Rephonic
Artwork for Desert Oracle Radio

Desert Oracle Radio

Ken Layne
Mojave Desert
Christmas
Halloween
California
Midsummer
Joshua Tree National Park
Pinyon and Juniper Woodlands
Desert Oracle
Thanksgiving
Folklore
Stan Jones
Joshua Tree
John Muir
Warren Zevon
Covid-19 Pandemic
Desert Wildlife
Doc Holliday
Mojo Nixon
Elvis Presley
David Lynch

Desert Oracle Radio is a weekly road trip through the weird American desert from the publisher of Desert Oracle, the pocket-sized field guide published in Joshua Tree, California. Hear tales of mysterious lights, missing tourists, lost mines, venomous creatures, weird history and weirder people. Hosted by editor Ken Layne and featuring a cast of intriguing mystics, oddballs, scientists and artists... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes265Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Places & TravelPhilosophySociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Desert Oracle Radio

Latest Episodes

From our Campfire Stories in Joshua Tree on May 23, 2026, here’s a special one-hour edition of Desert Oracle Radio live from the desert behind the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, with the High Desert's own Herb Benham IV opening the campfire festivities ... more

YouTube

If you love flying saucers, maybe you’ve been following the release of a bunch more UFO files. Maybe you're disappointed that E.T. isn't in there, signing a treaty with F.D.R. But it's a very interesting window on the American UFO era, which is now 8... more

YouTube

Tonight's episode features a previously secret recording of Campfire Stories from years gone by, plus an examination of the so-called "Mosquito Hawk" (or Skeeter Eater), which does not eat mosquitos. It doesn't really do anything but fly into your mo... more

YouTube

We still live in the Time of Ancient Gods. At this very moment, in memory of a mission named for the god Apollo, astronauts of the Artemis mission are aboard the Orion spaceship, headed for La Luna. The mission is named for Blessed Artemis, goddess o... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Trillbilly Worker's Party
Trillbilly Worker's PartyTrillbilly Worker's Party
Transmissions
TransmissionsAquarium Drunkard
Weird Studies
Weird StudiesSpectreVision Radio
The Adam Friedland Show
The Adam Friedland ShowThe Adam Friedland Show
Hermitix
HermitixHermitix

Recent Guests

Herb Benham IV
Desert Oracle storyteller and co-host for the episode
Desert Oracle
Episode: Campfire Tales on a Half-Moon Night
Matt Welch
Host of the Fifth Column podcast, known for his storytelling and insights.
Fifth Column Podcast
Episode: All Hallows Tales, Live In New York
Nicholas Lowry
Auctioneer and expert in antiques, connecting ghost stories with historical narratives.
Swann Galleries
Episode: All Hallows Tales, Live In New York
Herb Benham
Performer and musician from the Mesa.
Episode: Don't Let Them Take Our Western Public Lands
Herbie Benham
A resident and mystery figure in the desert community, known for selling RV satellite dishes.
Episode: Hills Are Filled With Fire
Todd Goldberg
New York Times best-selling author known for his books including The Low Desert, Gangsterland, and Gangster Nation.
Coachella FM
Episode: Up From the Grave
Patrick Donnelly
Great Basin Director for the Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Biological Diversity
Episode: Among the Stately Trees

Host

Ken Layne
Editor and host focused on desert lore, culture, and storytelling; central figure behind the show's reflective, desert-night atmosphere.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • YES!

    Thanks !

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Oceanfloat
    United States3 months ago
  • Great work

    Big fan of the show. Funny, interesting and relaxing. I often tee up two or three episodes after dark.

    And who would have thought, I don’t need to “agree” with every syllable uttered. Keep up the good work.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gail - San Francisco
    United States5 months ago
  • East of the Mississippi..

    Is there anything scarier than East of the Mississippi? 80% of the population and little to no public land, scariest story ever told. Travel safe Ken, nothing to see in the East.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    0123456781976
    United States8 months ago
  • Greatest Pod In The History Of Ever

    Ken is one of the best writers alive, and the pod is amazing. And he has the best cranberry recipe. What can’t Ken Layne do? You should tell everyone to check this out.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mojopo
    United States8 months ago
  • Walking

    I went for a walk and listened to an audiobook of Walking by Thoreau like you suggested

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Flora Racine
    United States10 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans praise the show's mix of folklore, history, and local color, often recommending it for a late-night listen.
Listeners frequently mention the desert as a character and value the intimate, curator-like presentation.
Audience notes the host's storytelling as memorable, funny, and deeply cultivated in desert lore.
Listener reviews highlight the show's atmospheric, soothing voice and immersive desert storytelling.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Up From the Grave
Q: What experience did you have with the Ouija board?
Todd shared that he frequently used the Ouija board during his childhood, leading to alarming and mysterious messages, including one that instructed him to call a deceased man's wife.
Among the Stately Trees
Q: What actions are being taken against these projects?
Donnelly highlights ongoing litigation aimed at stopping clear-cutting projects in the region.
Among the Stately Trees
Q: Please tell us what's going on here regarding the pinyon and juniper woodlands?
Donnelly explains the historical context of deforestation efforts targeting these woodlands and the new proposal to convert them into biofuels.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Desert Oracle Radio

What is Desert Oracle Radio about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Desert Oracle Radio presents a weekly, lyric-driven tour through the American desert, blending folklore, natural history, and offbeat culture with lyrical storytelling and atmospheric sound. Recurring themes include desert landscapes, mysterious phenomena, historical curiosities, and regional lore, often anchored by a reflective, intimate host voice. Episodes frequently weave together myth, science, and place, inviting listeners to contemplate the Mojave's strange beauty while exploring how myths travel from dusty trails to media and live performances. The show stands out for its distinctive mood, immersive narration, and a strong sense of community around desert life and storytelling.</summary

Where can I find podcast stats for Desert Oracle Radio?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Desert Oracle Radio. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Desert Oracle Radio and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Desert Oracle Radio get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Desert Oracle Radio, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Desert Oracle Radio?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Desert Oracle Radio, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Desert Oracle Radio have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Desert Oracle Radio has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Desert Oracle Radio?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Desert Oracle Radio:

1. Trillbilly Worker's Party
2. Transmissions
3. Weird Studies
4. The Adam Friedland Show
5. Hermitix

How many episodes of Desert Oracle Radio are there?

Desert Oracle Radio launched 9 years ago and published 265 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Desert Oracle Radio?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Desert Oracle Radio?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Desert Oracle Radio from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Desert Oracle Radio?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Desert Oracle Radio. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Desert Oracle Radio?

Recent guests on Desert Oracle Radio include:

1. Herb Benham IV
2. Matt Welch
3. Nicholas Lowry
4. Herb Benham
5. Herbie Benham
6. Todd Goldberg
7. Patrick Donnelly

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days