National Park After Dark

In today's episode, we speak with John Jurko II, the lead producer of an upcoming documentary film, Rhino Man. We discuss the poaching crisis in places like Kruger National Park and the Rangers who risk their lives to protect the wildlife. We also take the time to honor the legacy of Anton Mzimba, a lead ranger and protagonist of the film, who recently had his life taken because of the work he did...

In 1945 a sightseeing tour plane carrying American military personnel crashed into the western New Guinea jungle. The survivors spent the next several weeks trying to survive the harsh elements in a land they knew very little about. They weren't alone though, they had landed right in the middle of indigenous tribal territory, people who they knew to be cannibalistic and violent. In this struggle f...

In part two of the story of Dian Fossey we discuss Dian’s murder, who could be responsible, her unethical practices, and who paid the ultimate price during the messy, questionable and confusing process of uncovering the truth. Lean more about and contribute to the Fossey Fund HERE.For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials:Instag...

Today we are headed to the mountains of Rwanda for part one of our two-part series on the story of Dian Fossey. Her unorthodox and sometimes volatile “active conservation” methods undoubtedly saved the mountain gorillas, but ultimately may have led to her demise. Her love for the animals and passion for conservation changed the tides for the future of the species – never underestimate the change o...

Today’s stories include misleading boy scouts, guiding hands, clap backs, near death experiences and cautionary tales. All tales shared with consent. We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re listening to NPAD! Become part of our Outsider family on Patr...

Louis Hastings wanted to get away from the fast life of California and into a place where he felt more at peace in nature. He decided the best place to venture to would be the remote town of McCarthy Alaska, a place with limited resources and only accessible by plane during the long winter months. When Louis begins to disagree with the way the state of Alaska is handling the lands, he goes on a mu...

After feeling betrayed by his lawyer and the Union Pacific Railroad, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid flee Utah to start a new life in South America. Their lavish lifestyles and gambling habits cause them to make a quick stop and they make a terrible mistake that leads to a manhunt to find them. Their life of crime catches up to them and sparks a mystery that to this day, has yet to be solved. F...

This week we head back to the 1800s wild wild west. We follow Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch gang – the most prolific bank and train robbers in outlaw history. Butch Cassidy created an extremely organized group of outlaws who spent their time fleeing authorities on horseback into the most remote areas of Utah, taking sums of money that would be worth millions today. For the latest NPAD updates,...

Today we sit down with Bruce Poon Tip, the Executive Producer of the 2022 documentary, The Last Tourist. This episode will inspire you to see the world and discusses how to be a more responsible and compassionate traveler. Watch The Last Tourist on Apple TV, Hulu, and more. For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at:Instagram:...

Today’s stories include following your gut, “coincidences” and close calls on the AT.  All stories shared with consent. We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re listening to NPAD! Become part of our Outsider family on Patreon to gain access to ad-free...

Grab your climbing gear and protest signs because this week we are heading to Humboldt County California to fight to save the redwood forest. We are following the journey of Julia Butterfly Hill as she tree-sits in one of the tallest and oldest redwood trees that has been marked to be clearcut, along with the redwood forest surrounding it. She is harassed, threatened, and almost loses her life mor...

Today we remember and honor the life of Danielle’s partner Ian along with all the smiles, laughs and immense love he left behind. We also discuss grief, in its many forms, and what life after death for the living can be like. We love you Ian. Ian’s GoFundMeGrief Support Recs: Terrible, Thanks for Asking. Good Mourning. Hey Spirit (Podcasts). Hot Young Widows Club (Book). TED Talk. For the latest N...

Today’s stories include guardian spirits, trail stalkers, and the elusive Washington pineapple. All stories shared with consent. We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re listening to NPAD! Become part of our Outsider family on Patreon to gain access to...

In May of 1996, Lollie Winans and Julie Williams visited Shenandoah National Park on a backpacking trip. Several days into their trip they went missing and eventually park rangers found that they had been brutally murdered. To this day the case has still not been solved and investigations have slowed down, until now. In this episode we speak to investigative journalist Kathryn Miles who spent that...

This month we take a trip back to Olympic National Park and get to know Jane Constantino – a young woman who lived life to the fullest. Her adventures and subsequent brushes with death led her to Washington state, all in the hopes of checking off an item on her list. Perhaps driven by an ominous premonition, Jane explored the world and experienced life while she still had time. Time, that was cut...

Dr. Rolf Peterson is celebrated as a world authority on wolves and as an internationally recognized wildlife ecologist. We discuss his extensive and impressive career, conducting wolf and moose research in places like Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Yellowstone National Park, and Isle Royale National Park. Dr. Peterson gives us invaluable insight into the role wolves play in the ecological health...

In 2006 Ricky Megee was accepted a new job  and packed his bags for a 55 hour road trip to begin his new adventures. When he comes across a group of men broken down on the side of the road, inside Australia's most desolate countryside, he stops to help. However, these men aren't broken down and shortly after, Ricky wakes up buried alive hundreds of miles from any civilization in one of the most un...

National Parks, as most places do, have rules. It is expected as visitors that we abide by them and it is also expected that rangers not only uphold them themselves, but enforce them. But what happens when they don’t? What happens when those whose objective is to preserve, protect and enhance - turn their back on those very commitments? Today we venture to Effigy Mounds National Monument – a place...

Today’s stories include feisty goats, spooky skeptics, haunted trails, guardian angels and surviving a serial killer. (Outsiders – two bonus stories can be found on Patreon!) All stories shared with consent. We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re lis...

Grab your lifejacket, a paddle, and your best dry-bag because this week we're heading to different countries throughout Africa to explore some of the best whitewater rapids in the world. We follow the extraordinary life of Hendrik Coetzee, an avid outdoorsman who finds his true love and passion on the white waters. Not only are these some of the best rapids in the world, they're also some of the m...

In the late 1800's feathers were a massive fashion craze, to have them on your clothing was a signal of wealth and importance. To obtain these feathers, plume hunters decimated the fragile ecosystem and wading birds of the Everglades. The devastation caused an uproar and a call for conservation efforts to be put into place. At this time, Guy Bradley happily accepted the position as Game Warden and...

Today’s stories include gut instincts, haunted happenings, park magic, more signs from the universe and respectful run ins with predators. Patreon bonus stories involve bears, dogs and staying safe in bear country. All tales shared with consent. We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate...

We turn to nature for so many reasons. To find peace, seek answers, to heal and more. It’s amazing what a simple walk in the woods can do for the soul and thus, why so many of us trek out into the wild in search of our own slice of magic. But not every person found in the forest is searching for the same. Some turn to nature not for magic, but to search for victims. Today we discuss the crimes of...

The relationship humans have with animals stretches back thousands of years. Animals provide us joy and companionship, can be the source of sadness or elicit fear. They can be our closest friends or our fiercest enemies, but out of all the species we share our planet with, there is one that evokes a greater range of human emotion than any other. An animal who has divided us and also unified us. Jo...

Today’s stories include stumbling across a body, cries for help, a ghostly encounter, camping in a graveyard, Icelandic lore, and a scary encounter … with a chicken? All tales shared with consent. We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re listening to N...