National Park After Dark

Audioboom Studios

Hosted by two friends who share a passion for the wilderness and a fascination with what can go wrong there, each week hosts Danielle and Cassie explore the darker side of our National Parks and explore these treasured places in a whole new way - because behind the iconic arches and towering trees lie layered histories, grisly encounters, extraordinary stories of survival, tragic ends and so much more. But it isn’t always chills and thrills. By sharing inspiring tales and their desire for protecting our planet’s wild places, they hope the show will inspire listeners to lace up their own hiking boots and take a walk into the wild to create meaningful adventures of their own.

  • 1 hour 17 minutes
    290: The Conservation President and the Adventure That Almost Killed Him. Part 1.
    Following a crushing political defeat in 1913 former president Theodore Roosevelt turned to what soothed him the most - the wild and pushing his limits within it. Roosevelt is a complicated historical figure - one who is remembered in teddy bears, for his legacy of public land protection, as the country’s youngest and most influential politician as well as a man who held racist ideals - but not many remember him as a man who lived for adventure and pioneering exploration. When the opportunity presented itself to participate in an expedition into untouched Amazonian jungle to map an unexplored river - he was willing to die for it.

    For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at:

    Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark
    TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark

    Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page!

    Thank you to the week’s partners!
    IQBAR: Text PARK to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products and free shipping.
    AG1: AG1 is offering new subscribers a FREE $76 gift when you sign up. You’ll get a Welcome Kit, a bottle of D3K2 AND 5 free travel packs in your first box. So make sure to check out DrinkAG1.com/npad.
    Quince: Use our link to get free shipping and 365-day returns.
    Ollie: Use NPAD to get 60% off your first box of meals when you subscribe today.

    For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes
    7 April 2025, 4:00 am
  • 1 hour 3 minutes
    289: The River Ladies of the Grand Canyon.
    Botanists Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter changed the stereotype of women in botany when they found a love for not the delicate flowers, but the cacti with thorns and the vegetation that thrived in the most inhospitable environments. They set out to do something that had never been done before, to be the first women to boat the entirety of the Colorado River and map out the flora of the Grand Canyon. If successful, they would be the first women to ever survive the trip.

    Listen to Watch Her Cook on Apple and Spotify!

    Follow the Watch Her Cook Podcast on Instagram here for more updates!

    For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at:

    Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark
    TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark

    Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page!

    Thank you to the week’s partners!
    BetterHelp: National Park After Dark is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off.
    Smalls: For 50% off your first order, head to Smalls.com and use code NPAD.
    Blueland:  Use our link to get 15% off your first order.

    For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes
    31 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 1 hour 17 minutes
    288: Oh, the Places You Won’t Go. Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park.
    In July of 1897, three men were carried into the sky inside a hydrogen balloon with the goal of being the first to reach the North Pole. The fate of their ambitious expedition remained a mystery for decades until the 1930’s, when a chance discovery unveiled the location of their final camp. But that revelation only gave rise to more puzzling questions  we are still trying to answer today.

    For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at:

    Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark
    TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark

    Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page!

    For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes

    Thank you to the week’s partners!
    Boll and Branch: Use our link to get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets.
    Soul:  For 30% off your order, head to GetSoul.com and use code NPAD.
    IQBAR: Text PARK to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products and free shipping.
    Naked Wines: To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to NakedWines.com/NPAD and use code NPAD for both the code AND PASSWORD.
    17 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 57 minutes 20 seconds
    287: Trail Tales 66
    Today’s stories include slapping the bag, a mother’s intuition, geocaching gone wrong, being saved by spirits, synchronicities and sibling pranks. Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreon and Apple Subscribers!

    For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at:

    Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark
    TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark

    Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page!

    Thank you to the week’s partners!
    Graza: Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/NPAD and use promo code NPAD today for 10% off your first order.
    Ollie: Use NPAD to get 60% off your first box of meals when you subscribe today.
    iRestore: For a limited time only, our listeners get $625 off their iRestore Elite when you use code NPAD at iRestorelaser.com
    The Box of Oddities: Listen now wherever you get your podcasts!
    13 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 54 minutes 22 seconds
    286: Peak Danger with Cecilie Skog
    In todays episode, we had the incredible opportunity to speak with Cecilie Skog. Cecilie has cemented her place in the world of extreme adventure sports as being the first person in the world to have skied across both the North and the South Poles and to have climbed all of The Seven Summits. She also completed the first unassisted and unsupported trek across the continent of Antarctica and has made several treks across Greenland. Cecilie was also among the 31 climbers who were on K2 on its deadliest day in August 2008. She survived one of the worst tragedies in Himalayan history, witnessed her husband lose his life on the mountain - and has persevered. This isn’t a conversation to miss.

    Listen to Extreme: Peak Danger HERE

    For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at:

    Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark
    TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark

    Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page!

    Thank you to the week’s partners!
    BetterHelp: National Park After Dark is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off.
    Lume Deodorant: Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with
    @lumedeodorant and get 15% off with promo code NPAD at LumeDeodorant.com! #lumepod
    Quince: Use our link to get free shipping and 365-day returns.
    10 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 1 hour 57 minutes
    285: A Love Worth Fighting For. Speaking Up For Our Public Lands.
    On Valentine’s Day 4,400 Public Land workers were abruptly and illegally terminated from their positions and since then, news of executive orders threatening to exploit our public lands for their natural resources have been flooding headlines.

    To better understand the gravity of this situation and to hear straight from those most directly effected we are joined by Yosemite and Devils Postpile Ranger Alex Wild, Liz Crandall a field ranger in Deschutes National Forest, and Morgan Smith a Biological Science Technician for the US Forest Service. All three were recently terminated from their jobs due to the recent federal budget cuts.

    They share their love of the outdoors, explain the importance of their jobs, and speak to the dangerous repercussions our public lands will experience as a result of these terminations and extreme staffing shortages.

    How you can help!

    SAVE OUR PARKS MERCH! - 100% of our proceeds will be donated to and evenly allocated between The National Park Foundation and The National Forest Foundation.

    Sign petitions and write to your reps!
    Whitehouse resources:

    Unleashing American Energy


    Unleashing Alaska’s Resource Potential


    Immediate Expansion of Logging Timber (including BLM land, National Forests, and National Parks)

    For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at:

    Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark
    TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark

    Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page!

    Thank you to the week’s partners!
    IQBAR: Text PARK to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products and free shipping.
    AG1: AG1 is offering new subscribers a FREE $76 gift when you sign up. You’ll get a Welcome Kit, a bottle of D3K2 AND 5 free travel packs in your first box. So make sure to check out DrinkAG1.com/npad.
    3 March 2025, 5:00 am
  • 51 minutes 37 seconds
    284: Trail Tales 65
    Today’s stories include dumpster lemons, haunted marathons, national park first dates, night hippos, hero dads and being saved by science. Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreon and Apple Subscribers!

    For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at:

    Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark
    Twitter/X: @npadpodcast
    TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark


    Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page!

    Thank you to the week’s partners!
    SelectQuote: Use our link to get the right life insurance for YOU, for LESS. 
    27 February 2025, 5:00 am
  • 15 minutes 51 seconds
    Introducing: CRIME HOUSE TRUE CRIME STORIES
    Crime House True Crime Stories is the ultimate destination for true crime fans. Every episode features two notorious cases from that week in crime history, tied by a common theme like infamous serial killers, mysterious disappearances, tragic murders, and more. Every Monday, uncover the full stories behind the headlines as host Vanessa Richardson takes you through high-profile investigations like the murder of Gabby Petito, the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart, and the mass suicide of the Heaven's Gate cult. Follow Crime House True Crime Stories — a Crime House Original — wherever you listen to podcasts. 
    25 February 2025, 9:00 am
  • 1 hour 12 minutes
    283: The Year Without a Summer. Mount Tambora National Park.
    On April 10, 1815 the most powerful volcanic eruption in human history was recorded on an island in Indonesia. The ash cloud that formed by its explosion was as large and the entire country of the United States and hovered close to 12 miles above the earth, reaching the stratosphere. The results were catastrophic. It resulted in major climate changes, where in most of the world, summer never came. Wildlife and humans alike were left without sources of food while the landscapes changed around them. Roughly 100,000 people died in the immediately aftermath, but the death toll is estimated to be closer to 1 million around the globe. The time following the eruption has now been remembered in history as The Year Without a Summer.

    Come see us in Joshua Tree! Buy tickets here.

    For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at:

    Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark
    TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark

    Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page!

    Thank you to the week’s partners!
    Blueland:  Use our link to get 15% off your first order.
    Boll and Branch: Use our link to get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets.
    Naked Wines: To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to NakedWines.com/NPAD and use code NPAD for both the code AND PASSWORD.
    Smalls: For 50% off your first order, head to Smalls.com and use code NPAD.

    For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes
    24 February 2025, 5:00 am
  • 48 minutes 2 seconds
    282: The Port Chicago Disaster. Port Chicago Naval Magazine National
    On July 17th, 1944 the worst home front disaster of WWII unfolded in an instant when a munitions base exploded with the force of 5,000 lbs of TNT just outside of San Fransisco. The catastrophic incident killed 320 people instantly and injured hundreds more. The event resulted in the largest mutiny trial in US Naval History and raised awareness of racial injustice and unsafe working conditions during the war and became a critical event in the Civil Rights Movement.

    For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at:

    Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark
    Twitter/X: @npadpodcast
    TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark

    Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page!

    Thank you to the week’s partners!
    BetterHelp: National Park After Dark is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off.
    Prose: Use our link for a free in-depth hair consultation and 50% off your first subscription order.
    Rocket Money: Use our link to get started saving.
    IQBAR: Text PARK to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products and free shipping.

    For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes 

    Sources:
      NPS, The National WWII Museum, CBS, US Naval Institute, NPS (2), Naval History and Heritage Command, NPS – Golden Gate Cemetery , CBS News, Legal Defense Fund
    17 February 2025, 5:00 am
  • 1 hour 39 seconds
    281: Trail Tales 64
    Today’s stories include check ins from the other side, underwater close calls, man ghosts, cases of mistaken identity, cursed Airbnb’s and bodies in the woods. Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreon and Apple Subscribers!

    For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at:


    Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark
    Twitter/X: @npadpodcast
    TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark


    Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page!

    Thank you to the week’s partners!
    iRestore: For a limited time only, our listeners get $625 off their iRestore Elite when you use code NPAD at iRestorelaser.com
    Factor: Use our link and code npad50off to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping.
    Graza: Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/NPAD and use promo code NPAD today for 10% off your first order.
    Astonishing Legends: Astonishing Legends is available wherever you like to listen to podcasts.

    For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes
    13 February 2025, 5:00 am
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