Oakland Maryland ghost story: This true story took place on June 2, 2025, in Oakland, Maryland, near the WV mountain trails. What started as a quiet evening on patrol turned into one of the strangest and most disturbing encounters I’ve ever had.
I was completely alone no other guard on duty that night. The area is full of small trails, not connected to the Appalachian Trail, but still popular among hikers and hunters. People often get turned around out here, so part of my job is helping guide them back to safety. With the nice weather, it wasn’t unusual to see lost hikers.
It was about 8 PM, the sun just beginning to set. The ridge was calm, and the atmosphere felt less unsettling than usual. Then, from the tree line, I heard a voice: “Hey! Hey! Can you tell me where I am?!” The voice sounded real—urgent, almost desperate.
A few moments later, a man stumbled toward my truck. He looked exhausted, bruised, and completely out of breath. “You’re on private property,” I told him, pointing south to help him reconnect with the trail. He apologized, said his name, and claimed he’d gotten lost looking for a fishing spot.
He asked if I had any food. I stepped out and gave him a pack of cheese crackers and a bottle of water. That’s when I noticed something unsettling—deep scratches running down his leg. These weren’t minor injuries—they looked serious.
I immediately radioed the job site and called for both an ambulance and law enforcement. Within minutes, emergency vehicles arrived. EMTs prepared a stretcher… and then froze.
An officer approached me. “You said someone here needed medical attention?” I turned to point at the man. He was gone.
The crackers I’d given him were on the ground, covered in ants. The water bottle lay empty. The responders searched the area—no footprints, no trace of anyone leaving.
They looked at me like I was making it up. I gave them every detail I could remember—his name, appearance, clothing. Eventually, the officer started to believe me and checked his database.
When he returned, his face was pale. “If this matches the man you saw… I don’t know what to tell you.” He turned the tablet toward me. It was him. Same name, same face. Underneath: Missing since 1974. Presumed deceased. Last known location: WV Mountain Trails.
This chilling experience left me questioning everything. What did I see that night? Was it a lost soul still wandering the mountains—or something else entirely?
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