Terrifying Things Found Hidden In Caves

As amazing as the world can be, it’s also full of terrifying places you would avoid like the plague. Like caves! With over 45,000 caves in the US alone, and thousands more worldwide, you never know what horrors could be lurking within them. Well, unless you decide to go inside of course. From a seemingly hibernating bear to many other terrifying things, let's descend into the darkness and explore some of the most terrifying things ever found in caves.

Corey Arnold & The Bear At The End Of The Tunnel

When American photographer and wildlife enthusiast Corey Arnold was invited on a “little adventure” to Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, with wildlife biologist Wes Larson, he jumped at the idea. The mission was simple. Wes was studying bears, and needed to swap the batteries in a tracking collar one was wearing. The bear was hibernating in a cave, so wouldn’t pose a threat, all Corey had to do was take a snap of it. Only, things wouldn’t turn out to be quite so simple.

On a cold day in February 2019, Corey, Wes, Wes’s brother Jeff, and their assistant Jordon set out through the snow and into the wilderness, following the GPS coordinates from the bear’s collar. Eventually, they came upon an eerie sandstone cave. That had to be it. Peering into the darkness, Corey saw that it gradually narrowed into a small tunnel barely wide enough for a person to crawl through.

The stench of wild animal was unmistakeable. Wes and Jeff didn’t hesitate, clambering straight in one after another. Wes led the way, armed with a long stick with a tranquilizer dart on the end to be extra careful. Corey watched as they moved through the tunnel then disappeared as it kinked off to the left. But before even a minute had passed, they both suddenly came flying backwards out of the opening again.

They’d managed to jab the 350lb bear, but apparently it was then already awake! The tense group waited in the cave for the drug to take effect, then nervously climbed back into the tunnel. This time, Corey followed with his camera. Claustrophobic was an understatement. Crawling through the cramped, dark shaft would’ve been bad enough without knowing what was at the end of it.

Then, when they rounded the bend, Corey saw it. A pair of inhuman eyes staring directly at them from the far end of the tunnel. They hadn’t waited long enough and it was still awake! After taking a quick, panicked photo, Corey started backing away but the huge bear was crawling towards them, fast!

Frantically they scrambled out of the tunnel and started blocking the exit up with their backpacks. If the bear escaped half sedated, it could fall into the canyon below. But the backpacks weren’t enough. The bear easily batted the makeshift barrier down and erupted into the cave proper. Even sedated, it was a terrifying sight. Luckily, it seemed more interested in escaping than attacking, and as it made its way for the exit Wes managed to jab it again.

Even so, it couldn’t be allowed to run away and fall into the canyon! So, as it groggily left the cave, Wes, Jeff and Jordan all leapt onto it. Just as they did so, the tranquilizer finally kicked in and the hulking beast collapsed, sliding down the hillside and bringing the three men down with it. Fortunately, the furry toboggan was stopped by the branches of a pine tree before it could go too far.

Wes and his brother relievedly changed out the batteries on its tracking collar, but the ordeal was far from over. The group then had to painstakingly haul the colossal beast back up the hillside and into its den before it awoke and attacked them. It was an incredibly intense task. Eventually, however, they managed to do it.

El Tio: The Devil Who Rules The Underworld In Bolivia

If you’ve ever been to Bolivia, you may have heard of the Potosi Mines, in Cerro Rico Mountain. The largest silver deposit in the world, that vast underground network has been mined since way back in the 16th century. But the cave and tunnel systems hold secrets far creepier than silver. If you venture down into just the right part of them you’ll stumble across the sight in the image below.

The unsettling statue represents El Tio, a devil-like spirit who locals believe to be the Lord of the Underworld. Despite the area being strongly Catholic, El Tio is believed to rule over the mines, offering both protection to miners and destruction if he is not pleased.

So, to keep El Tio happy miners routinely bring him offerings of cigarettes, coca leaves, and alcohol which they place on his effigies. The mines are full of effigies to El Tio, as the underground passages are seen as his realm. Because of that, Christian symbolism is forbidden within the mountain and images of El Tio are banned from outside.

That juxtaposition of Catholicism with something akin to devil worship makes sense when you understand how insanely dangerous the mines are. Every single month disasters like cave ins claim an average of 14 lives, and miners believe the disasters are caused by El Tio’s wrath. So, they placate him with offerings. As creepy as those effigies are then, it’s the mines themselves that are the real horror and the terrible conditions miners brave to work in them.

Hellfire Caves

Atop a hill over in the UK’s beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside stands an impending stone structure, the Dashwood Mausoleum. Built in 1765, it houses the remains of the prominent Dashwood family which is macabre enough until you realize that the manmade caves beside it are far spookier.

Known as the Hellfire Caves, they were excavated some 13 years before the completion of the mausoleum by Lord Francis Dashwood, who held clandestine meetings inside the caverns with members of a secret society called the Hellfire Club. Though outwardly political in nature, that was allegedly a cover for much more sinister goings on the likes of witchcraft, debauchery, and even Satanic worship.

Looking at the dark, winding passages and claustrophobic chambers with strange wall markings, it’s not hard to imagine. In more recent times many people have claimed to see the ghost of “the White Lady” there, as seen in the eerie photo below, taken inside the caves.

The story goes that a barmaid called Sukie worked in a local inn, where she fell in love with a rich gentleman. One day she received a note from him asking to meet her in a secret tunnel that runs from the pub to the caves. So, she dressed up in a white wedding dress and rushed into the tunnel.

Only, the note was a farce, it’d been written by some local boys that were pulling a prank on her. On realizing that, she started to run away but the boys threw stones at her, making her trip and fall. She didn’t get back up. Ever since, her heartbroken ghost is said to haunt the caves. Whether or not you believe it is up to you, but if you ever want to brave the Hellfire Caves, they’re now a popular tourist attraction.

Redditor Finds Creepy Cave

Back in 2022, Redditor Sgnielsen was out exploring the Estonian wilderness when he stumbled across a cave. He went inside and after making his way through it, found a disturbing sight at the back. A strange assortment of household objects and flags, surrounding what looks like some kind of altar.

A hasty exit later, he posted the pic online where commenters posited theories ranging from dark magic to the remains of some shady person’s hideout. Either way, it wasn’t looking like anything good. Turns out, it might not be anything quite so creepy though. One commentor recognized the flags as Buddhist prayer flags.

In Southeast Asia it’s common to find Buddhist settlements in mountains and caves, and the altar, chair and flags all point to a monk using the space for isolated meditation. There’s only one problem. That cave isn’t in Southeast Asia. It’s in Europe, where Buddhism is significantly less widely practiced. And although those flags are supposed to channel good energy, Sgnielsen said the energy in there felt anything but good.

Lovelock Cave

In the vast rolling plains of Nevada north of Humboldt Sink there’s an outcrop of limestone with a small, dark crack in it. The image below reveals the entrance to Lovelock Cave, a mysterious cavern drenched in morbid history.

Back in 1911, a group of miners are said to have been digging in the cave when they uncovered the mummified remains of a huge human, far bigger than any ordinary man. According to the Paiute, a Native American people who’ve inhabited the area for thousands of years, there were once giants that roamed the lands.

Named the Si-Te-Cah, those formidable men were red-haired, stood menacingly high, and had a penchant for human flesh. The legend goes that they were engaged in a war with the Paiute for many years until eventually the last of the Si-Te-Cah was driven into Lovelock Cave. There, the Paiute finished them off by lighting a fire outside the cave, smoking it out and making it their tomb.

It’s a wild story, but how much of it is actually true? Well, at the start of the 20th century ancient mummies were found in Lovelock Cave along with about 10,000 artefacts dating as far back as 1450BC! So, there’s no doubt it’s a very important historical site. But despite reports that the remains of giants were found, there’s no real evidence to support those claims.

Indeed, historian Adrienne Mayor argues that the many mammoth and cave bear fossils found in the area could’ve been mistaken for giant fossils to the untrained observer. That might’ve birthed the legend, or at least supported its propagation when the cave was excavated in the 20th century. Of course, we can never know for sure though.

The Crone Of The Catskills

If there’s one thing we’ve all learned from horror movies it’s not to go hiking in secluded areas. Nothing good ever comes of it. Reddit user “wiggedhikerthrway” and his friend were hiking in New York’s Catskill Mountains when they came across a cave off the beaten trail.

Curiosity got the better of them, so they headed inside to check it out and immediately saw something disturbing. A strange wooden figurine was nestled in an alcove, depicting a humanoid figure with nails in its eyes and a noose round its neck.

Wigged suddenly felt incredibly uneasy and wanted to leave without touching the figure but his friend shrugged and put it in his bag as a souvenir. They went home and Wigged thought little of it until two days later when he received a phone call. It was his friend. Clearly panicked, he told him that the statue kept appearing in different positions around the house, and weird banging noises had been waking him up at night.

As well as that, the whole place had started stinking of pond water. Worst of all though, he’d been woken up the night before by his dog barking. When he went into his hallway there were muddy footprints everywhere and the statue had moved again, into the living room. Cautiously, he walked over to it, heart pounding in his chest. But as he got nearer, the room was suddenly filled with loud, rasping breathing. Safe to say, he got out of there.

Wigged let him stay round his place that night then posted on Reddit looking for advice. Eventually, self-proclaimed “paranormal expert” Greg Newkirk commented and offered to take the statue off the two friends’ hands. They gladly obliged and sent it to him and that was the last anyone heard of them. Six months later, an update was finally posted to Reddit though this time, it was from Greg. And he had a lot to say.

Apparently, the hauntings had carried on in the apartment he shared with his wife and fellow paranormal investigator, Dana. A figurine of Christ had been ripped off the wall, wet footprints had appeared on the couch, the pond smell was ever present, and the figurine had been mysteriously moving around the apartment on its own.

Things had gotten so bad that the couple locked the statue in a case following which the strange events subsided, but never completely went away. Now, the statue which has been nicknamed “The Crone of the Catskills” is a well-known attraction at Dana and Greg’s Traveling Museum of the Paranormal in Kentucky. So, if you want to go and see it you can!

Colorado's Zombie Tunnel

There’s something inherently creepy about abandoned places. They just feel off. Well, in northeastern Colorado Springs, hidden amongst a load of rubble, is the entrance to an abandoned tunnel that makes my skin crawl. That’s because if you decide to enter the pitch-black tunnel and follow it straight down, you’ll eventually come across the sight in the footage below:

Northside Zombie Tunnel - COLORADO SPRINGS URBEX by The TatMan

Dozens and dozens of ghastly images of zombies adorn the walls on either side. Who painted them there? Nobody knows. But considering the amount of effort that clearly went into them, it’s supremely odd that the artist would hide them away and never claim ownership. Perhaps they weren’t of sound mind? Whatever you do, never enter the tunnel as well as being susceptible to a possible collapse, there’s no telling who you might meet down there.

Exploring With Josh Finds Little Girl Lost In Cave

YouTuber Exploring With Josh makes content where he, explores interesting places from haunted hospitals to spooky forests. In one video uploaded in August 2016, Josh set out to explore a deep underground cave at Mount St Helens, Washington. After pushing further into the cave and into a claustrophobically cramped tunnel near the back, Josh suddenly stumbled across something shocking.

Deep Underground Cave Crawled In! Found Little Girl by Exploring With Josh

A little girl had got lost inside the cave and ended up right at the back, stuck! Thankfully, Josh and his team were there on hand and led the frightened girl back out to her parents but if they hadn’t been there, things could’ve turned out very differently.

Optimistic Cave Statues

In 2021, popular YouTube adventurer Mike Corey ventured to Ukraine to explore the sixth largest cave in the world, Optimistic Cave. Little did he know, he’d find something seriously ominous down there. Mike headed through the eerie door with a couple of fellow adventurers and began his descent. At over 140 miles long, Optimistic Cave is huge, and full of tiny, twisty tunnels to navigate.

Almost immediately, Mike had to squeeze through narrow crevices and pass roosting bats. But after five grueling hours of exploration, the team stumbled upon a chamber with something much creepier than any bat. A huge, carved sculpture of a minotaur! But Mike and co found found weirder things when they pushed even deeper.

Exploring Ukraine's Secret Crystal Caves (5 Hours Deep) by Fearless & Far

Another chamber, with more statues this time of the Grim Reaper beside one lone miner. But at some 650 feet below the surface, there was no escaping if whoever had carved the freaky statues decided to show their face. Unperturbed, Mike and the rest of the team carried on and thankfully managed to get out of the cave safely.

So, what were the statues all about? According to one of the locals, they were made by speleologists that is, cave experts who were mapping Optimistic Cave back when it was first discovered in 1966. Apparently, with little else to do in their spare time, they became quite skilled at carving.

Mountain Lion Cave Encounter

Most people use TikTok to post silly videos or doomscroll their poops away. But for Montana-based adventurer Luke Barton, AKA “ontheedgelivin”, it’s a platform to upload all the crazy stuff he gets up to while exploring the wilderness. Like the time he wandered into an abandoned mineshaft and saw the absolute monstrosities in the footage below:

In reality, those were harmless daddy long legs. Even so, just looking at them makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. On 14th November 2022 though, Luke posted a video of him discovering something he had a lot more reason to be scared about. He’d been investigating a small, 12-foot cave when he discovered this in the footage below:

That was a mountain lion and they’re quite dangerous. If that thing had decided to jump out at him, there’s no telling what could’ve happened. Luckily, Luke got away unscathed. Despite mountain lion attacks being very rare, the last thing you want to do is get up close and personal with one.

They’ll lunge for your head, back of the neck, and throat and if they do that, it’s probably bye-bye. If you do find yourself dangerously close, don’t turn and run that could activate their hunting response. Instead, slowly back away while facing the big cat and talk to it calmly and firmly until you’re at a safe distance.

Passer-Through-Walls, Catacombs

Deep beneath the streets of Paris lies a colossal twisting network of caverns and tunnels housing the remains of over six million people. The Paris Catacombs are widely recognized as one of the creepiest places in the world.

There’s a lot more than just ex-humans down there to spook you though. Passing through one of the tunnels, you’ll be greeted with the macabre sight in the post below. Don’t worry, that isn’t a real person. It’s actually a sculpture, though mysteriously nobody knows who made it.

Known as the Passe Muraille, it’s a reference to an old French story about a man with the power to pass through walls. The story goes that at first the man didn’t want that power and went to his doctor, who gave him medicine and told him to change his inactive lifestyle.

But the man didn’t change his lifestyle and, one day, realized he could use his power for ill gain. He terrorized his annoying boss so much he sent the man insane. Then, he began to rob banks and jewellery stores. But eventually his reign of terror ended when he woke one morning with a headache and took a pill for it.

Only, he didn’t realize he’d taken the wrong pill. It was the medicine the doctor had prescribed him! As he was passing through a wall that day it suddenly kicked in and the man was trapped, where he remains to this day.

The Witch Marks Of Creswell Crags

On the border between Derbyshire and Nottingham in England, UK, is an enclosed limestone gorge called Creswell Crags. Tucked away in the ravine’s cliffs lie several mysterious caves. And in one of them, there’s a small hole with a collection of marks hewn into the stone around it warning of an entrance to the underworld.

Those scratches are known as “witch marks” and are believed to have been carved between the 17th and 19th centuries to ward off evil. Indeed, back then belief in evil spirits was widespread in Britain and the protective marks were etched in churches and houses too. Some are shaped like boxes or mazes, to “trap” the demons or spirits while others include the letter V twice, representing “Virgin of Virgins” the Mother Mary.

So, what are they doing in the caves at Creswell Crags? It’s likely that the hole in the caves was blamed for a series of unfortunate events like crop failures or illnesses. People at the time may have believed evil forces were crawling out of it from the depths of the underworld and sewing chaos. So, they carved the lines into the rock to keep the demons at bay.

The Cavern Bugul Ghost

Back in September 2017, reddit user “grunnermann28” went hiking with his friends to an inactive volcano near their town in Mexico. It has a deep cavern system within it, and because Grunner and his friends are clearly unhinged, they find mapping deep uncharted caverns a fun weekend activity.

So, they went in. Despite the oppressive atmosphere the vibe was easy-going, and as they progressed deeper, Grunner started playing some black metal through his speaker to add to the ambience. It was a good time, and when the tour came to its end the group quickly posed for a photo at the cave entrance and went home.

Only, when Grunner got back that evening something felt wrong. Usually, he fell asleep easily after a day out hiking. Tonight was different he felt uneasy, and hardly slept. The next day, one of his friends posted the photo they’d taken online. When Grunner saw it, his blood ran cold. There was something next to him. Or someone. But whoever they were, they hadn’t been there when the photo was taken. At least not visibly, anyway.

That night, Grunner couldn’t sleep at all. He kept thinking he could see the shadowy figure in his room, staring at him with those piercing black eyes. It all got too much. He panicked, cursing and screaming at it to leave. And suddenly, thankfully, it did. Unable to rest, Grunner wracked his brain for any clue as to what might be happening and remembered the band he’d played while they were in the caves.

There were rumours they’d hidden dark spirit summoning rites in their recordings. It was something he’d heard, but never actually believed. Now it seemed more believable than ever. What could he do though? For the next couple of weeks, what sounded like pebbles being thrown at his window woke him up every night, yet nobody was ever outside.

Then, little by little, the strange happenings stopped. Grunner never saw the figure again, but the memory still haunts him. Is the whole thing just a hoax or did Grunner really accidentally summon something that day? We don’t know but that photo surely gives the serious creeps.

Troll Monkeys On Thai Island

If you’ve ever been to Thailand, you’ll know it’s a beautiful place full of culture. However, there’s a weird, dark underside to every country in the world and Thailand is no different. A group of tourists kayaking around Railay Bay on the southern coast turned a corner towards a cave and found themselves confronted with “the most bizarre situation they’d ever experienced”.

Ewok Like Troll Monkeys On Thai Island by Viral Press

Were those strange creatures cave-dwelling mutants engaged in some kind of debauched ritual? As it turns out, they weren’t in any danger from malicious cave gremlins after all. The whole thing was just one weird performance, put together by travelling vocalist and artist Tori Wranes and local acting group, Thailand Biennale. The creatures are supposed to represent a life free of modern worries about gender roles and body obsession, and instead one connected to the rhythms of the ocean and nature itself.

If you were amazed at these terrifying things found hidden in caves you might want to read about dangerous caves you must never enter! Thanks for reading.