Christmas morning brings an unpleasant surprise for Mathilda, after she receives some terrible gifts from Morton! And upon arrival at Rob's treehouse, she discovers that she's not the only one unhappy with Morton's ghastly gift choices!

This episode is all about thankfulness, and so we want to take a moment to say a HUGE thank you to our faithful listeners! We appreciate you SO much, and we wish you a merry, joy-filled Christmas!

FOR PARENTS

Thank you, also, for your support and enthusiasm towards this podcast in 2025! It means the world to us!! It takes a huge amount of time, work, and dedication to put these episodes together, and so if you and your family have enjoyed Cottonwood Trails over this past year, please consider a donation to help us keep making more, at ⁠⁠cottonwoodtrails.ca

When Morton and Frank (AKA "Sheerluck Homes" and "The Doctor") are asked by Winnifred to investigate why Alice has been so rude to her, they discover that the root of the issue lies in a story that's been told to Alice. But they soon realise that there's something not quite right about this story! And the more they investigate, the more ridiculous things get!

Once again, the gang find themselves sitting round a campfire in Autumn telling stories - only this time, they're joined by Rob, who tells a story of his own - one that doesn't go down too well with Oz, Rosie, and Morton!

Want a reminder of how this tradition started? Why not listen to (or re-listen to) the original Campfire Stories episode!

Here's the second episode of Safety Tips with Rob. Enjoy! And we'll be back with another full-length Cottonwood Trails episode on October 1st!

The Cottonwood Trails crew has had a crazy hectic summer this year, and so we had to take a bit of a break from full episode production, meaning, unfortunately, no full episode this September... BUT we do still have a couple of treats for you this month though - we're releasing the first two "Safety Tips with Rob" bonus episodes!!!

So here's "Safety Tips with Rob" #1 (entitled "Pests"). Episode #2 will release later in September (so keep a look out for that!), and we'll be back to full episodes, as normal, in October!

Want to hear the backstory behind the "Safety Tips with Rob" broadcasts? Check out episode 28: Wallys and Badgerbumps (https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/4r76DJTpivdAy9fhSsRjzf/episode/7gReWxoTVjTSUqfR67AFmO/details), if you haven't already!

This is it! The exciting conclusion! Will Sam be reunited with his parents? Will Rob ever find Mac? Will the Raccoon King take over the forest?! Let’s find out together right now in... Without a Trace - part 5!

FOR PARENTS

Partner with us to support the making of Tales from Cottonwood Trails, and sign up for the Cottonwood Trails Quarterly e-newsletter (featuring the Fun in the Forest comic strip), at ⁠cottonwoodtrails.ca

Rob and his band of sleuths finally locate the missing metal objects, and start to get some clues as to who had stolen them. And after meeting with Mac, and talking about his experiences in the caves, Abbie is able to piece together the puzzle of how the Raccoon King is planning to control the water in the forest... only to find out that her and her fellow captives may get a front row seat in the fulfilment of the king's master plan - whether they want to or not!

Rob, Rosie, Morton, and Frank take some vital steps forward in their search for Mac Beaver (way too many steps for Frank's liking!), while Sam, Abbie, and Mathilda finally get to meet the crazed mastermind behind all that's been going on, and get an unnerving glimpse into this roguish ruler's diabolical plans!

Sam, Abbie, and Mathilda enter an enormous cave in their bid to find Sam's long-lost parents, but the mysteries seem to grow deeper with every step! And across the forest, as Rob, Rosie, Morton, and Frank meet with Marnie to try and work out what might have happened to Mac, they soon realise there may be more to his disappearance than they first thought!

Objects are going missing in Cottonwood Trails! And as more and more things begin to vanish, Rob decides it's time to find out what's going on. Meanwhile, Sam the bat has made an important discovery that pulls him, Abbie, and Mathilda into a mystery of their own! Where is this all heading?!?

Want to catch the backstory to this series before you start listening? Check out episode #14: The Case of the Missing Blanket, if you haven't already!