Camp Monsters artwork

Camp Monsters

65 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 months ago - ★★★★★ - 2.5K ratings

These are the stories of impossible encounters with impossible creatures in the wildest corners of North America. We’ll travel the country, sit around campfires and talk about that thing that ran across the trail in the middle of the night, just beyond the beam of your flashlight. Come closer to the fire. Let’s hear the next legend.

Drama Fiction Kids & Family Stories for Kids legends family friendly fiction halloween thriller folklore history monsters spooky
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Episodes

Augerino

November 08, 2023 11:00 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MB

BONUS EPISODE from the Camp Monsters live show at the REI Flagship store in Denver, Colorado.  Join host, Weston Davis, as he shares a personal story of his encounter with the Augerino, a wormy-snake-like creature attracted to water who bores tunnels through the earth...  Thank you to this season's sponsors: Benchmade, Roark, Keen and Fjallraven. 

Fresno Nightcrawler

October 25, 2023 10:00 - 33 minutes - 30.2 MB

One night in Fresno, California, Mateo's security camera caught strange, pale, billowy, disembodied legs walking across his front lawn. But when he looked out the window, there was nothing there... This episode is sponsored by Benchmade. Check out all of their amazing gear in store or at REI.com.  Sign-up for the Camp Monsters LIVE show in Denver on Saturday, October 28th from 5:30-7pm MT.

The Mujina

October 18, 2023 10:00 - 29 minutes - 27 MB

Honolulu in the late '50s was changing about as fast as a place can change. People and money were pouring in as quickly as the new jets could fly them— so no one remembers what had once occupied the spot that was paved and set up as the Waialae Drive-In Movie Theater. One night, Leilani was trying to catch a movie at the new theater when she walked into the bathroom and found a redheaded woman peering suspiciously into the mirror.  Maui Wildfire Support: Hawai'i People's Fund Council for ...

Tommyknockers

October 11, 2023 10:00 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MB

Lara just moved into a new house in an old coal-mining town in West Virginia. One night, she begins to hear sounds behind the walls of her basement bedroom. Knocking, knocking… This episode is sponsored by Keen. Check out all of their amazing gear in store or at REI.com. 

Tailypo

October 04, 2023 10:00 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MB

An old man at his cabin in Appalachia finds a dried-out old relic of a strange experience long ago. A hunt in the nearby woods that ended in a terrifying, near-fatal encounter. All these years later he'd found the old relic again, where he'd tucked it in the back of his safe. It brought back a lot of memories. And, as it turns out, that isn't all it brings back. This episode is sponsored by Fjallraven. Check out all of their amazing gear in store or at REI.com. 

Camp Monsters is Back for Season 5

September 27, 2023 10:00 - 1 minute - 1.39 MB

Camp Monsters is back for season 5, and the monsters are more mysterious than ever. Tune in to hear tales of peculiar creatures wandering through neighborhood yards, a strange relic discovered in a cabin in the woods, unexplained knocking in the basement and more.  Check out this season’s sponsors: Fjallraven Keen Roark Benchmade Artwork by Tyler Grobowsky

Behind the Scenes of Camp Monsters

November 09, 2022 11:00 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MB

Join host Weston Davis for a behind the scenes look at the who, how and why of the Camp Monsters podcast! This is a BONUS EPISODE from Wes' interview on REI's Wild Ideas Worth Living podcast with host, Shelby Stanger. He spills the spooky tea and you don't want to miss it.  Connect:  Shelby Stanger on Instagram  Listen to Wild Ideas Worth Living! 

Mothman

October 26, 2022 10:00 - 41 minutes - 38.3 MB

Donald and Lydia moved into their first home together a little outside of Point Pleasant, West Virginia when Lydia started noticing strange occurrences— like the two skinny things, casting shadows in the light that streams under the front door.  Shadows that look for all the world like what someone’s legs would cast, if they were standing, just outside. But there couldn't be anyone out there, right? If there were, they would have moved by now. No one stands so still for so long, without shif...

Gumberoo

October 19, 2022 10:00 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MB

Up in the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest, you can smell a Gumberoo before you hear it– a smell just like woodsmoke: faint at first, then thicker and thicker, like a campfire gone wild. If you’re smart you’ll get out of the woods right then– because Gumberoos can move fast. And if you gamble, and stick around, and the wind picks up and the Gumberoos came charging into the valley you’re in…well, there’s a reason that not many folks alive have heard the roar of a Gumberoo. This yea...

Lizard Man

October 12, 2022 10:00 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MB

Something feels off about this raining night in South Carolina. You can't put your finger on it. Driving through the intersection, you catch something in the rearview mirror. Something bathed in the red of your brake lights, something moving fast, close behind your car. You don’t get a good look at it, but…whatever it is, you decide you don’t like this. Whatever it is...you’re all alone out here. This year’s sponsor is YETI. Check out all of their amazing gear in store or at REI.com.  Drin...

Alkali Lake Monster

October 05, 2022 10:00 - 41 minutes - 37.8 MB

Along the shores of Walgren Lake State Park in Nebraska, the wind is chilly and something seems off in the water. Little whirlpools are starting to form, like something is pushing the water around…something deep down in the lake...something far too big... This year’s sponsor is YETI. Check out all of their amazing gear in store or at REI.com.  Drink it in – Shop YETI Drinkware Shop YETI Rambler Camp Monsters Mug

Sharlie

September 28, 2022 10:00 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MB

Iris was ice fishing on Payette Lake in McCall Idaho when suddenly, with an impact she could feel through her feet, something struck the ice beneath her...something greenish gray, and dark…and tipped with snapping teeth. This year’s sponsor is YETI. Check out all of their amazing gear in store or at REI.com.  Drink it in – Shop YETI Drinkware Shop YETI Rambler Camp Monsters Mug

Skunk Ape

September 21, 2022 10:00 - 35 minutes - 32.2 MB

Molly, an adventurous dog visiting the Gulf Coast of Florida with her owner, realizes she may be in trouble when she finds herself in tall thick grass, thicker reeds, mud, and deep water. A perfect trap for the Skunk Ape. This year’s sponsor is YETI. Check out all of their amazing gear in store or at REI.com.  Drink it in – Shop YETI Drinkware Pack it up - Shop YETI Camp Chairs Shop YETI Rambler Camp Monsters Mug

Hogzilla

September 14, 2022 10:00 - 38 minutes - 35.6 MB

Beyond the high school football end zone, through that little gap in the fence, and all the way down the hill into the trees is where locals believe the legendary ghost hog lives. Landry, the small town football star, may find himself running from more than his opponent this Friday night. This year’s sponsor is YETI. Check out all of their amazing gear in store or at REI.com.  Drink it in – Shop YETI Drinkware Shop YETI Rambler Camp Monsters Mug

Melon Heads

September 07, 2022 10:00 - 40 minutes - 36.6 MB

Across Fairfield County, Connecticut, whispers grow that back in the trees and forests, along lonely country lanes, live the “Melon Heads” — dangerous creatures known to lure and attack wayward outsiders. Trevor, a new mail carrier, found himself on an unfamiliar country route and wanted to finish before the darkness closed in. He'll always question whether or not that was a good idea... This year’s sponsor is YETI. Check out all of their amazing gear in store or at REI.com.  Drink it in –...

The Top Bunk

August 10, 2022 10:00 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MB

You arrive late to camp and get placed in a room with a single bunkbed all by yourself. The idea of having your own space sounds nice, until you realize you’re not alone... and someone or something is occupying the top bunk… Welcome to Camp Monsters Summer Camp. Over the past few seasons of the show, we’ve gotten tons of suggestions on the monsters we should cover. We noticed that a lot of these take place at a summer camp. So we’ve collected the best of the stories you’ve sent — and resear...

The Shadowman

August 03, 2022 10:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MB

You’re tucked away in your bunk at Camp Whileaway when you notice a shadowy figure in the corner of your room. You can’t take your eyes off it. You wish you could run, scream and cry out for help, but you know you won’t be able to… that’s one of the powers of the Shadowman. Welcome to Camp Monsters Summer Camp. Over the past few seasons of the show, we’ve gotten tons of suggestions on the monsters we should cover. We noticed that a lot of these take place at a summer camp. So we’ve collecte...

The Signal Cabin

July 27, 2022 10:00 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MB

A light in the darkness is usually a sign of a good thing—especially when you’re walking in the rain down a lonely old railway line in Tennessee. In this case, the light ahead is calling you toward something much less comforting. Welcome to Camp Monsters Summer Camp. Over the past few seasons of the show, we’ve gotten tons of suggestions on the monsters we should cover. We noticed that a lot of these take place at a summer camp. So we’ve collected the best of the stories you’ve sent — and r...

The Stowaway

July 20, 2022 10:00 - 36 minutes - 33.7 MB

Your dim lantern casts a thousand shadows down here in the low, soggy hold of the sail-training ship Amphion. But there is only one moving shadow that interests you. As you approach it, you begin to wonder who or what you have cornered, because it's not what you thought it was.   Welcome to Camp Monsters Summer Camp. Over the past few seasons of the show, we’ve gotten tons of suggestions on the monsters we should cover. We noticed that a lot of these take place at a summer camp. So we’ve co...

Spirit Lake

July 13, 2022 10:00 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MB

You’re supposed to be alone out here in the dark waters of Spirit Lake— the ranger ensured you there was nobody else. So why is there a strange glow across the lake? What is it coming from? Tonight you’ll find out. Welcome to Camp Monsters Summer Camp. Over the past few seasons of the show, we’ve gotten tons of suggestions on the monsters we should cover. We noticed that a lot of these take place at a summer camp. So we’ve collected the best of the stories you’ve sent — and researched a few...

Thin Air

July 06, 2022 10:00 - 34 minutes - 32 MB

We’re taking flight this week. Far up above the clouds where we come face-to-face with something we wish we hadn’t.    Welcome to Camp Monsters Summer Camp. Over the past few seasons of the show, we’ve gotten tons of suggestions on the monsters we should cover. We noticed that a lot of these take place at a summer camp. So we’ve collected the best of the stories you’ve sent — and researched a few of our own — to create our first series of legendary summer camp creatures. Hopefully you can t...

The Cavern

June 29, 2022 10:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MB

To battle the summer heat we're going underground. Where things are cool and quiet. A place where you might run into something that's been trapped for far too long. Welcome to Camp Monsters Summer Camp. Over the past few seasons of the show, we've gotten tons of suggestions on the monsters we should cover. We noticed that a lot of these take place at a summer camp. So we've collected the best of the stories you've sent — and researched a few of our own — to create our first series of legend...

The Snipe

June 22, 2022 10:00 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MB

This week we're heading to a summer camp in Mississippi. Where a group of campers decide to pull a prank on their bunk mate and something goes wrong. Horribly wrong.  Welcome to Camp Monsters Summer Camp. Over the past few seasons of the show, we've gotten tons of suggestions on the monsters we should cover. We noticed that a lot of these take place at a summer camp. So we've collected the best of the stories you've sent — and researched a few of our own — to create our first series of lege...

Introducing: Camp Monsters, Season 4

May 26, 2022 10:00 - 2 minutes - 2.36 MB

At the end of June 2022, we're kicking off our Camp Monsters Summer Camp. We've collected some of the best camp stories to create our first series of legendary summer camp creatures. You can take these episodes with you to the campfire, bunkhouses or whatever place you call camp this summer.  For those of you looking for the fall monsters, don't worry, we've got you covered. We'll return as usual in September and October for another eight episodes, telling terrifying tales of legendary crea...

Char Man

October 28, 2021 10:00 - 31 minutes - 28.5 MB

In our final episode of Camp Monsters, season three we're heading to Ojai, California. Unlike our usual campfire, we're gathering around an electric lantern because the hills surrounding us are tinder-dry, a fire waiting to happen. Once a wildfire gets started, it moves fast. Fire has always been a danger around here. The story we're telling tonight starts with one: the big Ojai fire of 1948. A fire that birthed something... dangerous.  Thanks to this season’s sponsor, YETI for supporting t...

The Chicago Wolfman

October 21, 2021 10:00 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MB

Back in 2014 in the midnight alleys in Chicago, people began to encounter something larger than the raccoons and coyote that are sometimes seen around the area. Something like a dog—or a wolf—but larger. Something that should walk on four legs but was seen walking...sprinting... on two. After an initial flurry of sightings the reports died down, but there are recent indications that whatever it is may be back. Thanks to this season’s sponsor, YETI for supporting the podcast. Artwork by Tyl...

The Sunnyvale Haunting

October 18, 2021 10:00 - 17 minutes - 16 MB

In this bonus episode we're gathering around a digital campfire in the new REI Co-op store in Sunnyvale. What's so special about this store? We're glad you asked. This store has a haunted reputation. Previous tenants have complained of flickering lights, unusual noises and that eerie feeling that has you looking over your shoulder. This bonus episode is about the Sunnyvale Store and what might be waiting for you on your next visit. Thanks to this season’s sponsor, YETI for supporting the po...

The Black Horse Dog

October 14, 2021 10:00 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MB

The eastern part of Montana is flat, empty and full of a subtle kind of beauty. It's a place where the sky is big and the silence is bigger. A place where your mind can play tricks on you if your car happens to break down on the side of the road in the growing darkness. And that's just what happened to Loretta on an evening not too long ago. Thanks to this season’s sponsor, YETI for supporting the podcast. Artwork by Tyler Grobowsky (@g_r_o_b_o)

Colossal Claude

October 07, 2021 10:00 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MB

Imagine that you're huddled on the deck of a ship with the wind and rain beating down on you. The waves are crashing and it feels like the boat is going to vibrate apart beneath your feet. We're offshore of the Oregon territory a place called the graveyard of the Pacific, and for good reason. There is more than just crashing waves lurking in the dark waters below the ship. Tales of a creature have haunted this coastline for years, all sailors on the coast have heard of it... Claude. Colossal...

The Mill Thing

September 30, 2021 10:00 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MB

Tonight we're camping out in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Surrounded by fall colors, woodsmoke and the sound of a distant river. A river that holds more than just fish and cool water. If you follow that river a few miles downstream, you'll come upon an old mill site. Nothing special, just a ruin of what once stood there. The locals know that the fishing around that site is no good. They also know that whenever they go there, a deep chill runs up their spine. That old mill site stays...

The Traveler

September 23, 2021 11:00 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MB

Airports at night can be a bit... unsettling. When the shops are closed and the concourse is mostly empty — dark corners and abandoned corridors. The Denver airport may be the most unsettling of them all. There are as many stories about this airport as there are flights in and out of it every day. And this story is about a woman who met a person (well, she thought he was a person) and discovered some of the haunting rumors about this airport are true.  And terrifying.   Thanks to this seaso...

The Firwood Reflection

September 16, 2021 12:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MB

Can you see your reflection in the window? Like a ghost standing just outside in the night, looking back at you. It’s a trick the light plays, when you’re inside looking out on a night as dark as this one. One of many tricks light can play — some stranger than others. That’s what must be the explanation behind this story — it must be a very specific trick of reflecting light that has only ever been observed in a little lake in a little park that’s out there in the darkness.  The park is cal...

The Beast of Truro

September 09, 2021 12:00 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MB

Here we are on Cape Cod, around a crackling fire on one of the only beaches on the Cape where fires are allowed: Head of the Meadow Beach, just outside Truro. A pleasant and welcoming place, in my opinion. I shouldn’t spoil a night like this with a story as frightening as the last time The Beast appeared here in Truro... But that's exactly what I'm here to do. Season sponsor: YETI Artwork: Tyler Grobowsky

Sasquatch - Part Four

August 19, 2021 13:00 - 19 minutes - 18 MB

Our third full season of Camp Monsters will start in September, thanks to our sponsors at YETI. In the meantime, we figured we'd give you a short bonus series to tide you over. And while you think you might know everything there is to know about Sasquatch, this is a personal account. A story that'll have you crawling under the covers questioning whether or not you really believe in monsters.  Follow along every month and chime in with what you would do in the narrator's shoes. Drop your tho...

Sasquatch - Part Three

July 15, 2021 12:00 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MB

Our third full season of Camp Monsters will start in September, thanks to our sponsors at YETI. In the meantime, we figured we'd give you a handful of stories to tide you over. And while you think you might know everything there is to know about Sasquatch, this is a personal account. A story that'll have you crawling under the covers questioning whether or not you really believe in monsters.  Follow along every month and chime in with what you would do in the narrator's shoes. Drop your tho...

Sasquatch - Part Two

June 17, 2021 09:00 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MB

Our third full season of Camp Monsters will start in September, thanks to our sponsors at YETI. In the meantime, we figured we'd give you a handful of stories to tide you over. And while you think you might know everything there is to know about Sasquatch, this is a personal account. A story that'll have you crawling under the covers questioning whether or not you really believe in monsters. Season sponsor: YETI Artwork by: Tyler Grobowsky, @g_r_o_b_o

Sasquatch - Part One

May 27, 2021 09:00 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MB

Our third full season of Camp Monsters will start in September, thanks to our sponsors at YETI. In the meantime, we figured we'd give you a handful of stories to tide you over. And while you think you might know everything there is to know about Sasquatch, this is a personal account. A story that'll have you crawling under the covers questioning whether or not you really believe in monsters.  Season sponsor: YETI Artwork by: Tyler Grobowsky, @g_r_o_b_o  

Season Three Trailer

April 14, 2021 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.73 MB

Camp Monsters will be back this September with a full third season, sponsored by our friends at YETI. To keep you entertained until the full season launches, we are releasing a four-part series about the legendary Sasquatch starting in May.  Make sure to listen to Camp Monsters season one and season two before our new season launches and check out all the YETI gear at REI. 

Mini Monster: Krampus

December 23, 2020 10:00 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MB

This Mini Monster episode takes us to the country of Austria, and the year 1709. It's the night before Christmas in a forgotten valley high in the mountains of Carinthia. It's a black, cold night. And we're about to learn about the creature that haunts the castle halls, bringing to the naughty boys and girls a fate much worse than coal in their stocking.

The Dark Divide: Sasquatch

November 18, 2020 11:00 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MB

We're sure you’ve all heard of the Sasquatch. Possibly the best-known legendary creature of all time, with entire groups dedicated to finding it. There have even been scientists who have dedicated their life to proving that Bigfoot does indeed walk this earth. And in this bonus episode, we're handing the mic to Harvest Moon. Harvest Moon is a Quinault native elder, a renowned storyteller and an honored historian. Her stories evoke the vivid spirituality and moral lessons of a rich culture, w...

Boo

October 28, 2020 09:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MB

Down along the coast of South Carolina, the people of the Sea Islands have a name for that dream that some of them have.  They call it the “Boo,” and it’s been around for a very long time.  As long as anyone can remember.  And the strange thing is that, just in this area, in the Sea Islands, the descriptions of the Boo are so consistent, even from people who have never heard of this dream-creature before.  If it is a dream.  But if it is a dream, no one has it for very long.  They get rid of...

Hidebehind

October 21, 2020 09:00 - 32 minutes - 29.5 MB

What is the Hidebehind supposed to be?  Just what it sounds like: a creature you never see directly, that always ducks back behind the nearest tree or rock when you turn to look at it.  It sounds harmless enough, but so does any nightmare once you’re awake.  And there are places where it can be a bit harder to awaken.  Places where dreams come closer to reality.  Places like the forests of the Pacific Northwest where the idea that something may be just behind that tree, watching you, drawing...

Mole

October 14, 2020 09:00 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MB

Bring a flashlight.  Or a headlamp, if you have one.  Bring a sweater, no matter what the weather is like outside.  The further we go, the cooler and darker it will get.  Bring boots too, the higher the better.  The walls and ceilings drip and ooze, the floors are wet with muck.  Down there, under the city.  Down in that... wilderness?  Well, it may be uncultivated and inhospitable, but it certainly is inhabited.  What inhabits it depends on how deep you go.  In this episode we’ll go as deep...

The Letiche

October 07, 2020 09:00 - 30 minutes - 28 MB

You’re out swimming when you feel a pinch on your leg. Is it a harmless fish or something a bit more sinister? Meet this week’s Camp Monster… The Letiche. A creature that lurks in the swamps and bayous of Louisiana.  Season sponsor: YETI Season artwork by Tyler Grobowsky. 

Shunka Warakin

September 30, 2020 17:25 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MB

In this episode we’re going out right to the very edge of the firelight, watching and listening.  We’ll go out where others swear they’ve seen something, heard something … something ancient, large, and threatening. Something from those dark old times when someone around the fire always had to stay awake, to keep watch.   It’s your turn.  So stay awake.  Keep your eyes open.  Stare into the night and listen for what you think you might have heard out there … in the darkness. Series sponsor:...

Mogollon Monster

September 23, 2020 10:00 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MB

If you’re looking for a beautiful sunset, go to the Mogollon Rim in Arizona.  They call it the Rim because that’s what it is: the rim of the giant Colorado plateau, where it drops off into the pine forest lowlands below.  Most of the Rim is National Forest, so you can drive or hike or bike or even ride horseback to countless viewpoints where you can watch the descending sun turn everything a glowing red.  But you know this episode isn’t about beautiful sunsets.  It’s about what has sometime...

Creature at Owl Creek

September 16, 2020 10:00 - 33 minutes - 30.6 MB

You've probably heard the fairy tale about the troll under the bridge, but have you heard of the creature at Owl Creek? This monster is rumored to haunt an abandoned train track in the Kentucky wilderness.  Series sponsor: Yeti Artwork by Tyler Grobowsky. 

The Dark Watcher

September 09, 2020 09:00 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MB

There are certain places around the country where you can never feel sure. The central coast of California is one of those places — a desolate, rugged, beautiful area where there have long been whispers about something haunting the cliffs. An outline, a figure, watching you from above. A creature you can’t identify… but know you don’t want to meet.

Season 2: New Monsters Starting September 9th

August 27, 2020 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.68 MB

This season we'll go to the coast of the Carolinas and the cliff edges of California. From underground creatures lurking beneath New York City to a monster that sneaks up on you while you're fast asleep... it's a lineup you won't forget. Gather 'round the fire for the newest season of the Camp Monsters podcast, coming to your ears September 9th.  This season's monster artwork was done by the talented Tyler Grobowsky. You can find his work on Instagram at @g_r_o_b_o.  Season sponsor: Yeti 

Mini Monster: Chupacabra

August 05, 2020 09:00 - 19 minutes - 17.4 MB

We’re very excited to announce that YETI, known for their ridiculously strong and durable coolers, bottles, bags, chairs, and other much-needed outdoor gear, is this season’s sponsor.   To welcome YETI to our campfire, we naturally asked if they’d heard of any monsters prowling around their hometown of Austin, Texas.  They told us this story of a close encounter with a creature you’ve probably heard rumors about.  A nocturnal monster known to pick off livestock in a very vampiric way.  Do w...