Photo by Galyna Andrushko from Shutterstock
There’s no denying that our country is filled with majestic places, and maybe an entire life is not enough to visit most of them. But if you’re an avid traveler just like I am, you’ve probably checked the most popular destinations, including some that are kind of mysterious, if not scary.
Conspiracy theories and superstitions are more likely the contributing factors to the rumors surrounding these places. Sadly, some people avoid visiting these stunning places due to the “inexplicable” things that happen in their area. And let’s face it… you would be skeptical (and scared) too.
And whether these stories are true or not, one thing is certain: some people inexplicably vanished while visiting these mysterious places.
How many of these mysterious places have you visited or plan to?
You can find Mesa Verde National Park in the region called the Four Corners. It was named this way because it consists of the southwestern corner of Colorado, the southeastern corner of Utah, the northeastern corner of Arizona, and the northwestern corner of New Mexico.
Many years ago, Mesa Verde (“green table” in Spanish) was actually the home of the Ancestral Puebloans (Anasazi), known for building countless dwellings into the cliffs surrounding this area. However, for some mysterious reason, they migrated from Mesa Verde, going further south to places such as the Rio Grande and Arizona, New Mexico.
They basically lived there for approximately 100, leaving behind all their efforts to build the cliff dwellings, which, by the way, are pure art. A clear answer about their choice to abandon this place is unknown, but some history buffs think they left due to some mysterious disappearances. In contrast, others believe that they simply run out of resources to survive.
No matter the case, Mesa Verde National Park is definitely something you should visit once in your lifetime. People say that Mesa Verde has a timeless beauty, so you have to see that with your own eyes.
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Bordering North Carolina and Tennessee, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a delight to the eyes. And the fact that they lie along the southern part of the Appalachian Mountain makes them even stunning. For that reason, it comes as no surprise that Great Smoky Mountains Natural Park has a lot of visitors.
However, some tourists are more interested in finding out what’s all the mystery regarding them. There were three strange disappearances in this area, and none of them was actually solved. The first one was the case of a 6-year-old boy who went missing back in 1969. The last one occurred in 1981 when an elderly woman simply vanished.
So, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park still has a sinister reputation, as all locals there are perfectly familiar with the mountains’ power. Those stories basically describe the common phrase “You can’t deal with Mother Nature…”
Well… they are called the Superstition Mountains for a reason… The mountain range received this name from Spanish conquistadors, who basically ignored all the warnings from Apache Native Americans. They told them that the highest peak is sacred, calling it the home of the Thunder God.
Unsurprisingly, in the name of gold, the Spanish ventured themselves into that mountain area, refusing to believe the warnings. During their search, some went missing, eventually found dead a couple of days after.
There’s a legend saying that the Apache people believed that the entrance to the underworld is located somewhere in the Superstition Mountains. All in all, if you’re not after the gold, you should definitely plan a trip to the Superstition Mountains; they are impressive.
We are not referring to Pecos, Texas but to the village located in New Mexico that lies super close to Santa Fe, right near the Pecos River. It’s a pretty popular spot among those who love fishing and spend time outdoors, seeking adventures. That was the case of a 61-year-old man, too. Back in 2009, he went missing on a hunting trip, and no one has ever heard of him since then.
Pecos is kind of famous for its unusual disappearances. That’s why most locals refer to the area as the Pecos Triangle. People who live nearby say that supernatural beings haunt the area. Some even say that you can spot UFOs there.
In spite of everything, the area is absolutely stunning.
Located northeast of Reno, Nevada, there’s a saltwater lake called Pyramid Lake. If you look at the image above, you can instantly tell why they chose to name it this way; there’s basically a rock formation in the shape of a pyramid emerging majestically from the lake.
In the past, this lake was famous for its species of trout, but now, it seems the attention of the Internet and people’s curiosity too was redirected to some speculations. Apparently, two men went missing in the area. Some claim that they were actually dragged underwater by evil spirits.
Well, you know how it goes; when you can’t find a logical explanation for something, it’s easier to believe that “a monster” is responsible for these disappearances.
I think we are all familiar with the Nevada Triangle. But for those who aren’t, the area is famous for the mysterious disappearances of many aircraft. The disappearance that occurred back in 2007 was pretty popular, making the headlines at that time.
The case involved an aviator named Steve Fossett, who actually flew into the Nevada Triangle when he went missing, never to be seen again. However, as most of us could assume, the place hasn’t got its mysterious reputation just from a single disappearance.
Many people have vanished before him. Plus, the area’s close proximity to the famous Area 51 makes it even more “dreadful.”
We can all agree that Yosemite National Park is one of the most beautiful national parks in the U.S., if not in the world. Yosemite is well known for its majestic beauty and wide array of unique wildlife, including grizzly bears. But there’s another thing that makes Yosemite National Park so special… namely the numerous disappearances.
No one knows what happened to the 45 people who went missing, but people mention stories about spirited children. What can we say… Yosemite National Park is definitely a hauntingly beautiful location. And maybe you’ll come across something very strange on your next trip to the Yosemite National Park.
Sitting along the border of Canada and the U.S., Lake Superior has gained its popularity due to a large number of ships it has taken. Some of them were never found. But probably the most famous ones were “The Flying Dutchman of Lake Superior,” “SS Western Reserve,” “SS Kamloops,” and of course “SS Edmund Fitzgerald.”
For this particular reason, this area attracts many scuba divers across the world. They choose to swim there, hoping they will have the opportunity to see a sunken ship. Some even said that they spotted a mysterious silhouette of something that most likely resembled a ship.
Probably the Bermuda Triangle needs virtually no introduction, but still, we are going to highlight the facts that make this place the home of conspiracy theories. Located somewhere in the southern Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida, this place is famously known for its ability to make things disappear.
The most discussed disappearance was the one involving a naval ship called the USS Cyclops. Back in 1918, this ship vanished, never to be found again. Another popular vanishing was the one of a squadron of planes in 1945.
From a logical and scientific point of view, these disappearances occurred due to methane gas and rogue waves, but as we all know, it’s more entertaining to let people assume that something mysterious and unnatural is causing these occurrences.
Being one of America’s crown jewels, the Grand Canyon is visited by more than 5.9 million people each year, and, apparently, not all of them go back to where they came from. According to the My Grand Canyon Park website, the chances of dying in the park are actually 1 in 400,000, and although it seems like a small odd, people do mysteriously vanish there.
Others don’t. They just want to stay missing in the Grand Canyon. That was the case of Danny Ray Horning, who “went” missing back in 1992 in the Grand Canyon. After doing a little research, The New York Times said that the man actually tried to flee from police officers, hiding in the Grand Canyon.
In other words, not everyone that mysteriously disappears actually disappears… Maybe he or she is being searched by the police, or he/she had enough of his/her spouse’s tantrums.
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When I lived in Reno back in 71/72 our pool hall group had their victory party here. I was in a 2 piece bathing suite from 8am to 6pm. I was so burnt I couldn't walk for two weeks. Almost went into pneumonia. We water skied all day and little did I know that I was also 3 months pregnant. That was sooooo long ago,