Missing in the United States National Woods
Getting lost in the woods is an age-old fear, memorialized in folklore like Hansel & Gretel, all the way to today with coverage from the Missing 411 books and documentary. However, as many investigators, both armchair and licensed, have pointed out there seems to be an unusually high concentration of people missing in America’s national parks under strange circumstances.
Currently, NPS does not provide a central database of missing people in National Parks. However, on their website (linked below) they highlight nearly 30 cold cases of people who have gone missing, dating back to 1958.
I’d like to take a moment to share this resource with everyone reading. The National Park Service has an active roster of missing and cold cases which you can find here. I encourage all those who are reading, especially those who regularly access National Parks, to take a moment to review this page and see if you may have any information regarding these cases. While an interesting story, at its core, the missing people in America’s National Forests represent dozens of peoples' loved ones. Please treat this story not only with morbid fascination, but with human compassion.
One of the reasons for confusion, and a lack of a unified database, is the fact that The National Parks Services almost always leaves it up to local state law enforcement to track, solve, and document reports of missing people in the parks. Because of each case not being linked to the central commonality of the parks, it is difficult to track trends, commonalities, or even reports and sightings.
Sadly, many cases of missing people in national parks have conclusions linked to unsafe conditions, not being prepared, an accidental fall, an injury that became life-threatening, or being exposed to extreme weather without proper protection.
However, some of the cases, especially those reported and championed by the missing’s family and friends, are stranger and more convoluted than simple accidents.
David Paulides is one of the many investigators to the stranger missing cases that happen within the bounds of national parks. He has recorded multiple cases, where there “were a number of these disappearances that happened near berry patches and boulders and still more in which people were found at much higher altitudes than those at which they disappeared. In one such case, a toddler was found dead 12 miles (19 kilometers) from where he vanished, over two mountain ranges and numerous creeks.” Based on his investigation, he has come to the belief that there is something deeper and stranger happening in these missing persons cases that amount to more than accidents or unpreparedness.
Jon Billman, another national parks missing person investigator and author of “The Cold Vanish”, notes that in 2020 and beyond it seems that missing person cases are on an exponential rise. Billman, who focuses closely on Mount Rainier, notes in 2020, “A couple of the missing people were mountaineering and doing some stuff that would be dangerous, but the others were just out enjoying themselves on highly trafficked trails...Rainier has weird cases like that where people are just out enjoying the day and they don’t come back.”
Billman is also responsible for one of the best articles on this case ever, referenced above in sources, but you can also click here, published in Outside in 2017.
In this article, he covers everything from Missing 411 to NPS approaches to missing people. He also covers several interesting cases, including that of Joe Keller.
The New York post, in 2020, highlighted the case of Jacob Gray. In April 2017, Jacob had been riding his bicycle during a rainstorm in the Olympic National Park, and, inexplicably, vanished. He was 22 at the time. His bike and camping gear were discovered near the Sol Duc River, but otherwise no trace of where he had been or where he had ended up was discovered. The state carried out months of search and rescue missions, but got no closer to finding Jacob.
One of the reasons Jacob’s case had gone cold was because the NPS in Washington believed he had either drowned accidentally, something his father said was near-impossible, and/or the depression and sadness he was feeling following his parents divorce had taken hold. Other theories include him hitchhiking out of the area to start a new life. There was no foul play suspected in the case, as his belongings were untouched.
But his father, Randy, wasn’t giving up. He liquidated his business, home, and everything he could to dedicate spending 12-14 hour days in the park searching for his son. He was joined by Jon Billman for a stretch, and even spent a few months with Olympic Project, a group of Bigfoot Hunters who volunteered hundreds of hours of time in search and rescue missions.
Over a year later, after 18 months of searching, Randy found his answer. On August 10th, 2018 a team of biologists studying marmots stumbled upon the remains of clothing. They reported it, and it was confirmed to belong to Jacob. They were in a remote part of Olympic National Park, though. His skeletal remains were found 5,300 feet above sea level and approximately fifteen miles from where Jacob left his bike. But why would he walk 15 miles when he could bike? And why had he gone to such high elevation and succumbed there when he had camping gear?
Although Randy now knows the ultimate fate of his son, he doesn’t know why. The corner who reviewed Jacob’s remains labeled the cause of death “inconclusive.”
Jacob is one of dozens of missing persons whose fate was strange and includes unexplained elements. He is also one of the rare missing people to be found, even in death.
There does seem to be something strange and unusual happening in our National Parks - whether it is paranormal, Bigfoot, something terrestrial, or something...else. I urge everyone to be cautious, humble, and prepared when they travel into these lands. Whether it’s for a casual hike or a multi-day camping trip. Always ensure you have access to a cell phone with service or a sat. phone and that to give your itinerary to trusted friends and family.
Thanks to ‘Drinks with Death’ for this blogsotnishing topic!
This image is of Olympic National Park, Washington, USA, sea stacks. It is not indicative of where Jacob Gray was biking or where his remains were found.