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In some ways, the forest is like the ocean, a vast expanse where you can get lost while traversing. At some point, you will stumble upon something interesting (to say the least), like the images in these photos. 

Some of these odd discoveries are byproducts of natural occurrences. Others, however, may make you wonder about the fascinating backstory of how these objects landed in this neck of the woods (in the most literal sense).

This series of photos continues the ones Bored Panda collected previously. Scroll away to see which ones intrigue you the most. 

#1

This Tree Ate This Trail Sign But Left The Perfect Window For Little Hiking Man

This Tree Ate This Trail Sign But Left The Perfect Window For Little Hiking Man

royalecheez Report

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How much do we know about our forests? As it turns out, even scientists aren't sure. Most have mere estimates of how much life exists in those tree canopies around the globe. 

According to the World Wildlife Fund, here's an approximate: "We don't know how many tree species there are on Earth, but scientists estimate there are about 63,000 known species. There could be as many as 9,000 tree species still unknown to science."

#4

A Whole Other World I Found In A Beer Bottle Laying In The Woods

A Whole Other World I Found In A Beer Bottle Laying In The Woods

Concheck_ Report

#5

I Found It Tucked In A Tree Near The Top Of Mount Greylock In Massachusetts

I Found It Tucked In A Tree Near The Top Of Mount Greylock In Massachusetts

The second card says: "How about a hike, maybe a walk, keep me in your pocket... Our adventure awaits."

louieneuy Report

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#6

Found A Stargate In The Middle Of Nowhere Near Linz, Austria

Found A Stargate In The Middle Of Nowhere Near Linz, Austria

zodd1981 Report

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Always Malfunctioning
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5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stargate Kappern in Kappern, Austria---From Google...A eatal replica of the famous Stargate from the television series and movie. In the series, the device creates a wormhole to travel to another planet instantaneously. The art piece is about 4-5 meters tall and was made by the local artist Martin Mayrbäurl.

DEW
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't stand in front of it if it starts turning!

Kat
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Looks like something that they may have used for a movie. 🤷‍♀️ maybe someone will recognize it.

Ivy
Community Member
5 months ago

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Should have been in Russia if they actually followed the show.

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These forest finds are just some of the many usually unearthed by hikers or experts. In 2023, a group of archeologists found the remains of a Yotvingian settlement. The Yotvingians were an ancient Baltic tribe that existed until the 1400s. 

According to a report by the Miami Herald, archeologists from the University of Warsaw found traces of Yotvingian inhabitants through the style of bronze jewelry they found in a Polish forest. They eventually discovered jewelry dating back to the 10th and 12th centuries.

#7

Mirror Sculptures Reflect The Forest By Scottish Artist Rob Mulholland

Mirror Sculptures Reflect The Forest By Scottish Artist Rob Mulholland

Rob Mulholland Artist , Rob Mulholland Artist , Rob Mulholland Artist Report

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AtMostAFabulist
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5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a bit freaky. I wouldn't want to come across them if I was walking at night.

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#8

Black Cat On A Leather Chair In The Woods

Black Cat On A Leather Chair In The Woods

One time I was on a random back road. There was a little paved path going up to a leather armchair in the middle of a pretty thick little woods. On the arm of the chair was a black cat, bathing in the sun's rays. It felt unreal, like straight out of a book. I didn’t dare get any closer, as I figured that a witch must live nearby.

astrobleeem Report

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#9

These Bendy Trees I Saw On My Walk This Afternoon

These Bendy Trees I Saw On My Walk This Afternoon

floydical Report

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UncleJohn3000
Community Member
5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's what trees running at top speed look like. Something must have startled them.

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#10

My Dad Made A Solid Oak Secret Door For People To Discover On Their Walks

My Dad Made A Solid Oak Secret Door For People To Discover On Their Walks

Francoberry Report

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Thee8thsense
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Someone does this on a trail I walk and I leave little gifts there, like crystals or painted rocks. The weird thing is, the next day they are gone.

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If you think seeing these images randomly on a hike or random walk through the woods is already jolting enough, try spending a night in a creepy forest. That was what writer Sophie Buchan did in Transylvania’s Hoia-Baciu Forest. And she described her experience in an article in The Independent

The Hoia-Baciu has a deep history, beginning with a UFO sighting in 1968. From then on, it became a tourist attraction. However, according to Buchan’s article, these visitors suddenly experienced strange occurrences.

#12

Stumbled Upon A Fallen Totem In The Forest In British Columbia, Canada

Stumbled Upon A Fallen Totem In The Forest In British Columbia, Canada

smoothloam Report

#13

Abandoned Pet Cemetery In The Woods Of Freetown, Massachusetts

Abandoned Pet Cemetery In The Woods Of Freetown, Massachusetts

Whimsical_Ruins Report

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#14

A Rabies Vaccine That Is Airdropped In The Woods For Raccoons To Eat

A Rabies Vaccine That Is Airdropped In The Woods For Raccoons To Eat

Citii Report

#15

Found A 19th-Century Dog's Gravestone While Out Walking In The Woods

Found A 19th-Century Dog's Gravestone While Out Walking In The Woods

spindaa Report

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AtMostAFabulist
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The prettiest and most celebrated of spaniel kind. This is beautiful.

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#16

Stained Glass Window In A Forest

Stained Glass Window In A Forest

cherrybaggle Report

#17

This Group We Came Across In A Forest Casually Hiking In Medieval Outfits

This Group We Came Across In A Forest Casually Hiking In Medieval Outfits

ksanyee Report

According to Buchan, some of the “strange symptoms” that people supposedly go through include “nausea, anxiety, the feeling of being watched – and the failure of electronic devices.” Joggers also reportedly witness ongoing ectoplasms.  

Buchan also shared a story from her guide, Alex, who, along with his colleague Marius, experienced something out of this world. “Well, there was a man who went crazy, thinking he’d met a demon. He’d just got a massive tattoo of a demon on his chest, to ward off demons.”

#18

Found These Structures And An Entire Stone Labyrinth In The Forest While Foraging

Found These Structures And An Entire Stone Labyrinth In The Forest While Foraging

I think it’s either my fellow stoners who got a little too enthusiastic, neopagans, or a portal to the fairy land through Pan’s labyrinth.

thuebanraqis Report

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#19

Saw This Tree Today While Hunting. Thought You Might Like It. Looked Magical To Me

Saw This Tree Today While Hunting. Thought You Might Like It. Looked Magical To Me

5348455 Report

#20

A Plane Crash I Hiked To In North Carolina

A Plane Crash I Hiked To In North Carolina

L3N1B Report

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Mad Dragon
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In November of 1983, a combination of poor weather and alcohol led to the crash of a small Cessna 414A plane, killing all on board. The wreckage of a deadly 1983 plane crash that has drawn visitors to the area for years was removed via helicopter June 27 by the National Park Service from its resting place near the Blue Ridge Parkway. Unauthorized “social trail” access to the site by visitors has created increasing safety and environmental concerns as the sight has become covered in graffiti and many hikers to the site have become lost and injured.

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#21

Came Across A Boar Sculpture In The Middle Of The Forest

Came Across A Boar Sculpture In The Middle Of The Forest

FossilisedShark Report

Buchan likewise wrote about what Alex described as “the scariest thing that happened.” It involved Marius during a night tour and an unusual conversation with a tourist.

“He once did an extended night tour, one-on-one, with a very morbid man who talked about his obsession with death, how he enjoyed being with people as they die, watching them die.”

#22

Giant Puffball Mushroom My Sister Found In The Woods

Giant Puffball Mushroom My Sister Found In The Woods

kfranky Report

#23

Found A Sword While Hiking Near An Old Clearcut. BC, South Coast

Found A Sword While Hiking Near An Old Clearcut. BC, South Coast

Monorail_Song Report

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UncleJohn3000
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Listen -- strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony. ~ Monty Python

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According to Buchan, Alex isn’t a fan of sleeping in the forests because of his fair share of chilling experiences. During his very first camping trip, he abruptly woke up to the sound of “a very loud hoof noise,” which he thought came either from a horse or a “particularly large deer.” 

“Every time they would stick their head out from the tent to investigate, the noise would stop,” she wrote, recalling Alex’s experiences. “The next time, he slept in a hammock to get closer to whatever was causing the sound. His visit was cut short when a bat smashed into his face.”

#28

First Gold Find For The Year And The Weirdest Find Of All Time

First Gold Find For The Year And The Weirdest Find Of All Time

I was in the woods detecting in an area with heavy iron today (1800s nails in the ground, scrap iron bits, and sheet metal bits), and to my amazement, found dentures made of gold. Not sure how old they are, but my guess is somewhere in the 1800s up to the 1940s, since the homes which were once nearby were gone by the mid-1940s.

Bill20201 Report

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#30

Beaver’s Chew Marks On A Tree That I Found

Beaver’s Chew Marks On A Tree That I Found

thunderchicken275 Report

#31

Does Anyone Know The Cause Of A Tree Growing In A Spiral Like This? I've Never Seen Anything Like It. Found In The Woods Of Georgia

Does Anyone Know The Cause Of A Tree Growing In A Spiral Like This? I've Never Seen Anything Like It. Found In The Woods Of Georgia

sloppyjo77 Report

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Bret Sander
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's a strangler vine,of some sort. Maybe wild grape, or bittersweet. It wraped itself around the tree and eventually destroyed it . The tree is long gone, but it's killer remains.

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#32

Found This 1829 Silver Half-Dime In The Woods. Nickels Weren’t Invented Yet

Found This 1829 Silver Half-Dime In The Woods. Nickels Weren’t Invented Yet

RedParrot94 Report

#33

I Found This Cool Walking Stick Out In The Woods As I Went Hiking

I Found This Cool Walking Stick Out In The Woods As I Went Hiking

GreenchiliStudioz Report

#34

Art Installation In My Local Forest While It’s Foggy Outside

Art Installation In My Local Forest While It’s Foggy Outside

minzkonig Report

The author wrote about her experience during her overnight stay at the Hoia-Baciu forest. While she didn’t have the same creepy encounters, she took more notice of the trees around. 

“We point our flashlights at misshapen trees – many here grow in zig-zag patterns or in spirals, a phenomenon which has not been plausibly explained by any of the scientists who have come to investigate. What’s more, every single tree that spirals does so in a clockwise direction.”

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#35

Abandoned Rail Tunnel. Willamette National Forest, Oregon

Abandoned Rail Tunnel. Willamette National Forest, Oregon

Draw_Rude Report

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tori Ohno
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I soooo hate taggers! What a beautiful piece of history, and some loser thug paints on it! Disgusting vermin.

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#36

While Driving Around The Rural Southern Mountains, We Came Across This Abandoned Home Tucked Away

While Driving Around The Rural Southern Mountains, We Came Across This Abandoned Home Tucked Away

Neighbors have said that they remember going over there to play as kids, but now it is abandoned and slowly tilting more and more every year.

silent_hills_explorations Report

#37

I Went Deeper Into The Woods. Someone Is Making Art

I Went Deeper Into The Woods. Someone Is Making Art

Hamofthewest Report

#38

10-Pound Penny With 3 Skeleton Keys Found In The Woods

10-Pound Penny With 3 Skeleton Keys Found In The Woods

I found these while detecting in the woods near my house. It's by far the most intriguing thing I've found since starting the hobby.

KinCarver Report

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#39

I Finally Found My Very Own Chicken Tree

I Finally Found My Very Own Chicken Tree

Spotted this fine specimen from the road. Had to have gotten 20 lbs of chicken without making a dent in it! Found in New Jersey.

power_in_logic Report

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Just-4-2day
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laetiporus Laetiporus is a genus of edible mushrooms found throughout much of the world. Some species, especially Laetiporus sulphureus, are commonly known as Sulphur shelf, chicken of the woods, the chicken mushroom, or the chicken fungus because it is often described as tasting like and having a texture similar to that of chicken meat. Description Laetiporus sp. from Anamalai Hills, Southern Western Ghats, India Individual "shelves" range from 5 to 25 centimetres (2 to 10 inches) across. These shelves are made up of many tiny tubular filaments (hyphae). The mushroom grows in large brackets; some have been found that weigh over 45 kilograms (100 pounds). Young fruiting bodies are characterized by a moist, rubbery, Sulphur-yellow to orange body sometimes with bright orange tips. Older brackets become pale and brittle almost chalk-like, mildly pungent, and are often dotted with beetle or slug/woodlouse holes.

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“Invasive alien species are increasingly a problem for European forests.” This is according to an article by the European Environment Agency on the eight facts about Europe’s forest ecosystems. But they weren’t referring to extraterrestrials. 

“There are around 1,800 species in Europe’s forests which are invasive and alien to the natural environment. For example, European forests have been devastated by Dutch elm disease caused by fungi introduced from Asia, and gray squirrels are outcompeting red squirrels. Globally, invasive alien species are one of the largest causes of biodiversity loss.”

#41

Found A Flybrary While Hiking. I Don’t Fish So I Had No Idea This Was A Thing

Found A Flybrary While Hiking. I Don’t Fish So I Had No Idea This Was A Thing

jfrosty42 Report

#42

My Girlfriend Found A Bottle In The Woods That Had A Terrarium Growing Naturally Inside

My Girlfriend Found A Bottle In The Woods That Had A Terrarium Growing Naturally Inside

ThumYorky Report

#43

Found A Mysterious-Looking Door In The Middle Of A Forest Walk Today. Wonder Who I Will Draw?

Found A Mysterious-Looking Door In The Middle Of A Forest Walk Today. Wonder Who I Will Draw?

peacefrogus Report

#44

Came Across This Tree While Walking Through A Forest In Japan

Came Across This Tree While Walking Through A Forest In Japan

Jamminmb Report

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J9
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

日本語: 境内社 鎌八幡宮御神木へ鎌を奉献(突き刺す)する事で願掛けをする。和歌山県伊都郡かつらぎ町三谷にある丹生酒殿神社。 English: Shinboku(神木:sacred tree) of Niu-sakadono-Jinja Shrine in Katsuragi, Wakayama. You stab a sickle into the tree and pray to God. If the sickle doesn't fall, the wish will come true.

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#45

Went Geocaching And Found These Boots Nailed To A Tree

Went Geocaching And Found These Boots Nailed To A Tree

Stado08 Report

#46

A Few Years Back Me And My Friends Found This Peeking Behind A Tree In The Woods Deep Behind A Friend’s House

A Few Years Back Me And My Friends Found This Peeking Behind A Tree In The Woods Deep Behind A Friend’s House

I was camping with some friends in the woods behind another friend’s house. Halfway through the night, I decided to get some more firewood for the campfire. On my way back, I felt like I was being watched. It was a half-moon, so there was enough light for me to barely see around me. As I looked around, my eyes fell on a person’s face poking from behind a tree.

The face was horrifying, pale with hollow eyes and a gaping mouth. I dropped everything and ran, and when I came back to my group, I was panicked and scared. After telling them what happened, my friends decided they wanted to see it for themselves, and brought me with them. I was hesitant, but going with a group seemed better than being alone. We brought flashlights this time, and when we came to the place I saw the face, it was still there. After shining the light on it, we saw it was just a styrofoam head on a stick someone out behind the tree. It looked like it had been there for a while, with some green moss growing on it, discoloration, etc.

The scariest part about this was my friend (whose house was in front of the woods we were in) swore up and down he didn’t put it there. He was pretty shaken. Especially because he and his mom had been stalked a few months before and he was sure it was left by the guy.

ScaryisGood Report

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And if you want to see something you probably haven’t before, Moroccan tree goats are worth looking into. Yes, you read that right. Goats are standing in trees as if it were a daily forest sighting worldwide. 

These “flying goats” have been a tourist attraction since the early 2000s. But while they have become a source of livelihood for locals, some believe they are being exploited and deprived of freedom.

#47

Found A Bathtub 2-Kilometers Deep In The Woods Hooked Up To A Natural Spring

Found A Bathtub 2-Kilometers Deep In The Woods Hooked Up To A Natural Spring

StrongIPA Report

#48

A Bowling Ball With Its Brain Exposed I Found In The Woods

A Bowling Ball With Its Brain Exposed I Found In The Woods

Imthasupa Report

#50

Metal Obelisk Found In The Middle Of The Woods

Metal Obelisk Found In The Middle Of The Woods

Mad_duck4 Report

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Kat
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wasn't that an old prank going around awhile back? In different locations.

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Note: this post originally had 109 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.