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I Accidentally Found A Mysterious Forest Full Of Shoes

My name is Patty Maher and I am a photographer from Ontario Canada. Recently, I was driving on some back roads near Orangeville Ontario when I noticed a spot by the side of the road where a bunch of shoes were tied to the trees. I pulled over to inspect it and took these photos. There are literally hundreds of shoes there – nailed to trees, hung on branches or just placed on the ground at the foot of the trees.

I thought maybe this was a memorial to someone who had died in a car accident – but it turns out that this shoe forest is a complete mystery. No one knows who put these shoes there or why.

The earliest sighting of these shoes was in the spring of 1972. According to the police there is no record of any accidents having occurred at that location so it didn’t start off as a memorial – although it appears that at some point someone created a memorial on one of the trees. There are also a few plastic skeletons that have been inserted into shoes, or hung alongside – but it is impossible to know if this was just a random occurrence or if it had some significance.

There are numerous theories about what this tree forest is. Some think it is an art installation while others think it was part of a movement for ‘walking free’ that happened in the 70’s. It could have started as a memorial or perhaps it began as a prank or commemoration by local teenagers.

For me, walking around taking photos of these shoes inspired a strange feeling of reverence. I found myself considering the original owners of these shoes: what their lives were like, whether they were still living, what reasons each person had for abandoning them there and why some were nailed, others hung and some just gently place on the ground.

I thought I’d post this in case someone who sees this knows the story behind this, or has another theory about why this is there. Have you ever come across something like this?

Update: someone from facebook told me that there had been a similar tree in another town in Ontario… but apparently so many people put shoes on the tree that the weight of the shoes actually killed the tree.

More info: Instagram

I Accidentally Found A Mysterious Forest Full Of Shoes

You can see the ‘memorial tree’ on the right-hand side.

I Accidentally Found A Mysterious Forest Full Of Shoes

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What do you think ?

POST

Panagiotis Nikas 6 years ago

I found many forests like this, they call it "waymark" and it helps people to share a location. Creator adds the first shoes, then visitors add their own shoes. At this link you can see your forest and all the rest waymarks in all the world. (i am sorry english for little mistakes, english is my second language :p http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM6ARY_Shoe_Trees_Orangeville_Ontario_Canada

23points

PMaher (Post author) 6 years ago

Interesting....I did not know this existed

10points

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N G 6 years ago

We have lots of shoe trees in my country, but the shoes are normally picked early summer while they are still fresh. The shoes in the photo have been left for too long and are going rotten.

16points

PMaher (Post author) 6 years ago

lol....that's funny :)

4points

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Fluttergirl 6 years ago

That's officially the weirdest thing I've seen all week. I'd love to know the story behind it.

11points

Isaiah Brown 6 years ago

You clearly haven't seen the Disney princess hot dogs then XD https://www.boredpanda.com/disney-princess-hot-dog-anna-hezel-gabriella-paiella/

3points

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ElectricBooty 6 years ago

An enchanted forrest of many soles.

5points

Shän Di 6 years ago

I tree what you did there.

1point

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Aaaa Bbbb 6 years ago

Uh, what happened to the owners of the shoes? I'm thinking ogre, evil witch, serial killer, or some combination thereof.

4points

Kristin Connon 6 years ago

We have a "shoe tree" in the town next to the one I live in. It's actually the second shoe tree, as the first burnt up when it was struck by lightning. Just a quirky little local tradition. People take their old shoes to it, tie them together, and throw them up into the branches. The first one was really old and had shoes from like the 1940's, maybe even earlier, in it.

3points

Matrix Mocs 6 years ago

Are there blue-"jays" in it?

3points

Cerys Dunbar 6 years ago

this creeps me out because i know that some people hang shoes from trees to hep remember dead people.

1point

Navitax 5 years ago

So strange and cool

0points

Alex 5 years ago

I’m from around Orangeville and this is nothing creepy it’s sad really it’s in honour to all the people killed by drunk drivers in Orangeville or surrounding areas the shoe size shows the age of the individual that died I myself have put a pair of one of my friends on it RIP bro

0points

Invid 6 years ago

lol

0points

Betsy Braddock 6 years ago

Serial killer trophy rack.

0points

Dietmar Pichler 6 years ago

Those are Wekanee Trees and they are land marks for mystic forests. For over thousand years people are leaving there shoes in front of the forest because they didn't want to mess up the forest ground with filthy shoes. Once entered the forest you will find a magicall place and it is on you to decide to stay there and live a happy life together or not. It is not a religious place, it is just a nice place. Years ago I've had the same choice to make - I am still here wondering how it would been there. Thanks for not taking my shoes. Cheers

0points

Stinkypie Ticklebum 6 years ago

Any summer camps nearby? Could be some sort of camp ritual...

0points

Aish Siva 6 years ago

Plot twist, it's a serial killer who pegs shoes on trees listing his kills :O

0points

adoracat 6 years ago

I know we had (small town Texas) tradition of "retiring" our senior year shoes, by tying the shoe laces together then throwing them up so they hung over power lines, or by traffic lights.

0points

Mark Erwin 6 years ago

Have you seen The Ritual?

0points

Chris Pitch 6 years ago

This is the famous 'Forest of Lost Soles'. In all seriousness, after watching certain movies...nup!

0points

Sobia 6 years ago

Weired but interesting

0points

Robin Dowell 6 years ago

There was a tree just outside of Fontill Ontario. As posted by another person the tree is no longer there but it was quite a sight to see and also had multiple trees

0points

Hawk 6 years ago

“There are numerous theories about what this tree forest is.” Just wondering but are there any forests without trees?

0points

PMaher (Post author) 6 years ago

Yep...a typo.

0points

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Lulu Machete 6 years ago

Imma gunna need an explanation

0points

iblowsheep 6 years ago

regardless of the reason the shoes are there, it is F*****G UGLY!

-1point

Anna Mcaffee 6 years ago

Yuck

-2points

C.Marrero 6 years ago

You dont like the shoes?

1point

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cubaves 6 years ago

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POST

Panagiotis Nikas 6 years ago

23points

PMaher (Post author) 6 years ago

Interesting....I did not know this existed

10points

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N G 6 years ago

We have lots of shoe trees in my country, but the shoes are normally picked early summer while they are still fresh. The shoes in the photo have been left for too long and are going rotten.

16points

PMaher (Post author) 6 years ago

lol....that's funny :)

4points

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Fluttergirl 6 years ago

That's officially the weirdest thing I've seen all week. I'd love to know the story behind it.

11points

Isaiah Brown 6 years ago

You clearly haven't seen the Disney princess hot dogs then XD https://www.boredpanda.com/disney-princess-hot-dog-anna-hezel-gabriella-paiella/

3points

Load More Replies...

ElectricBooty 6 years ago

An enchanted forrest of many soles.

5points

Shän Di 6 years ago

I tree what you did there.

1point

Load More Replies...

Aaaa Bbbb 6 years ago

Uh, what happened to the owners of the shoes? I'm thinking ogre, evil witch, serial killer, or some combination thereof.

4points

Kristin Connon 6 years ago

3points

Matrix Mocs 6 years ago

Are there blue-"jays" in it?

3points

Cerys Dunbar 6 years ago

this creeps me out because i know that some people hang shoes from trees to hep remember dead people.

1point

Navitax 5 years ago

So strange and cool

0points

Alex 5 years ago

0points

Invid 6 years ago

lol

0points

Betsy Braddock 6 years ago

Serial killer trophy rack.

0points

Dietmar Pichler 6 years ago

0points

Stinkypie Ticklebum 6 years ago

Any summer camps nearby? Could be some sort of camp ritual...

0points

Aish Siva 6 years ago

Plot twist, it's a serial killer who pegs shoes on trees listing his kills :O

0points

adoracat 6 years ago

I know we had (small town Texas) tradition of "retiring" our senior year shoes, by tying the shoe laces together then throwing them up so they hung over power lines, or by traffic lights.

0points

Mark Erwin 6 years ago

Have you seen The Ritual?

0points

Chris Pitch 6 years ago

This is the famous 'Forest of Lost Soles'. In all seriousness, after watching certain movies...nup!

0points

Sobia 6 years ago

Weired but interesting

0points

Robin Dowell 6 years ago

There was a tree just outside of Fontill Ontario. As posted by another person the tree is no longer there but it was quite a sight to see and also had multiple trees

0points

Hawk 6 years ago

“There are numerous theories about what this tree forest is.” Just wondering but are there any forests without trees?

0points

PMaher (Post author) 6 years ago

Yep...a typo.

0points

Load More Replies...

Lulu Machete 6 years ago

Imma gunna need an explanation

0points

iblowsheep 6 years ago

regardless of the reason the shoes are there, it is F*****G UGLY!

-1point

Anna Mcaffee 6 years ago

Yuck

-2points

C.Marrero 6 years ago

You dont like the shoes?

1point

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cubaves 6 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

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