Bigfoot in Virginia

Bigfoot in Virginia

Virginia is no stranger to the legend of Bigfoot, with numerous Bigfoot sightings in Virginia sparking curiosity and intrigue over the years. From the dense forests of the Appalachian Mountains to the remote hollows of the Shenandoah Valley, locals and adventurers alike have reported strange encounters with the elusive creature.

Whether it’s mysterious footprints, eerie howls, or blurry images, Bigfoot in Virginia continues to capture the imagination of those daring enough to believe. Who knows—maybe the next sighting is just around the corner!

Take a thrilling ghost tour through the spooky streets of Williamsburg and discover its chilling stories.

Where Have There Been Bigfoot Sightings In Virginia?

Bigfoot, the legendary creature often described as a towering, hairy figure lurking in the wilderness, has sparked intrigue and mystery across the United States—and Virginia is no exception! With its vast forests and rugged terrain, the state has become a hotspot for Bigfoot sightings over the years.

From the dense woods of the Appalachian Mountains to remote areas near the Shenandoah Valley, there have been numerous reports of strange noises, giant footprints, and fleeting glimpses of the elusive creature. Notable locations where Bigfoot sightings in Virginia have occurred include the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, and the vast expanse of the Allegheny Mountains. Whether it’s hikers, hunters, or just curious locals, people continue to claim encounters with Bigfoot in Virginia, keeping the legend alive and well.

Myths and Bigfoot Sightings In Virginia

Image Source: Science-All.com

A few weeks ago, in our post on the Great Dismal Swamp, we mentioned the story behind the hauntingly beautiful poem by Edgar Allan Poe, “The Lake.” It is believed to be based on Native American folklore. But Americans have their own myths as well.

You’ve definitely heard about Bigfoot, for instance. Sightings of this mythical creature stem back to the nineteenth century.

But centuries of false reports and hoaxes have left more skeptics than believers. Even when the History Channel released its two hour special, Bigfoot Captured, people cried “gimmick!”

Despite the flop of Bigfoot Captured, many are still trying to answer the question of Bigfoot’s existence.  The “pursuit is kept alive by a steady stream of sightings, occasional photos or footprint finds,” including many from Virginia.

Back in 2014, for instance, a man photographed “a Bigfoot creature” while fishing with a friend along the Intracoastal Waterway. According to the man, he and his family had encountered a similar beast twenty-five years ago during a camping trip.

During that memorable outing, he had spotted a pair of red eyes peering at them from behind some bushes. Frightened, he shot at the shrubs, causing whatever was watching them to “tear off through the woods.”

Bigfoot Encounters and Hunts

Image Source: WTVR.com

Although most claims of Bigfoot sightings stem from the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes regions, a good handful come from southern parts of Virginia. In fact, the state “has some of the oldest sightings on record, with some pre-1880s.”

The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) has been a keeping database of credible reports – right now, Virginia has seventy-four listings on it. The most recent one was added in September 2015. In the late evening hours, a motorist from Bedford County observed “a Bigfoot with a baby” walking along the road.

She first thought that the red-haired creature was a deer, until she saw that it was holding something that looked just like a human infant. She immediately called the sheriff’s office, but the dispatcher hesitated to believe her.

Two other accounts date back to the summer of 2014. A homeowner from Warren County was sitting outside on his back porch when he overheard “what sounded like a tree knock in the woods behind the house.” The noise was followed shortly by a throaty “whoop.”

In the other instance, hikers in Rockingham County spotted a huge, human-like creature near Rawley Springs. Like the female motorist, they said that it had long, reddish-brown hair.

Bigfoot hunting requires as much work and skill as ghost hunting. True ghost hunters need to know how to interview witnesses, conduct historical research, and handle a multitude of evidence-gathering devices.  If you read our post on ghost hunting equipment, you are probably familiar with two of them: EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) recorders and EMF (electromagnetic field) detectors.

Bigfoot Hunting Gear and Forested Mysteries

One of the earliest EVP recorders was made by William O’Neil in 1980. Dubbed “The Spiricom,” this radio-like apparatus was used by O’Neil to hold two-way conversations with ghosts. In 2002, Frank Sumption built his “Frank’s Box,” which supplied spirits with “raw audio” (such as music and white noise) that they could use to form their own voices.

EMF detectors, on the other hand, pick up ghost activity, rather than sounds. They are also used to in UFO investigations.

As for the arsenal of gadgets used by Bigfoot hunters, several are home-made. The team behind the Virginia Bigfoot Research Organization (VBRO), for instance, has its own “Bigfoot Bellower,” which records animal calls, even if they occur miles away. The team also utilizes thermal infrared cameras during nighttime surveillances and EyeGotcha digital video recorders.

The man behind VBRO is William Dranginis, a Virginian from Manassas who has been working in the surveillance and security industry for years. Dranginis investigates Bigfoot sighting claims from his “Bigfoot Primate Research Lab,” an old veterinary van he customized with $5,000-worth of Bigfoot hunting gear.

Many find it surprising that there are so many Bigfoot-dedicated organizations, like BFRO and VBRO, in Virginia. But did you know that over sixty percent of Virginia is forested? According to the Virginia Department of Forestry, the state has “15.72 million acres” of forestland. That’s more than enough room for Bigfoot (if he does exist) to roam and wander.

The largest is the Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest, which covers 19,808 acres. People like to go hunting, hiking, and geocaching there. “Geocaching” is an outdoor, real world treasure hunting game that became very popular at the turn of the century. Players use GPS-enabled devices (such as Smartphones) to find “geocaches,” or small waterproof containers, which are hidden in various locations around the world. Each container holds a log book, and sometimes little prizes that were left behind by earlier geocachers. The idea is to track down a geocache based on its GPS coordinates, sign your name in its log book, then find the next one.

Bigfoot Legends and the Beast of Gum Hill in Virginia

Sometimes, geocachers run into Bigfoot. One player did while roaming through Washington, for instance. McKean County in Pennsylvania even has its own “Great ‘Finding Bigfoot’ GeoTrail.”

Many states have their own unique names for Bigfoot. In east Texas, Bigfoot is sometimes referred to as Boggy Bill, for example.  Kentucky calls him Cave Yeller, Oklahoma has coined him Devil Monkey, and Ohio often mentions him as Woods Child.

As for southwest Virginia, its resident Bigfoot-like monster is known as the “Beast of Gum Hill.” The Beast is most frequently spotted in the Saltville area. Saltville, Virginia lies about three hundred-fifty miles east of Williamsburg.

The town is named after the various salt marshes that dot the region. Pre-colonial times, Native American tribes, including the Algonquian and Sioux, mined the mineral from Saltville’s salt deposits and used it as a condiment. Once European settlers arrived, the demand for salt increased.

Colonists used salt to preserve their food. By the Civil War era, “Virginia was the leading producer of saltpeter,” an essential ingredient to black powder.

The Beast of Gum Hill was featured in a Season 2 episode of Animal Planet’s Finding Bigfoot. The show’s team of researchers arrived in Virginia to investigate a Youtube video uploaded on April 5, 2009. The video follows a man named Chuck Newton as he rides an ATV through a river bed in the Gum Hill area.

Suddenly, a dark, seven foot figure darts through the woods in front of him. He was filmed by his friend, Eric.

Bigfoot Hunts and Haunts in Virginia

The Finding Bigfoot team, led by Bigfoot hunting veteran Cliff Barackman, first interviewed the two men, and then set up camp at the site where the incidence occurred. They also talked to other locals and discovered that many of them had also encountered Sasquatch-like beasts. One woman, for instance, once “saw three or four large, upright figures chasing deer in the woods”17 while smoking on her porch at night.

According to Cliff Barackman, “Virginia holds a lot of promise for bigfooters.” He again managed the Finding Bigfoot team during their second visit to the state, this time during Season 5. They analyzed the photograph below, which was taken by a hunting club member.

Image Source: CliffBarackman.com

Though the team concluded that this strange creature was probably a bear, they still anticipate many more Bigfoot sightings to be reported from Virginia. So once you’re done hunting ghosts with us, don’t hesitate to track down other scary things our state has to offer!

Haunted Williamsburg

Book a Williamsburg Tour and see for yourself

Our tour will take you on a leisurely stroll along the tree-lined cobbled streets of this beautiful and historic city. In around three-quarters of a mile on our standard tour, our entertaining and knowledgeable guide will regale you with stories of characterful spots in the Historic District of Williamsburg.

For those with an appetite for the terrifying, our extended tour will take in an additional haunted locations.

Get more information and reserve a tour today!

Sources

• https://www.britannica.com/place/Appalachian-Mountains
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edgar-Allan-Poe
• https://www.bfro.net/
• https://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/go-outside/in-search-of-bigfoot/