History Unhinged: Rainy Day Rabbit Holes

72. The Red Ghost of Arizona: A Desert Nightmare


Listen Later

💀 When Arizona settlers saw something stomping through the desert, draped in death and taller than a man, they did what any rational person would do—freak the hell out. This is the story of a ghost that haunted the West in the most unexpected way imaginable.

In this episode of Rainy Day Rabbit Holes, Shea and Jody dive headfirst into one of the weirdest and creepiest ghost stories to come out of the Wild West. The “Red Ghost” terrified settlers across the Arizona Territory—appearing as a monstrous figure with bones on its back and blood-red fur. But was it really a ghost? Or something stranger? We explore the unsettling reports, panic-fueled stories, and the utterly bizarre government experiment that might explain it all… but probably won’t make it any less ridiculous. This one’s got everything: frightened ranchers, vanishing phantoms, and a ghost that kicks like a mule. Literally. 

⏱️ Chapters:
  • 00:00 – Intro: We’re in the desert, baby
  • 03:50 – The First Sighting: Ghost or monster?
  • 09:12 – Panic Spreads: Red Ghost hysteria
  • 14:03 – Stranger Details Emerge
  • 21:45 – Government Shenanigans
  • 28:00 – What Was It, Really?
  • 34:12 – Outro & Rabbit Hole Reflections
🔑 Keywords: Arizona ghost story, Red Ghost, haunted frontier, Wild West legends, spooky desert tales, unexplained mysteries, creepy historical events

📢 Support & More:
Love what we do? Get bonus content, ad-free episodes, and exclusive perks at rainydayrabbitholes.com/support.

Visit our website at rainydayrabbitholes.com.

Catch us three times a week on @radiotacoma and tag along with the Umbrella Podcast Collective @umbrellapodcastcollective.

Check out Ze Frank's video about Camels! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc0ZCqLUjSo

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-unhinged-rainy-day-rabbit-holes--6271663/support.
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

History Unhinged: Rainy Day Rabbit HolesBy Rainy Day Rabbit Holes

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

27 ratings


More shows like History Unhinged: Rainy Day Rabbit Holes

View all
Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,923 Listeners

Snap Judgment by Snap Judgment and PRX

Snap Judgment

11,543 Listeners

The Rachel Maddow Show by Rachel Maddow, MSNBC

The Rachel Maddow Show

36,942 Listeners

Criminal by Vox Media Podcast Network

Criminal

37,299 Listeners

Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts by Slate Podcasts

Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

3,462 Listeners

The Pirate History Podcast by Matt Albers

The Pirate History Podcast

1,538 Listeners

Up and Vanished by Tenderfoot TV

Up and Vanished

63,239 Listeners

Strict Scrutiny by Crooked Media

Strict Scrutiny

5,530 Listeners

The Daily Beans by MSW Media

The Daily Beans

5,101 Listeners

Cleanup on Aisle 45 with AG & Harry Dunn by MSW Media

Cleanup on Aisle 45 with AG & Harry Dunn

1,844 Listeners

#SistersInLaw by Politicon

#SistersInLaw

10,294 Listeners

Unexplainable by Vox

Unexplainable

2,171 Listeners

Strange and Unexplained with Daisy Eagan by Strange and Unexplained with Daisy Eagan

Strange and Unexplained with Daisy Eagan

10,017 Listeners

Expedition Unknown by Discovery

Expedition Unknown

327 Listeners

Big Time by Apple TV+ / Campside Media

Big Time

264 Listeners