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50 encounters
July 2022 Viola, Shasta County, California Class B #75290

Bigfoot-like Howls and Stalking at North Battle Creek Reservoir, Lassen National Forest

Late at night at a forest reservoir campground, the witness's adult son was reading in his tent while his parents slept nearby. His small dog began shaking and growling as very heavy bipedal footsteps approached, stopped at and partially circled the tent, an approach that repeated three times despite shouting. The son briefly exited with a weak light but saw no one and only heard heavy walking receding. The next morning no tracks were found near the tent except deer tracks some distance away.

Footsteps
10 November 2018 Bishop, Inyo County, California Class B #62169

Couple experience large rock thrown and possible bluff charge in Inyo National Forest

The witness and a companion hiked to a high-elevation lake to fish and stopped to rest on the trail. A large angular rock landed near them after they heard it moving through the air, followed by a loud grunt, a foul odor, and heavy footsteps approaching downhill. Fearing a bear, they fled down the switchback trail while the footsteps cut straight downhill behind them for about five minutes before stopping. They abandoned personal items, returned to the trailhead, and left the area.

Rock throwingGrowlFootstepsOdor
August 2016 Challenge, Yuba County, California Class B #78946

Several incidents 2 miles west of New Bullards Bar Reservoir

The witness and a companion were watching a meteor shower on their wooded property when the witness shone a flashlight beyond the garden and saw large, wide-set eyeshine. The entity hid its head behind a fence post and peeked out for about a minute. It then abruptly left the area, with branches breaking heard as it walked bipedally into the woods.

EyeshinePartial sightingFootsteps
29 August 2009 Trinity Center, Trinity County, California Class B #27327

Wilderness campers have an unknown visitor in the Trinity Alps of Northern California

The witness was lying awake in a tent at a remote lake camp around 1:30 a.m. while three companions slept. He heard footsteps circling camp, smelled a strong animal odor, and saw a large shadowy figure lift his backpack above the tent and appear to try to open it. After he yelled, the figure dropped the pack onto the tent and left camp on foot as the others woke and heard its retreat.

FootstepsOdorSilhouetteProperty disturbance
August 2008 Idyllwild, Riverside County, California Class B #24644

Camper hear knocks and camp stalking at Marion Mountain Campground

The witness awoke in his tent around 4:50am to a loud knock like wood hitting a tree trunk, followed by very heavy bipedal footsteps moving uphill through a ravine and across the campground. He heard branches breaking, a rock-like object thrown against a tree near his tent, dogs whimpering, and crickets falling silent. He unzipped his tent window as a neighboring camper emerged to quiet her dogs, after which the footsteps stopped.

Wood knockFootstepsRock throwing
October 2007 Lee Vining, Mono County, California Class B #24743

Camper has a possible close encounter west of Mono Lake

The witness was camping alone at night reading in a chair when a loud branch snap was heard nearby. Gas cans and other items behind a shed were knocked over as something large moved a short distance through trees and stopped across a creek. The witness's dogs cowered at the trailer door and the witness retreated inside with a feeling of being watched.

Unidentified soundFootstepsProperty disturbanceMovement only
30 September 2007 Right Off Of I-80, Between Auburn And Meadow Vista Exit On Drycreek Road, Placer County, California Class B #21808

Possible sighting by family walking their dog near Auburn

The witness and four family members walked a trail by a lake near dusk. After moving a large branch from the path, they found wet foot-shaped prints leading uphill and saw two dark human-like shapes lying still in the woods. They heard bipedal footsteps that stopped and started with them, then left and returned later to photograph and measure the prints and hear more steps and a breath-like sound.

TracksPartial sightingFootstepsUnidentified sound
19 November 2006 Twain Harte, Tuolumne County, California Class B #16722

Possible vocalizations heard by resident near Twain Harte

Late at night the witness took a dog outside and heard movement in the densely wooded backyard. The witness then heard a deep growl followed by a loud progressive scream that seemed non-human and kept hearing vocalizations after going back inside. The next morning the witness found disturbed underbrush and broken branches but no footprints.

FootstepsGrowlHowlScreamVocalization +1
14 July 2006 Shaver Lake, Fresno County, California Class B #17458

Hikers describe possible stalking and vocalizations the John Muir Wilderness

Three backpackers hiking toward Hobler Lake at dusk noticed a large reddish-brown animal moving parallel to them for about an hour. After dark the witness saw a tall, wide, long-armed furry biped watching from behind a tree, which walked away when spoken about. The group camped at the lake, later hearing disturbance sounds and finding camp items slightly moved.

Partial sightingSilhouetteFootstepsAnimal behaviour
July 2006 Malakoff Historical State Park Campgrounds, Nevada County, California Class B #15174

Campers report possible approach in Malakoff Historical State Park

The witness was camping with a group when she heard something large run up behind her through brush downhill from the campsite. She shone a flashlight and saw a pair of reflective eyes about six feet off the ground 10-12 feet away, then panicked and retreated behind the group. The group found nothing on searching but heard quiet footsteps withdrawing and a small rock thrown behind them.

FootstepsEyeshineRock throwing
2 July 2005 Orleans?, Humboldt County, California Class B #13362

Possible vocalizations near Bluff Creek

The witness and three children were in a tent at a campground when loud whooping calls began from multiple directions around them. The calls lasted about ten minutes and included click-like sounds at the start and a loud thud as the sources moved away. The witness stayed inside with a frightened child and did not see the callers, finding no tracks the next morning.

WhoopUnidentified soundFootsteps
July 2005 Mammoth, Mono County, California Class B #20306

Young man claims possible sighting at night near Lake Mary, outside Mammoth

The witness was staying at a cabin near Lake Mary and took two dogs for a night walk. The dogs began growling and pulling toward sounds of rustling leaves and breaking branches. The witness shone a flashlight and saw a huge ape-like but human-built figure about 200 feet away watching and swaying between trees. After a minute or two the figure turned and walked away, and the witness hurried back to the cabin.

Full-body sightingFootstepsOdor
21 June 2004 Oroville CA, Butte County, California Class B #8896

At dusk, swimmers hear vocalizations and whistles near Lake Oroville

Three people were at a lake launch ramp at dusk when the witness imitated a whistle from a recording. Movement was heard approaching through brush above the lake to within about 200 feet. A light showed eyes low along the treeline, and whistling exchanges continued until the group left in their car.

EyeshineWhistleFootstepsVocalization
16 November 2003 Orleans, Humboldt County, California Class B #7452

Campers Hear Unusual Evening Sounds

Two campers spent a rainy night at a campground after noticing a skunk-like odor on arrival. Through the night they heard ape-like hoots, single-note whistles, repeated wood-on-wood whacks from several directions, heavy two-legged footsteps, and nearby rockslides. They saw nothing in the dark and left the next morning, noting the steep bowl-shaped hillside could carry sounds from far uphill.

VocalizationWood knockFootstepsWhistleOdor
September 2003 Tuolumne, Tuolumne County, California Class B #25648

Possible nighttime encounter, food taken from hunters camping near Tuolumne

The witness joined a small group for an overnight camp to practice outdoor skills. In the evening the witness walked east of camp, noticed a strong foul smell and heard vegetation breaking nearby before running back to the group. Overnight the campers were awakened by sounds around the camp followed by a loud crash, and by morning the food hung high above ground was gone, the supporting limb was damaged, and a foul smell lingered. The group then packed and left the area.

OdorFootstepsUnidentified soundTree breakProperty disturbance
19 April 2003 Jones Valley, Lake Shasta, Shasta County, California Class B #14323

Possible camp stalking in Jones Valley, Lake Shasta

Late at night while sitting by a nearly out campfire, the witness heard branches breaking at decreasing distances and then very heavy bipedal-sounding footsteps approaching. After waking a companion, both heard a few more steps before the sounds stopped. Nothing was seen because it was dark and the source was in trees. No footprints were searched for the next day.

FootstepsTree break
1 August 2002 Woodfords, Alpine County, California Class B #5791

Campers hear late night scream near Woodfords

The witness was asleep in a tent at a remote lake campground when she was awakened by a loud scream that rose from low to high pitch just outside the tent. She heard something heavy run away up a gravel road. Companions camped a short distance away also heard the scream, and one who went outside reported a very strong bad odor, while the witness's dog reacted strongly inside the tent.

ScreamFootstepsOdor
7 August 2001 Weaverville, Trinity County, California Class B #8729

Young couple have unusual late night experience near Weaverville

A couple sleeping in a rented fifth-wheel trailer at a campground were awakened around 2 a.m. by sounds outside. The wife reported padded footsteps circling the trailer, followed by pressure on the exterior step that shook the trailer while their normally vocal dog stayed silent. The occupants remained inside in fear and later closed windows and fell asleep; companions camped nearby said they heard nothing.

FootstepsVehicle contact
March 2001 Twain Harte, Tuolumne County, California Class B #3072

BFRO Investigators detail activity around Twain Harte

Investigators found fresh broken trees, dozens of footprints and two nests where a trail crossed a road and staked out the spot. No creature was seen, but something large moving on two feet approached the stakeout before fleeing downhill through brush when a car passed. The sign was documented the next day with footprint and tree-break measurements and a body-length impression in one nest.

TracksTree breakStructure or nestFootstepsMovement only
August 1999 Strawberry, Tuolumne County, California Class B #1963

Hiker has strange late night experience in Emigrant Wilderness

The witness and a companion hiked in and camped for the night near a creek. Around midnight while drifting to sleep, the witness heard a large heavy bipedal source splashing across the deep creek, walking with pauses for about a minute. The companion did not hear anything.

Footsteps