Unusual Things Found Deep in the Forest

Many archaeologists plan explorations of the forest in an effort to understand more about these ecosystems and the history around them. And that’s exactly what Bosnian archaeologist Sam Osmanagich did in 2016. He made his way to the Podubravlje Forest in his home country, hoping for some buried treasure, when he stumbled across the most unusual object. It was half-buried in the ground, but he could see that it was in the shape of a sphere.

Fungus is pretty gruesome on its own, but have you ever heard of zombie fungus? Well, you’ll probably agree that the extra zombie aspect just makes it even more terrifying, especially as this stuff has actually been found in the forests of Bhutan, Thailand, and Korea. What makes this particular fungus so different is the fact that it quite literally uses animals as a way to survive. In fact, it latches onto their brains.

Although much of the world’s forests have remained unexplored, none are as mysterious as the Amazon jungle. This huge expanse of trees has secrets unlike any other place on earth, and this can be seen when you look at these earthen rings found in the Bolivian and Brazilian Amazon rainforest in 2014. To this day, scientists have no idea what they are or what they mean. But they do know that they were man-made.

Many people plan explorations in the forest to uncover buried treasure. So, imagine someone’s surprise when, instead of stumbling across a treasure chest of gold, they stumbled across this dark forest monster. What’s so bizarre about this tree monster is that it’s hard to determine whether it’s a result of natural tree growth or whether it was specifically designed to look as though it wants to suck out our souls.

So many trees are found in the forest. In most instances, that’s all you can find! But every so often, people come across something that’s out of the ordinary, like a tree that’s covered in pennies. But what’s so bizarre about this discovery is that these pennies had to have been hammered in individually by someone. So, who did it? And why did they do it? It just doesn’t make any sense.

Indonesia is covered in trees and jungle, and much of what lies within the forests of Indonesia has remained a secret for centuries. But in 2020, something extraordinary was uncovered. Scientists couldn’t believe their eyes when they stumbled upon this bizarre flower, as the Rafflesia arnoldii is considered to be one of the rarest flowers in the whole world. Not to mention that it’s also the biggest flower in the whole world.

When you walk through the forest, you expect to see a whole host of different trees. From big trees to small trees and then spindly trees, these things come in all different shapes and forms. However, have you ever seen a tree struck by lightning? The person who took this photo found it in the forest, and they couldn’t believe their eyes when they spotted the Ponderosa Pine Tree on fire. As a result of the lightning strike, it looked like a ghost of its former self.

During WWII, countless planes went down. And while the large majority of them were found and disposed of in the proper fashion, that wasn’t the case for all of them. In fact, in 1972, a group of explorers stumbled across a Boeing B-17E bomber sitting in the swamps of Papua New Guinea. Nobody had known it was there, and its condition came as a big surprise. After all, there was still coffee in the Thermos flasks.

The world is full of fungus. From the mushrooms you can buy in the grocery store to the mushrooms that grow in the wild, most experts would say that they’ve found all of the fungus there is to find. But in 2017, a bizarre and bright purple mushroom was found in the forest. It was discovered by a hiker exploring the forests of Pennsylvania – and they instantly knew that it wasn’t something they could eat.

We live in a world full of technological advancements, and robots are part and parcel of our modern world. And while the average person doesn’t have their own robot butler to do their laundry, that’s not to say that the average person can’t build their own. We can only assume that’s what happened here. But when they couldn’t get their robot to work, they decided to abandon it amongst the trees so that someone else could find it in the forest.

You often hear stories of unexploded bombs found under the foundations of old houses, but what would you do if you found a missile in the forest? We bet the hikers who found this in 2019 in Tennessee were pretty alarmed when they stumbled across this thing. Let’s hope that they immediately called the police and were able to confirm that it was inactive. The last thing anyone wants is an active missile anywhere near them.

You probably don’t need us to tell you that trees are beautiful. The knots in the bark, the twirling branches, and the huge size make trees an impressive addition to the world. But every so often, there’s a tree that gives you the creeps, and this is one of them. Found in the forest (obviously), this tree looks more like a demon than a gift from Mother Nature. And it’s absolutely terrifying.

One thing this list is teaching us is that the forest is a scary place. You never know what you’re going to stumble upon, and apparently, there’s a high chance that you’ll come across a creepy candlelit altar that screams “horror movie” vibes. And when it comes to altars, this is probably one of the scariest ones we’ve seen so far – as you can visibly see, it’s used on a regular basis.

Sometimes, the outskirts of the forest are just as creepy as the deep depths of the forest – and these hanging toilets are a prime example of that. What’s so bizarre about these toilets found in the forest is the fact that they were brand-new toilets. Around $1,500 worth of brand-new toilets, to be exact. Someone then took them all to the edge of the forest, where they hung them from trees and threw them on the floor.

There have been so many things found in the forest over the years, and while some can be explained, there are many others that can’t. Take the Betz Sphere, for example. This perfect sphere was found in Florida during the 1970s, and it instantly caused a stir. Not only did it look like something like an alien planet, but it started acting as though it was from an alien planet, too.

You probably don’t need us to tell you that some of the best (and creepiest) horror movies have taken place in the forest. Under the cover of darkness and the cover of the trees, the forest becomes one of the scariest places ever. But what if you added an abandoned crematorium into the mix? Luckily, the hikers who found this managed to find it during the day, so it wasn’t as creepy as it could be, but it still raised their eyebrows.

When you head into the forest, there’s a high chance that you will spend your time searching for wildlife or searching for treasure below your feet. But what would you do if you came across a giant dragon’s head? The person who took this photo was obviously surprised when they saw this giant dragon-like figure in front of them, and it’s believed that this is just a creative art installation by someone who wanted to bring a bit of fun to the forest.

It takes a brave person to walk through the forest when the sun has set, and the cold temperatures make it misty, and it seems as though the person who took this photo was definitely one of those people. When they decided to walk through the creepy forests of Russia, they had no idea what they’d come across – or if they’d come across anything at all. And that’s when they spotted this scary abandoned house in front of them.

If you’re a fan of wildlife, there’s a high chance that you head out into the woods and take photos of the animals and the nature that surrounds you. In fact, you might even set up timer cameras so you don’t have to stick around for too long. An explorer decided to do the same in 2017 in Washington County, New York – but when they looked at the final images, they realized that animals weren’t the only things hidden in the forest.

The forest is full of secrets, and those secrets can quickly overwhelm you. Take this moss-covered boot, for example. This boot was found in the forest a few years ago, but how it got there and how long it had been there still remains a mystery to this day. And what we can’t quite understand is how the forest has completely taken over the boot – except for the sole.

There’s nothing better than finding a new hiking route. And while most people don’t try to find abandoned train tunnels while they’re hiking, unsuspecting hikers did just that in 2019. They were walking through the forests of the United States and saw something unusual in the distance. On closer inspection, they realized that what they were looking at was a tunnel of some sort. To them, it was pretty creepy.

If you have watched Stranger Things, you’ll understand why this plant has been named the Demogorgan Plant. With its tentacle-like leaves, this plant is one of the strangest and creepiest-looking things ever found in the forest. But that’s not its only name. This plant has also been nicknamed “Devil’s Fingers” and “Octopus Stinkhorn.” But where was this plant found? Well, it was found in Tasmania in the 1980s – but it’s not exactly common.

Heading off on an exploration is all well and good until you come across creepy signs like this. And while it’s not uncommon to see signs out and about on street corners and at crossroads, seeing them in the middle of the forest and looking like this is enough to make you run in the opposite direction. What is this sign even trying to warn people off? Are monsters trying to grab you while you’re trying to run away?

When you think of old England, you might think of knights on horseback and fair maidens being locked in towers. And while much of this history has been dramatized for television and film, there’s no denying that life was once like that. In fact, a discovery in Epping Forest proved that swords, suits, and armor were a real thing. And what’s even more amazing about this sword found in the forest is that the forest is home to a whopping 55,000 trees.

Most of us have seen a helicopter at some point in our lives. But in 2018, a group of hikers were surprised when they stumbled across an old stripped-out helicopter standing amongst the trees. As you can imagine, they were pretty confused. For starters, they didn’t understand why a helicopter would be there in the first place. But secondly, they didn’t understand why it had been stripped out and left to rust.

Sometimes, the past and the present can collide in the forest with a tangle of trees and bricks. And that’s exactly what’s happened in County Mayo, Ireland. There was once a time when the historic Moore Hall was one of the most stunning buildings in the country. It was surrounded by beautiful grounds and decorated with ornate furnishings. But then the IRA burned Moore Hall almost to the ground, and only the ruins remained.

For years, rumors of the Forrest Fenn Treasure ran rampant. Legend had it that a wealthy art dealer had hidden $1 million worth of treasure in the trees of the Rocky Mountains, creating a treasure map full of clues that he had hoped a smart explorer would be able to decode. As you can imagine, countless explorers tried to find this treasure and reap the glory that came with it.

It’s always amazing when ancient artifacts are found in the forest. These things can often answer questions that we had about the past and fill in some of the blanks that we had about certain civilizations. That’s why these ancient runestones were such an impressive discovery. When they were discovered in the forests of Sweden, experts were able to trace them back to the Viking era. Amazingly, over 2000 were found.

When you think of creepy things found in the forest, there’s a high chance that you think of something like this. After all, most people would run away if they stumbled upon an abandoned sanitorium hidden amongst the trees. But this discovery has become a real money-maker, as many explorers now hike through the forest and pay the $12 ticket to see this abandoned sanitorium in Brandenburg, Germany, for themselves.

The world’s largest water lily is definitely something you should have on your radar. But in a bizarre turn of events, this water lily was actually hidden in plain sight for almost 200 years! When the lily pad was finally discovered at the historic Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, England, experts realized that it had actually been there much longer than they thought. That’s because it had previously been misidentified as a Victoria Amazonica.

If you love to take your dog on big adventures to stretch their legs, there’s a high chance that you don’t head off into the forest. But that’s exactly what four teenagers did in 1940. They took their dog to the Vezere River Valley in Montignanc, France, and what they found in the forest changed everything we thought we knew about the history of the world. That’s because they stumbled across a prehistoric cave.

If you head to the Yucatan area of Mexico, you’ll be surrounded by jungle. There are trees and mangroves everywhere, as well as secret sinkholes and cenotes hidden amongst the trees. But in 2016, something else was uncovered in the jungle – and that was a long-lost Mayan city. And to make matters even more unbelievable, this long-lost city was discovered by a 15-year-old boy when he read the stars.

Many people dream of finding treasure one day, and while it seldom happens, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. In fact, there have been a few major discoveries found in the woods over the years, and when two hikers stumbled across a whole host of treasures in the woods of Romania, they were amazed by what they had found. They uncovered 500-year-old coins, jewelry, old ceramics, and more.

The Amazon rainforest is a huge area of land that has remained largely unexplored. But one of the weirdest things found in this forest is the boiling river. At an incredible four miles long, it’s the only boiling river in the world – and that makes it pretty special. In fact, locals believe that this boiling river was created by the Mother of the Waters, a serpent goddess called Yucamama. According to legend, only those with immense spiritual power are able to pass through the boiling waters.

Traditionally, there have been seven wonders of the world. But as more of the world has been explored, more potential wonders have made their way into the limelight. And when experts stumbled across Sigiriya in Sri Lanka, they knew that they had found something special. There, sitting at the top of a rock mountain and surrounded by forest, were the ruins of an ancient castle covered in fifth-century, pre-Christian frescoes. UNESCO immediately took hold of this site of archaeological interest.

Many things that are found in the forest are found due to metal detectors. These people use their tools to search below the surface of the ground, and sometimes they find buried treasure. That happened in 2023 when metal detectorists searched a forest in Poland. In fact, they found a 700-year-old iron spearhead buried in the soil. As you can imagine, they were pretty proud of their discovery and wanted to show it off.

There are so many unexplained things around the world, and Germany is full of them, too. You can see this for yourself if you head into the Deister Forest down a designated six-mile trail that leads you to the Alte Taufe. This sandstone monument may be impressive to look at, but its history is even more impressive – mostly because nobody has any idea where it came from or how it got there. In fact, archaeologists are stumped.