The Haunted Hike In Minnesota That Will Send You Running For The Hills

The town is most known for its two rivers - the Red Lake and the Thief - that meet within the town. These rivers had a big impact on the town's early development. In fact, it is from these rivers that Thief River Falls gets its name. As the story goes, a band of Dakota Indians once secretly occupied a section of the river. When the Ojibwe found out, they forced the Dakota out of the area and gave the river its new name.

The most well-known rumor is about a haunted hike you can take in Thief River Falls. It is an unpaved trail that runs along the Red Lake River. The trail is may have been used by Native Americans long ago - and may still be haunted today.

One common story is that the trail was once used by a man who was wanted for murder. To escape punishment, he hid from authorities in a cave along the river. While there is no cave along the river today, many speculate that it could have been filled in with large rocks and soil. Is he the ghost that haunts Dead Man's Trail?

A more popular story is about a Native American woman who was trying to escape from people chasing her. Slowed by her newborn baby, she hid it near the river and kept running. When she returned for the child later, she found it had been swept away by the river. Today, hikers report seeing her ghostly apparition searching for her baby. And if you listen carefully, you may hear her cries of despair.

The Red Lake River runs through Thief River Falls, making it easy to access the old trails that still wind through the rocks and brush alongside the river. The trail is just south of L.B. Hartz Park, near Greenwood Trails Recreation Area and the Thief River Falls cemetery. You'll find both paved and unpaved trails, but only one is Dead Man's Trail. The unpaved path will lead through the woods alongside the river.

This hike - especially when you do it at night - comes with an eerie silence. Pair that with the nocturnal critters that roam the woods, and it's no wonder people find it creepy. But if there really are ghosts along Dead Man's Trail, those animals are the least of your worries.