There are many beautiful national parks throughout the United States as well as the rest of the world. Millions flock to these parks every year for holidays and day trips. For the vast majority of people, their visits are enjoyable and peaceful.
Unfortunately a few people who go to these parks often disappear: but thanks to the search and rescue teams (SAR) in operation in these parks, most of these people are found. Yet what is not so well known is that there are disappearances which are bordering on the supernatural. Yet why are people disappearing in national parks under such bizarre circumstances?
Why Are People Disappearing In National Parks?
Former police detective and now turned investigator David Paulides first came across these mysterious disappearances. A number of years back, Paulides wrote a book on Bigfoot, and claims that shortly after he wrote his book, he was in a national park when he was approached by an off-site SAR (search and rescue) guy. He informed Paulides about the number of strange disappearances that were occurring within national parks across America. It was also revealed that there seemed to be a cover-up in that they were forbidden from talking about it. He further asked Paulides if he would investigate these disappearances.
Early on in his investigations, Paulides uncovered how not only were there these strange disappearances (as the park ranger said) but the park services were either covering it up or being very incompetent with the information and handling of these disappearances. It almost seemed like somebody high up in the park services didn’t want the information about what was going on to get out.
Since than, Paulides has gone on to write a series of books as well as produce two documentaries on this phenomenon, which has become known as the 'Missing 411.'
It is worth mentioning that the vast majority of the disappearances that occur within national parks, even the ones where the person is never seen again, don’t fall into the Missing 411 category. This is because there is a set of characteristics that define a Missing 411 disappearance from any ordinary disappearance.
So what defines a 411 disappearance compared to a normal disappearance? Well one thing which defines one of these 411 disappearances is the uncanny ways in which people just vanish. I am referring to times where a group of people are walking along together, and one of the members either falls back or walks on ahead. And when the group either turn back or catch up with where the individual should be, they are gone.
There are reports of this occurring within seconds at most: so there is no way the person who disappeared could have deliberately ran away. Then there are also accounts of people who disappeared when out by themselves, and when SAR teams look for them, they often find the person's clothing bizarrely folded up neatly in a pile: but no sign of the individual. It was as if the person deliberately took off their clothes and left them in a neat pile before walking on.
While it may be easy to think that any person who quietly disappears and removes their clothes and neatly folds them, may not be right mentally. Perhaps they have some sort of learning disability? Yet many of the people who disappear have an above average IQ level and have full social skills.
Yet David Paulides also came across another bizarre thing: this being that across North American national parks, there seems to be clusters of disappearances. What exactly do I mean by clusters? Well Paulides in his extensive research of people who disappeared found that there seems to be certain areas where people disappear, and the people who disappear in such areas tend to have something in common.
For example in one area, people who are male and in-between a certain age and have high IQ are the ones who tend to disappear. Likewise in another area, it can be women with learning disabilities that are the ones that disappear.
Below is a map made by David Paulides pointing out the clusters throughout the United States where missing 411 occurs. Of course don’t worry if you happen to live near one of these clusters, for it tends to be people who are of a certain demographic that disappear mysteriously in these areas. And of course, many people who fit the right demographic often walk through the area and never disappear.
Another fascinating thing uncovered by David Paulides research is that when the disappearances take place, it tends to be near either of one or more of the following:
- A large body of water
- Berry bushes
- Rocks
During nearly all missing 411 cases, either rocks, berry bushes or a large volume of water is located near the spot of disappearance. Yet why this happens to be the case, your guess is as good as mine.
Do Any Missing 411 Reappear?
It would seem logical to assume that all the people who disappeared through these mysterious cases were never seen again. And for the majority that is the case. Yet there are people who seem to reappear again and their reappearance is just as strange as their disappearance.
A common aspect of the reappearances is that the people will either appear somewhere so obvious that it is just bizarre. For instance, right outside a rangers station, in an area which SAR teams have covered repeatedly. Else the person would reappear miles away, often in a time period which would make it practically impossible for the person to be there.
Furthermore when those who reappear are found, they are often in a groggy state and have no recollection of where they have been all this time. Some of whom don't even recall any time having passed at all.
So what could be happening? Well nobody has any real idea but due to the fact that the disappearances do seem to be based around some sort of intelligence, I would have to say either some sort of alien abduction or beings from a parallel dimension taking and returning people. That is just my theory.
The truth is probably even stranger then that.
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