, even decades later.

Authorities ultimately recorded the event as a criminal assault — the only UFO encounter in the UK ever to be treated as part of a criminal investigation. Yet to this day, what happened to Robert Taylor in Dechmont Woods remains an unsolved mystery.

9. Clocaenog Forest Encounter

On the night of November 14, 2015, brothers Andrew and Mark Middle were camping in Clocaenog Forest during the Wales Rally GB. It was supposed to be a routine weekend surrounded by the quiet of the woods and the excitement of rally cars roaring in the distance.

But as Mark wandered into the trees to collect firewood, he stumbled upon something chilling: a moss-covered human skull, partially concealed beneath the dense undergrowth.

The brothers immediately contacted the police. When officers arrived and searched the area, they uncovered a fully decomposed human skeleton, later identified as male. Disturbingly, the remains were discovered just yards from the known murder and burial site of 28-year-old Edward Carthy, the youngest victim of notorious Welsh serial killer Peter Moore.

Forensic analysis suggested the man had been in his sixties at the time of death. His injuries included a broken nose, trauma to the wrist and spine, and fused vertebrae, indicating he likely suffered from chronic pain due to arthritis. Clothing found nearby could not be definitively linked to the body.

Despite the lack of identity, Peter Moore — who is serving life in prison — later claimed that the man was a mature student from Aberystwyth University who went missing in 1996. But Moore’s statements have always been riddled with inconsistencies, and no concrete evidence ever confirmed his involvement.

To this day, the identity of the man found in Clocaenog Forest remains a mystery — an anonymous victim lost to time, known only as the “Clocaenog Forest Man.” His killer, if it wasn’t Moore, has never been brought to justice.

8. County Meath Incident

In 2022, a woman from County Meath, Ireland, reported a deeply unsettling experience while out for a walk in the woods near her home. Hoping to hit a higher step count on her Fitbit, she decided to explore a new trail — an innocent decision that soon took a bizarre turn.

Before entering the forest, she touched two trees at the edge of the path. One felt strangely warm to the touch; the other, cold and wet. She didn’t think much of it at the time.

Following a trail that forked left, she soon found herself surrounded by waist-high weeds and unfamiliar vegetation. Though there were still other walkers nearby, it was clear she had strayed from the main path. She retraced her steps and took the right fork instead — but this route ended just as abruptly. When she turned back, the trail behind her no longer looked familiar.

The sky began to darken, and a sense of unease crept in. She tried pulling out her phone to check Google Maps, but there was no signal. Wandering deeper into the woods, she found herself in another overgrown area. That’s when she heard it: a high-pitched woman’s voice calling out, “Over here!”

At first, she assumed it was another hiker — until the voice erupted into laughter. Something about the sound chilled her to the core. Acting on instinct, she removed her T-shirt, turned it inside out, and put it back on — an old Irish folk remedy believed to break enchantments or trick the fae.

Immediately afterward, the trail reappeared, clear as day. She followed it straight back to her car.

But the strangeness didn’t end there. When she checked her Fitbit, it showed she had walked 10,000 more steps than expected, on top of the 8,000 she had already logged. No time seemed to have passed to account for the extra distance.

Some who heard her story suggested she may have touched a portal between worlds when she placed her hands on the trees. Others believed she had unknowingly stepped on a “stray sod” — a patch of enchanted earth said in Irish folklore to disorient travelers and trap them between dimensions.

Whatever the truth, she’s never walked that path again.

7. The Black Forest Haunting

The Black Forest in Colorado is known for its towering Ponderosa pines, peaceful isolation, and rustic, cabin-style homes. In 1991, Steve and Beth Lee thought they had found their slice of paradise when they purchased a home nestled deep within the forest. But their dream quickly turned into a waking nightmare.

Just weeks after moving in, the Lees and their children began experiencing a series of disturbing events. Chains clanked in the night. Classical orchestra music echoed through the house with no source. Bright flashes of light appeared without explanation, and a persistent, foul odor lingered in the air.

Concerned for their safety, the family installed a state-of-the-art security system. But even with high-end cameras and motion detectors, nothing unusual was ever recorded.

Desperate for answers, the Lees reached out to the producers of the paranormal TV series Sightings. A team of investigators visited the property and claimed the home was infested with spirits — one of whom, a possessive male entity, reportedly declared the house was his.

While filming, things took an even darker turn. A crew member and Beth Lee both appeared to become possessed, an event captured on camera and still available to view online. The footage only fueled speculation that something truly unexplainable was happening in the Black Forest.

Despite the mounting evidence, Steve Lee held on to the belief that a rational explanation existed. He even suggested a more sinister, earthly theory: that nearby military operations might have been testing psychological or biological warfare techniques, affecting the family and their environment.

Whether paranormal or manmade, the source of the disturbances was never definitively identified. But the Black Forest home has since become one of Colorado’s most infamous haunted locations.

6. The Cabin in the Woods

Maine has long been the backdrop for Stephen King’s chilling tales, so it’s no surprise that its dense, shadowy forests hide secrets of their own. Deep in those woods lies a forgotten cabin — weather-worn, half-collapsed, and whispered about by locals.

Manisha James, hoping for a quiet weekend retreat, decided to stay there. She expected solitude and stillness. What she got was a weekend she would never forget.

From the moment she arrived, the cabin felt wrong. The thick forest canopy blocked out the sunlight, leaving the interior shrouded in a constant, bone-deep chill. The porch was sagging, the walls rotting, and an unsettling silence hung in the air.

That first night, Manisha was jolted awake by the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps outside her bedroom. Then, the doorknob began to turn — slowly, deliberately. Heart pounding, she flung the door open.

No one was there.

The next morning, restless and unnerved, she searched the cabin for any sign of what she had heard. Tucked away in a corner, she found an old wooden box filled with yellowing photographs. One picture had a message scrawled on the back:

“She never left. Still waiting in the dark.”

That was enough. Manisha packed her things and left the cabin without looking back.

Later, in town, she mentioned the cabin to a local shopkeeper, who stared at her in disbelief. That place, he told her, had burned to the ground years ago. Only the father survived. Since then, people who trespass there have reported hearing a woman whispering behind the walls… and the soft, sorrowful cries of a child lost in the dark.

5. Frith Wood aka Fright Wood

By day, Frith Wood is a picturesque stretch of English countryside — lush, serene, and inviting. But after sunset, locals know it by another name: “Fright Wood.” Considered one of the most haunted forests in the UK, its shadowy trees carry the weight of a tragic tale dating back to the Napoleonic Wars.

In the early 19th century, nearby Greenlaw House was repurposed into military barracks to hold captured French soldiers. Among them was a young prisoner who, according to legend, fell in love with a local woman. Their romance was forbidden — her father and brother vehemently opposed the relationship.

The story takes a dark turn from there.

One night, the young soldier was lured into Frith Wood by the woman’s family. There, under the cover of trees, he was beaten to death. Overcome with grief and heartbreak, the woman is said to have taken her own life shortly afterward.

Ever since, her spirit is believed to haunt the forest — her cries echoing through the trees, her ghostly figure seen darting between trunks, forever searching for the lover she lost to violence and betrayal.

Visitors report hearing soft sobbing in the distance and feeling an overwhelming sense of sorrow as night falls. Some say they’ve seen a pale, desperate figure running through the woods, vanishing before they can get a closer look.

Fright Wood may be beautiful, but after dark, it becomes a place of mourning — haunted not just by ghosts, but by the weight of a love story that ended in tragedy.

4. The Bizarre Nature of the Knysna Forest

Tucked within the Knysna Mountains, the Knysna Forest sprawls across South Africa’s Western and Eastern Cape provinces. As the largest indigenous forest complex in the country, it’s a place of stunning natural beauty — and deep, lingering mystery.

In 1969, the forest gained national attention when Rosalind Ballingall vanished without a trace during a visit. Despite extensive searches, no clues to her whereabouts were ever found. But that’s only one of the many strange tales rooted in these woods.

The Knysna Forest is also home to the last known member of a once-thriving elephant herd — a solitary female known as Strangefoot. For decades, she has roamed the forest alone, her quiet presence adding to the region’s mystique.

But beyond the documented history, there are whispers of something even more elusive: the Otang — a Bigfoot-like creature said to prowl the forest trails. Some hikers claim to have seen fleeting glimpses of a shadowy, upright figure vanishing into the trees. Others speak of black leopards slinking through the underbrush, and disembodied voices whispering on the wind, as if the forest itself were alive and watching.

These legends have made the Knysna Forest a magnet for thrill-seekers and paranormal enthusiasts. But just as many visitors leave unnerved — certain they’ve felt something just beyond the edge of reason — and vow never to return.

3. Real-life Blair-Witch Project

In 2014, friends Kate Channon and Lola Swan set out for a weekend of camping in Leigh Woods, just outside of Bristol. What was meant to be a relaxing night under the stars quickly spiraled into something far more disturbing.

As darkness fell and they settled into their tent, the peaceful forest around them seemed to shift. The stillness was broken by the sound of snapping branches — steady and deliberate, as if someone were walking through the woods just beyond their line of sight. The noises didn’t stop. All night, the two women felt the unmistakable sensation of being watched.

Trying to shake the unease, Kate decided to whistle into the darkness — half expecting nothing, half hoping for reassurance. Instead, something whistled back.

The tension escalated. Tools they’d left by the fire vanished without explanation. Then, around 1 a.m., they heard the soft, unmistakable sound of a child’s voice whispering near the tent. That was the final straw.

Terrified, they abandoned their campsite and fled the forest in the middle of the night.

The next morning, curious and still shaken, they reviewed the photos they had taken around the campsite. In one image, partially obscured by the trees, they spotted a glowing white figure, watching from the shadows. The form bore an eerie resemblance to the Blair Witch.

Neither Kate nor Lola has returned to Leigh Woods since.

2. Headless Valley: The Ghosts of the Nahanni National Park Reserve

Canada’s Nahanni National Park Reserve is a land of breathtaking beauty — its misty hot springs, rugged mountains, and dense forests draw nature lovers from around the world. But beneath that natural splendor lies a sinister legacy that has earned it a chilling nickname: the Valley of the Headless Men.

The legend began in 1906, when brothers Willie and Frank McLeod, two gold prospectors, were found gruesomely beheaded at their remote campsite. Their gold was untouched. A few years later, another prospector was discovered decapitated outside the charred remains of his cabin. The deaths didn’t stop there.

By 1962, 44 people had mysteriously vanished or been found murdered in or around the Nahanni Valley — many under circumstances that defied explanation.

That same year, pilot Angus Blake MacKenzie crash-landed in the valley. According to his recovered journal, he had survived the impact, had enough food, and remained in good health. Then, after 42 days of entries, the writing simply stopped. MacKenzie was never seen again.

Strangely, another plane crashed in the area around the same time. One prospector was found dead at the wreckage, but the pilot and two other passengers were never located — no bodies, no clues.

Over the decades, the Nahanni Valley has become infamous not just for its unsolved deaths and disappearances, but also for the supernatural legends that have followed. Hikers and explorers have reported sightings of headless apparitions drifting through the forests, eerie wails echoing through the canyons, and even unexplained lights moving across the sky.

Whether it’s the land itself, some ancient curse, or forces unknown, Nahanni’s dark reputation endures, warning all who enter that beauty and danger often walk hand in hand.

1. The Suicide Forest

Few forests evoke unease as deeply as Japan’s Aokigahara Jukai, chillingly nicknamed the Suicide Forest. Nestled at the base of Mount Fuji, this dense, silent woodland has become infamous as the final destination for many who sought to end their lives. That tragic reputation has given rise to a haunting legacy of ghost stories and paranormal encounters.

Visitors often speak of spectral women in white kimonos — Yūrei, restless spirits from Japanese folklore — gliding silently between the trees. Approach them, and they dissolve into mist. Others have described an eerie sensation of a tap on the shoulder, only to turn and find no one there. Disembodied sobs and whispers drift through the still air, unsettling even seasoned hikers. Some believe the forest itself is sentient, its trees growing thicker and more tangled, as if trying to trap those who enter.

But perhaps the most harrowing experiences are the remnants left behind: cell phones, abandoned shoes, and handwritten farewell notes pinned to tree trunks. These artifacts cut deeper than any ghost story — they’re haunting, human echoes of real suffering. In Aokigahara, the most terrifying presence isn’t always supernatural. Sometimes, it’s the sorrow that lingers.