Much of North America is a hotbed for Bigfoot sightings – and no state is safe from encounters with this massive, mysterious creature. But by following the map of reported sightings, you can certainly put yourself in the best position to never cross paths with a Bigfoot, if that’s what you choose.
So where are these sightings happening the most?
First, you might be wondering what exactly a Bigfoot – or Sasquatch or any of the other names it might go by – is. It is most commonly known as a bipedal creature that is large, hairy, and humanlike. This ape-like cryptid has been described as the North American equivalent of the Abominable Snowman, or Yeti, from the Himalayan region.
Whether you’ve seen the Patterson-Gimlin film or the creature’s now ubiquitous presence in our culture, there’s a good chance you’ve always been familiar with Bigfoot. But let’s find out where we can get an actual glimpse of it.
The Top 10 States for Bigfoot Sightings
Whether you’re on the hunt for physical evidence or simply want to know what states to avoid to ensure your path never crosses with a Sasquatch, here are the top ten states for Bigfoot sightings, according to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization:
10. Georgia
9. Missouri
8. Michigan
7. Texas
6. Oregon
5. Illinois
4. Ohio
3. Florida
2. California
1. Washington
So if you’re an Ohioan like me, you’ve got a pretty good shot at catching a glimpse of Bigfoot for yourself. And in my neck of the woods up in Northeast Ohio, there’s also a creature called “The Grassman” that has been known to lurk around Minerva and the surrounding area. Apparently, this is considered a more aggressive species Sasquatch, so be careful if you’re looking for ol’ Orange Eyes.
Now, if you’re looking to avoid Bigfoot at all costs, you might want to live in, say, Delaware, North Dakota, Nevada, or Rhode Island. All of those have fewer than ten reported sightings in the BFRO database (Vermont only has ten as well).
Of course, there’s only one state where there has never been a recorded Bigfoot sighting, and that’s Hawaii. But there’s no guarantee you won’t ever eventually run into the Maui Skunk Ape.
And if you’ve ever had a Bigfoot sighting, it’s imperative that you submit your experience in the name of good scientific research. You can submit your report to the BFRO, but you can also report your sighting to the North American Wood Ape Conservancy, which has an encounter reports database of its own.
Was Bigfoot Caught on Video in Colorado?
There has been some big news in the Bigfoot world recently, as there appears to be some potential new video evidence of a Sasquatch. The video making the rounds is below, and it features footage taken by a couple in Colorado while on a train. You can see off in the distance a Bigfoot-like creature stalking around in the grass and then sitting down.
Though Colorado isn’t necessarily a hotbed for Bigfoot sighting – at least as far as the official tallies go – this is an exciting development that will only feed the public’s curiosity to learn more about Sasquatch.
Bigfoot Sightings in the National Parks
As you might expect, there have been many Bigfoot sighting reports coming out of the national parks over the years. Most people simply report the sightings, while other visitors attempt to take matters in their own hands, evidenced by one Mammoth Cave visitor firing a shot at the elusive cryptid, who allegedly destroyed the man’s campsite. As for a park like Yellowstone, it claims to not have much official evidence of Bigfoot sightings, but it has been home to many other strange occurrences over the years.
From the looks of it, there are plenty of ways to die in a national park, but being mauled to death by Bigfoot doesn’t look to be one of them.
The Origins of Bigfoot in North America
Tales of hairy humanoids like Sasquatch exist all over the world; it seems like every region of the planet has its own similarly-described creature roaming the wilderness. And all have proven to be especially elusive.
But in North America, the legend of Bigfoot began all the way back among the indigenous people of the continent. However, the “Bigfoot” name was originated in 1958, when Jerry Crew, a logging company bulldozer operator, discovered massive 16-inch, humanlike footprints in the Six Rivers National Forest in Humboldt County, California.
More tracks were found, and a plaster cast of the footprint was made, which made its way into the local newspaper with an accompanying story that readers ate up. Though there is some debate over whether Crew made those footprints himself as a prank, that certainly didn’t matter; the legend of Bigfoot had begun, and thousands of credible sighting stories have been collected over the years.
And depending on where you live in the United States, you might just have a better chance of one day coming across this legendary cryptid yourself.
