It's one of the most popular activities in America.

According to the most recent statistics, roughly 45 million people love to do it whenever

they can, or about 13% of the US population.

Every day, people head outside and go hiking.

And it's hard to blame them, that fresh air, that distance from the bustle of everyday

life, and that connection to the natural world.

Those are attractive things.

Sure, it can also be physically challenging, but that's the price of admission for anyone

who wants to take a trek into the wilderness.

But there are shadows in the forests as well.

If you've ever hiked alone, you're all too familiar with that anxious feeling that

happens when you hear a sound you can't identify, or catch movement out of the corner of

your eye.

Despite all that beauty, what the woods have more than anything else is darkness.

For thousands of years, people have filled that gloom with something that could help

them come to grips with the unknown.

Stories.

Even today, our collective folklore is a treasured chest of legends about who and what

roam through the wooded areas of our world.

That forest, for many people, is sacred space.

But the woods are more than just a place to visit.

They're home to challenges, risks, and even dangers.

...