Tales from Cottonwood Trails

It's another autumnal campfire story night for the gang, and Morton has a tale of shadowy organisations, spycraft, and espionage to tell - which can only mean one thing... it's time for Agent Double O Zero's next thrilling adventure!!

To hear his first adventure, listen to episode #9. Imagine That

After falling in with a mischievous gang of chipmunks, called the Chip-punks, Oz starts joining in with their rascally antics, prompting Rob to tell Oz a story about doing the right thing, even when it's difficult!

When Rosie, Oz, and Morton are struggling to keep up with the sound effects in Rob's "Live Dramas from Cottonwood" radio show, Rob introduces them to the Soundster 6000 as a solution, giving them a week to figure out how to use these intricate devices. Not everyone thrives during this week of practice though!

In this second, and final, installment of The Wool over Our Eyes, Morton and Frank ("Sheerluck Homes" and "The Doctor") find themselves in a wolf village, only to discover yet more mysteries unfolding! Where will this all end?!?

Morton and Frank get an unexpected visit from a sheep in distress! Stella the sheep is worried about her brother, Charlie, who has mysteriously gone missing, and so she turns to the duo for help! Can "Sheerluck Homes" (and his trusty sidekick, "The Doctor") solve the case?!

When Morton is left feeling a little down, after struggling to keep up with the others in Rob's trivia game, Abbie tells him a story to help him see things from a slightly different perspective!

Episode 3 of "Animal Talk"! In this episode, Oz, Rosie, and Morton tell us about a wacky animal that lives in the ocean: the Cuttlefish!

Look out for another full-length episode, coming soon!

Mathilda's having one of her stressful days again! And after getting some stress-beating suggestions from Oz and Rosie (which unfortunately end up making things worse!), she desperately turns to Abbie for help... only to get some slightly unexpected advice!

Episode 2 of "Animal Talk"! In this episode, Oz, Rosie, and Morton tell us about one of the most unique animals in the world: the Platypus!

Look out for another full-length episode, coming soon!

In place of a full-length episode today, here's episode no. 1 of "Animal Talk"! - the "radio show" where animals talk about animals!

Oz, Rosie, and Morton—broadcasting out of Rob's recording studio up in the trees (see episode 28: Wallys and Badgerbumps)—tell us some really cool facts and info about the amazing animals that can be found in God's creation, starting, in this episode, with the teeny, tiny marvel that is: the Tardigrade!

Look out for another "Animal Talk" episode, coming later this month!!

In the concluding episode of "Hornswoggled" - Mathilda, Morton, and Oz have successfully bluffed their way into the basement of "Delicacies for the Destitute", but Mathilda's plan to bring an end to the Pie Rats' sneaky plot to swindle pies from the animals of Cottonwood Trails soon backfires, leaving our three heroes with little choice but to invoke "Pie-lay" in a desperate bit to secure their freedom... Let the challenges commence!

Why not revisit Stewed Fruit and Pirate Loot? - the episode where we first meet the dreaded Pie Rats!

Happy New Year to all our listeners! 🎉

When Mathilda, Morton, and Oz deliver some pies to Delicacies for the Destitute, and realise that something doesn't seem quite right, they set off to investigate, and soon find out that there's "more than meets the pie!" when it comes to this charity!

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!

Morton, Rosie and Oz stumble across an old, spooky-looking treehouse with mysterious noises coming from it, and start to think it might be haunted! After a quick chat with Abbie, they decide to go back an check it out. But what will they find? And what could be making those strange, eerie sounds?!?

After a frustrating run-in with Skud the wolverine and his gang, Oz recruits Rosie and Morton, and their new friend Trent the skunk, in his plan to teach this band of bullies the error of their ways.

Hint: if you haven't already, you're gonna want to listen to No Escape parts 1 and 2 (#25 and #26) before listening to this episode!

Rob and the animals record a quick voice note for Abbie, who's away for the holidays.

In this concluding episode of No Escape, the gang find themselves in a pretty tight spot — stuck in a far-off cave, trying to puzzle their way out, all at the whims of a mysterious character known only as "The Designer". And now Morton is missing! Can they turn it around? Can they find their friend?!? Find out in... No Escape, part 2!

The Cottonwood Trails team are gonna take a well-earned break over Christmas, and so there won't be an episode January 1st, but keep a look out later in December 'cause we have a little something for you to enjoy while you wait! And we’ll be back as usual February 1st with more… Tales from Cottonwood Trails!

If you’re a parent who’s enjoying Tales from Cottonwood Trails, please consider supporting the show by making a donation at cottonwoodtrails.ca. Or rate and review it, so others can discover it too!

Frank, Mathilda, Oz, Rosie, and Morton all head off to go mushroom-picking in some nearby caves. When they notice a sign reading "No Escape" above the entrance to one of the caves, they decide to go in anyway. A decision they very soon regret!

Visit cottonwoodtrails.ca to sign up for Cottonwood Trails Quarterly, and get the Fun-in-the-Forest mini comic, as well as the latest news, exclusive content, and more, right to your inbox!

Sign up by November 5th to get the special World Audio Drama Day edition, packed full of sneak peeks and bonus content!

It's a chilly Autumn night, and the gang are sitting around a campfire with no s'mores to roast, thanks to Morton. What better way to pass the time though than to tell some scary stories!

Mathilda's having a bad day. And it's made even worse by a ukulele-playing Morton! Fortunately, Rob's on hand to help, but not quite with the message that Mathilda had expected!

Sheerluck Homes returns! After a panicked Winnifred tells the group about a unnerving experience she had earlier that day deep in the North Woods, Sheerluck Homes, AKA Morton, and Frank, his assistant, set out to solve the mystery of... The Space Case?

Want to hear the previous Sheerluck Homes case, or listen to it again? Listen to episode 14: The Case of the Missing Blanket.

The adventure reaches it's dramatic conclusion! Are Rob and Oz okay? Will the gang get the pink flower and save their friends? Find out in the thrilling final instalment of... The Saga of The Purple Plant!

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

The journey to find the elusive pink flower continues, as Rob and the gang climb further up Mount Cottonwood. But the higher up the mountain they get, the more perilous their quest becomes!

The gang begin their arduous climb up Mount Cottonwood, hoping to find the pink flower they need to be able to heal their friends. However, when they unwittingly wander onto the land of some highly territorial mountain goats, they're left with a choice: fight fire with fire, or respond with compassion.

In this second instalment of the saga of The Purple Plant, Rob and the gang set off deep into Cottonwood Trails to locate Ranger Stu's research cabin in a desperate bid to find an antidote to the poison of the purple plant, and to save their friends. All, however, does not go to plan!

When Rosie, Oz and Frank discover a field of beautiful purple plants on a long walk to the edge of Cottonwood Trails, they decide to introduce the plants to the other animals in the forest, hoping to make a name for themselves. But their plan backfires dramatically!

When Rob gives a Bible memory verse to Oz, Alice and Morton, the three of them each interpret it in wildly different ways, leading Oz to unwisely commit to a fight with Skud the Wolverine! But Morton's odd interpretation of the verse might just save the day!

It's Christmas Eve, and the gang are celebrating together in Rob's treehouse. But things take a surreal turn for Morton when he eats some of Frank's moldy fruitcake and falls into a deep, dreamy sleep!

Sheerluck Homes investigates! When Mathilda's blanket gets mysteriously stolen from her yard under the cover of night, Morton and Frank set out in the rain to follow the clues, but will this diligent detective duo be able to crack the case of the Missing Blanket?

Mathilda gets the opportunity of a lifetime - the chance to wrestle with the The Federation of Forest Wrestling! But she soon starts to realize that it comes with a tough choice: rise up through the wrestling ranks, or spend quality time with her close friends.

Avast ye landlubbers! Things take a swashbuckling turn when Rob and the gang set out across the lake to help Marnie Beaver make some pies, but proceed to get captured by pirates! Or - more specifically - Pie-Rats! The dreaded Captain Ratzberry and his band of pernicious Pie-Rats want to know the whereabouts of Marnie's pies, and will stop at nothing to get them! How are the gang going to get out of this one?

Rob and Abbie plan a race for the animals up Mount Cottonwood, but it doesn't take long for the racers to start getting distracted. Who will win? Find out in this episode of Tales from Cottonwood Trails!

A simple game of charades descends into total chaos after Morton turns up - wrapped in a fuzzy blanket - to show off his precious stick collection. Can Rob restore some much needed order?

Agent Double O Zero, the worlds best spy (who bears a striking resemblance to Morton the badger) comes face to face with his arch nemesis, the dastardly Dr. Vilus, in this gripping tale of espionage and crimes against humor, but, back in Cottonwood Trails, Morton doesn't feel quite so smooth and accomplished when he tries to run an errand for Ranger Abbie and feels like he's failing left, right, and center.

Step right up! It's the annual Cottonwood Trails carnival! But all is not quite fun and games for Rosie, Oz and Morton, after Rosie accidentally soaks Skud the Wolverine at the water shooting game. Their day then becomes a series of hair-raising interactions with Skud as he tries to get his revenge on them. Rosie and Oz take action by turning to Rob for help, while Morton, on the other hand, has no idea what's going on!

After the local creek floods, leaving the animals' brand new park under water, everyone's feeling pretty despondent, so Rob tells them a story to teach them how they can find the positives, and be thankful, even in the midst of tough circumstances.

In this second instalment, Rob realizes that Morton does in fact have a talent he can bring to the team - his ability to distract those around him - but will it be enough to help them win the day? Find out in part 2 of Cottonwood Trails - The Cold Conflict!

In part one of this wintery two-part episode, the gang get challenged to a game of Capture the Flag by Skud the Wolverine and his rebel crew, but, as the snowballs start to fly, Morton comes to the realisation that he doesn't have any talents he can contribute to the team!

When Rob gets called away for training, Oz, Alice and Morton wonder whether the substitute ranger - Abbie - is up to the task of taking care of everything in the Cottonwood Trails forest, and decide to secretly put her up to a number of tests.

Morton and Oz are challenged by the rest of the gang to spend the night in the creepy North Woods, and end up encountering an owl with a flair for the dramatic called Winifred. Things get pretty tense for the duo when she tells them about "the creature that walks the forest at night", and it's down to Rob to try to calm things down a little!

In this episode, the gang's patience gets tested when they meet Bruce - a super-self confident moose with the biggest antlers in the forest. But when Bruce's pride in his antlers gets him into trouble, it's time for Rob to come to a dramatic rescue!

When Morton the Badger mysteriously loses his precious stick collection, it's down to Rob and the gang to solve the mystery!