National Park After Dark

Audioboom Studios
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Oct 6, 2025 • 1h 24min

326: Short Life, Long Legacy. The Vision of George Meléndez Wright.

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, today’s episode is dedicated to George Meléndez Wright, the first Hispanic person to occupy a professional role in the National Park Service. His life was cut tragically short, but his holistic approach to wildlife management in the National Parks has left an indelible mark. To submit a business for the Outsiders Gift Guide, please email assistant@npadpodcast.com by October 22nd :) Sources: Book: George Melendez Wright: The Fight for Wildlife and Wilderness in the National Parks by Jerry Emory Articles/Webpages: National Park Service, George Wright Society, National Park Conservation Association, PBS Documentaries/Videos: Explore Nature, George Wright Society: George Mélendez Wright and The Fight for Wildlife and Wilderness in National Parks For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes 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! Rocket Money: Use our link to get started saving. Wildgrain: Go to Wildgrain.com/NPAD and start your subscription to get $30 off the first box, PLUS free Croissants in every box. IQBAR: Text PARK to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products and free shipping. Cash App: Download Cash App Today: [SECURE10] #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See terms and conditions at https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement. Direct Deposit, Overdraft Coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit http://cash.app/legal/podcast  for full disclosures.
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Sep 29, 2025 • 1h 24min

325: Never. Give. Up. Angeles National Forest

When a small Cessna went down in the San Gabriel Mountains in February 1979, eleven-year-old Norman Ollestad was thrust into a fight for his life. Stranded in a blizzard on alpine terrain more than 8,500 feet up, he drew on the skills and grit he’d learned from his father to make his way out. Sources: Crazy for the Storm: A Memoir of Survival, by Norman Ollestad (2009). For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes 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! SelectQuote: Life insurance is never cheaper than it is today. Get the right life insurance for YOU, for LESS, and save more than fifty percent at selectquote.com/npad Hello Fresh: Use our link to get up to 10 FREE meals and a free item for life. Smalls: For a limited time only, get 60% off your first order PLUS free shipping when you head to Smalls.com/npad. BetterHelp: National Park After Dark is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off.
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Sep 25, 2025 • 1h 1min

324: Trail Tales 77

Today’s stories include being locked in taxidermy museums, meeting legends, lightning escapes, ghostly hikes and trolling blue butterflies. 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! Hello Fresh: Use our link to get up to 10 FREE meals and a free item for life. Cash App: Download Cash App Today: [SECURE10] #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See terms and conditions at https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement. Direct Deposit, Overdraft Coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit http://cash.app/legal/podcast  for full disclosures. Monsters Among Us: Listen to Monsters Among Us Podcast now  on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 of the TRIO!
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Sep 22, 2025 • 1h 23min

323: The Pablo Escobar of Eggs. Matobo National Park.

When Jefferey Lendrum was a boy, he loved birds. What began as a childhood passion volunteering for an ornithology program transformed into a life of wildlife crime - scaling cliffs to steal and then smuggle falcon eggs around the world. Despite multiple arrests, steep fines and various investigations - he just couldn’t quit. What motivated him? How did his dedication to birds turn to destruction? This is the story of the “Pablo Escobar of Falcon Eggs”. NEW MERCH AVAILABLE NOW! Sources: Book - The Falcon Thief by Joshua Hammer Documentary - Poached Articles / Webpages - NPS, NPS (2), The New York Times, The Washington Post, India Times, Traffic.org 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! Soul:  For 30% off your order, head to GetSoul.com and use code NPAD. PAKA: Head to go.pakaapparel.com/NPAD and use code NPAD to grab your PAKA hoodie and free pair of alpaca crew socks Ollie: Take the online quiz and introduce Ollie to your pet. Visit https://ollie.com/npad today for 60% off your first box of meals! #ToKnowThemIsToLoveThem Liquid IV: Use our code NPAD at checkout to get 20% off your first order.
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Sep 15, 2025 • 8min

Introducing: CRIME HOUSE DAILY

Crime doesn’t take a day off. And neither does Crime House Daily. Hosted by self-defense instructor and advocate for victims, Katie Ring, Crime House Daily is coming to you twice every weekday, covering the biggest crime stories as they unfold. Morning episodes give you the need-to-know. The latest headlines, breaking developments, and where things are going next. Evening episodes go deeper. Into the people, the evidence, and the moments that matter most. The pursuit of justice never stops. And with Crime House Daily, you won’t have to either. Follow Crime House Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or listen here: https://link.podtrac.com/dr2cdgsw
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Sep 15, 2025 • 1h 22min

322: National Park After Dark X Heart Starts Pounding

In today’s long awaited collaboration, we team up with Kaelyn Moore of the podcast Heart Starts Pounding. Kaelyn covers all sorts of creepy, strange and unexplainable topics from around the world on her show, but today we all dive into the Reddit world (which is scary in and of itself) to bring you some tales of scary and strange happenings from where we know best ... the forest. For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes 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! Quince: Use our link to get free shipping and 365-day returns. BetterHelp: National Park After Dark is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off. Rocket Money: Use our link to get started saving. IQBAR: Text PARK to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products and free shipping.
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Sep 1, 2025 • 1h 20min

321: Dying for the Lost City of Z. Xingu National Park.

In 1925, famed British explorer Percy Fawcett set out on his most ambitious journey yet — to find a legendary city hidden deep in the Amazon. At his side were his 21-year-old son Jack and Jack’s best friend, Raleigh Rimell. All three vanished without a trace. What began as a quest for discovery became one of the most enduring mysteries in the history of exploration. Sources: The Lost City of Z, film (2016). The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon, by David Grann (2009). “The Lost City of Z,” by David Grann (The New Yorker, 2005). Exploration Fawcett: Journey to the Lost City of Z, by Brian Fawcett and Percy Fawcett (1951). For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes 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! 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. Wildgrain: Go to Wildgrain.com/NPAD and start your subscription to get $30 off the first box, PLUS free Croissants in every box. IQBAR: Text PARK to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products and free shipping. Lola Blankets: Get 35% off your entire order at Lolablankets.com by using code NPAD at checkout.
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Aug 28, 2025 • 53min

320: Trail Tales 76

Today’s stories include lightning drama, peeing with friends, and choosing the bear. Outsiders Only bonus stories available for Patreon and Apple Subscribers! Listen to Watch Her Cook on Apple and Spotify! Follow us on Instagram For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes 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! Coyuchi: Get 15% off when you visit Coyuchi.com/npad.
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Aug 25, 2025 • 1h 27min

319: Happy Birthday National Park Service, Not Everyone Loves You!

Today marks the NPS’s 109th birthday! In celebration (?) we pulled a few less than enthusiastic 1 star reviews of some of our favorite places. A few are straight up silly, some are maddening and others prove that just because National Parks are for everyone, not everyone are for National Parks. Sources: All reviews found on Yelp, NPS History For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes 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! Hello Fresh: Use our link to get up to 10 FREE meals and a free item for life. Smalls: For a limited time only, get 60% off your first order PLUS free shipping when you head to Smalls.com/npad. Blueland: Use our link to get 15% off your first order. Rocket Money: Use our link to get started saving.
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Aug 18, 2025 • 1h 1min

318: The Murder of Tomomi Hanamure. Grand Canyon National Park.

On May 8th, 2006 to celebrate her 34th birthday, Tomomi Hanamure laced up her hiking boots, as she had done so many times before, for an adventure. Her return journey to the Grand Canyon was a way to mark another year around the sun, to a place she felt so personally drawn to. Tragically, the date that marked her entrance into this world would also be the day someone violently ripped her out of it. More info on WFA classes HERE Sources: Book: Pure Land: A True Story of Three Lives, Three Cultures and the Search for Heaven on Earth Articles: High Country News, Backpacker Web Pages: National Parks Service Podcast:  Park Predators 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. Soul:  For 30% off your order, head to GetSoul.com and use code NPAD. Hello Fresh: Use our link to get up to 10 FREE meals and a free item for life. IQBAR: Text PARK to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products and free shipping.

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