Mogollon Monster

The Mogollon Rim in Arizona is 200 miles long and cuts across the state of Arizona. Starting in northern Yavapai County and running southeast almost to New Mexico, it's an area full of gorgeous landscapes and is popular among outdoor enthusiasts for the camping, fishing, hiking and other outdoor opportunities it provides. If you decide to visit the Rim to partake in its beauty and enjoy nature, you might find something you weren't looking for - The Mogollon Monster.

What is this strange creature? Why, it's one of Arizona's very own cryptids! It's uncertain when the creature was first seen. There is an incident that happened in 1903 in the Grand Canyon, which is north of the Rim and out of the general area of all the sightings, but some consider that to be the first one due to the similarities of what was seen then and subsequent encounters. But the first definitive sighting was in the mid-1940s. The witness was one Don Davis, who was a teen at the time (and, interestingly enough, grew up to become a cryptozoologist). Don was on a Boy Scout camping trip when he encountered the Mogollon Monster. He was asleep in his tent when he heard someone rummaging through the campsite. When he woke up, the creature was in front of him. Don recollects the creature was huge, man-like, with a massive upper body and a powerful, horrid stench.

That was only the first of many sightings by campers and hikers. The creature seems to have a penchant for going through campsites and rummaging through items. It's not a dainty visitor! It knocks things over, rips things up and steals food during its nocturnal visits. Hikers say they have had stones thrown at them from within the forest and have heard all manner of strange sounds - loud screams and shrieking, howling, whoops, whistles and wood knocking.

There have also been numerous sightings by residents of towns located on the Rim. One resident who saw the creature said it was tall, black and took large strides and another is reported to have said there were more sightings than ever before. Even a member of one of the local police departments said that residents have placed calls for help when the creature has been caught looking through their windows.

Similarities in encounter reports include the following features: a powerfully bad smell, a body covered in hair but with a hairless face, red eyes; great height and huge footprints.

So what is our mysterious creature? Some think it is a local sasquatch. Scientists, though, believe people who think they are seeing some kind of unknown forest creature are actually misidentifying one of the numerous animals that live in the Arizona forests - mountain lions, bighorn sheep, mule deer, elk, possibly even bears. They also theorize some of these reports could just be outright hoaxes.

Please, come visit us here in Arizona and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors! But if you suddenly hear a strange noise, see strange footprints or maybe just sense that you're being watched, well - just be careful!

Sources
Cryptid Profile: Mogollon Monster - THE PINE BARRENS INSTITUTE
What is the Mogollon Monster?
The Mogollon Monster: Arizona’s Mysterious Bigfoot