Appalachia is home to many unusual sightings and cryptid-like creatures. There’s no shortage of unusual tales in the mountain range, but this one takes place a continent away. The Hoia Baciu in Romania, also dubbed the ‘Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania,’ has gained an unsettling reputation. Two Romanian men initially dismissed the forest’s notoriety until they decided to camp for one night.
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Mikey of Grimm History (@mikeygrimm13) told the story on TikTok. It was a submission from a man named Adrian, who, at the time of the events, was accompanied by his friend, Mihai. The pair were amateur paranormal investigators who were generally interested in the bizarre and unexplained. In October 2024, the friends decided to camp in the Hoia Baciu forest over the weekend.
Unlike Appalachia, where locals report sightings of strange animal-like figures, the sightings in the Hoia Baciu reference ghosts. Locals believe it is haunted, with strange lights appearing, disembodied voices, quick-moving figures, and even UFOs. Locals also mention that time behaves strangely in the forest and that compasses often malfunction. The Hoia Baciu and its distinct twisted trees and unusually “perfect” clearings add to its haunted reputation.
Asking for a haunted experience
It’s no place to get lost. Despite the local taboo surrounding the forest, Adrian and his friend set off to camp anyway. He recalled that the first day was normal. They took photos, recorded EVPs, and set up camp miles into the forest. Nothing supernatural happened.
By sunset, the two men joked that the forest’s reputation was “completely overblown,” as they hadn’t experienced anything strange at this point. It was almost as if Adrian and Mihai were taunting the forest to make them experience something unforgettable.
The Hoia Baciu would give these travellers what they were looking for by midnight. Adrian and his friend suddenly heard footsteps. It’s almost as if someone were circling their camp. They would flash their lights in the direction of the footsteps, but nothing would be there. But the moment they removed the light from that spot, they would start hearing the pacing again.
But the forest is home to foxes and wild boars. It could be either of those animals—nevertheless, the unexplained sound was enough to make Adrian and Mihai lose sleep.
The next day, everything seemed to be in place. But a backpack that the pair had left outside of the tent was gone. They simply thought they’d misplaced the backpack, so they started looking around for it. It was not in their campsite—instead, it was 200 meters away from where they were sitting between two trees.
Nothing had been taken in the backpack, but it mysteriously made its way to a farther location. It was an odd event, but the friends decided to stay in the forest to complete their trip.
Never answer a mimic
In Appalachian folklore, there are creatures that would imitate a person’s loved one and call their name. When that happens, it’s advised for the person not to respond to the voice. The same applies in Romanian folklore, as these creatures may be strigoi—a vampiric creature.
Adrian may not be in Appalachia, but someone from the woods called his name.
It sounded like Mihai, but it couldn’t be him, because he was asleep next to Adrian. In frustration, Adrian shook his friend awake and told him to stop messing around. He assumed that Mihai was the source of the whisper. But when he woke up and turned to Adrian, both of them heard the voice.
Neither Adrian nor Mihai was making the noise.
Then, the same footsteps from a night ago followed. They heard the vegetation get crushed under the steps, but this time, it was much closer. It was the same circling pattern—as if whoever was out there was roaming the perimeter of their tent.
The forest went silent for a few seconds. Then, the friends saw something indent against the tent, dragging its hand across the fabric. Adrian and Mahi didn’t speak, didn’t move—they just watched in fear. Would it enter the tent?
No, instead, it ran off into the forest. Adrian recalled that it sounded as though it were sprinting back and forth through the trees.
An invitation
By sunrise, Afrian and Mihai finally decided to make a bolt out of the Hoia Baciu. When they began packing, Mihai’s camera went missing no matter how hard they’d searched. It was the backpack scenario all over again—there were no tracks or sign of another person. The camera simply disappeared.
Nevertheless, the two men started making their way back to the trail. The forest was oddly silent, with no birds chirping or insects squirming about. Adrian felt like somebody—or something was following them. He and his friend would see dark figures and shapes from the corner of their eyes, standing at a distance but close enough to observe them.
They made it back in one piece to their truck. But upon looking back, Adrian noticed a person standing between the trees. They were standing still, watching the two men in silence. When Adrian alerted Mihai, the figure stepped behind the tree.
It never showed itself again.
A week later, Mihai received a package at his apartment. It had no return address. Inside was his missing camera. The memory card had been removed, and a strange note was taped to the camera that reads, “Come back alone.”
A reputation that rivals Appalachia
Commenters on TikTok were generally horrified by the story, with some dubbing the Hoia Baciu as “the Appalachia of Europe.” Arguably, it’s a tad worse because the Hoia Baciu is dubbed among the most haunted forests in the world.
Nevertheless, some TikTok commenters still found some avenue to joke.
One commenter from Romania said, “Bro, Hoia Baciu isn’t that bad. In my 780 years of living there, I haven’t experienced any paranormal things.” This man might as well be the real Dracula.
Another commenter wrote, “Joke’s on you. I’m in Appalachia, nowhere near Hoia Baciu Forest.” Even if they lived in Hoia Baciu, this person would probably struggle to tell the difference.
(featured image: Shahin Khalaji)
