Creatures and creeps and cryptids, oh my! From a towering seven-foot-tall canine humanoid known as the Oregon Dogman that’s said to stalk about the night to a massive 40-foot-long river serpent that’s said to inhabit the waters of the Columbia River known as Colossal Claude, Oregon’s untamed wilderness seems to be home to a hotbed of cryptozoological activity, with the state’s vast expanses of untouched nature providing the perfect habitat for all manner of mythical beasts and elusive creatures to roam undetected.
And, of course, no discussion of the area’s wide array of cryptids would be complete without the legendary Bigfoot! Stories of the hairy, ape-like creature in the region have spanned centuries, with deep roots in Native American tradition. In more recent years, Oregon has become known across the globe for being a hotspot of Bigfoot activity. While the majority of these encounters have primarily taken place in the densely forested Coast Range and the Cascade Mountains, the creature’s presence has been felt throughout the state, including right here in Marion County, hiding within the dense forests of the Willamette Valley.
Generations of Sasquatch Stories in Marion County
The legend of Bigfoot is more than just a whisper on the Oregon wind. This hairy bipedal beast, known by various names across North America and beyond, has haunted campfire stories for eons. Whether it be tales of Yowie, the Skunk Ape, or the Yeti, each moniker reflects a regional belief in this terrifying cryptid.
In the Pacific Northwest, these stories were passed down from generation to generation through Native American storytelling. Many tribes in the region, including the Lummi and the Salish, have long spoken of wild, hairy men who inhabit the forests. The Lummi referred to these creatures as “Ts’emekwes,” while to the Salish, they were known as “Sasq’ets,” which loosely translates to “wild man.” From this term, we get the name Sasquatch, a phonetic approximation and Anglicization of the Salish word that has since become synonymous with the cryptid worldwide.
These Indigenous legends of the monstrous biped lurking in the Oregon wilderness were later echoed by early settlers and lumberjacks, who claimed to have encounters of their own. One of the most famous early sightings occurred in 1924 at Ape Canyon in Washington, just across the Columbia River. Here, a group of miners reported being attacked by a troop of giant, ape-like beings that hurled rocks directly at them from nearby cliffs.
Details of some of Marion County’s earliest Bigfoot encounters can be found on the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) website. Founded in 1995, the organization is the only scientific research organization exploring the mystery of the beast or friendly woodland neighbor, depending on your outlook on the cryptid.
Report #688 recounts the story of Chloe and her encounter with a Bigfoot at a logging camp east of Detroit Lake in 1970 while visiting her father. During the night, she was awakened by a noise and opened the inner door to the front porch. Through the screen door, she could see a Sasquatch standing in front of an open cooler, illuminating its features, which appeared to be female. It was holding a 20-pound piece of meat from the freezer under its arm as the two stood frozen, eyeing each other for a moment before Chloe screamed and awoke her father and the others, causing the sasquatch to retreat. The men followed the creature’s footprints, which were later measured at about 14 inches long. Chloe later noted how the beast specifically took the meat from the cooler. While it was apparent it had been searched, it was left in a rather orderly condition, a strong contrast to the bear that had gotten into the same cooler only a few weeks prior and had made a mess of its contents.
Bigfoot Lurks in the Forests of Oregon’s Untamed Wilderness
Currently, Oregon has the highest rate of reported sasquatch sightings per capita for a state without a sale tax. To date, the BFRO has amassed over 250 reported sightings of the creature, although the organization admits that this number does not reflect a much eerier side to the cryptid.
It’s reported that in some places, it’s not so much about seeing Bigfoot than hearing the beast’s primal screams echoing throughout the region. If these numbers were to be included in the report, the numbers for Oregon would be astronomically higher than they already are for a state with six reports per 100,000 residents for Bigfoot encounters.
To date, Marion County has had ten reported sightings that made it to the BFRO’s website, beginning with Chloe’s previously mentioned encounter in 1970. In the summer of that same year, a family enjoying camping at Howard’s Creek in Oregon State Park came across a Bigfoot while walking in the area. Over the years, sightings of the creature steadily increased and seemingly favored summer months, with reports being made in July 1999, July 2002, June 2003, and June 2005.
The Legend of Bigfoot is More Than a Myth in Marion County
Whether you believe in the local legend or operate under the assumption that Bigfoot is and always has been an elaborate hoax, for the people of Marion County and all of Oregon, this mysterious entity is and probably always will be in every essence of the phrase: The Man, the Myth, The Legend.
Widely celebrated throughout the region, you don’t have to travel far to find Bigfoot-themed travel souvenirs, large cut-outs of the cryptid on passing highways, and a variety of yearly festivals and events held to honor the monster, including the Oregon Bigfoot Festival that attracts thousands of attendants each year.
The celebration of Bigfoot has proven to be a significant tourist draw, with many visitors scouring the regional forests in search of the legendary cryptid. The state’s love for this ample, hairy woodland neighbor is evident. However, it’s important to remember that Bigfoot remains a largely unknown creature despite the affectionate portrayal. Therefore, caution is advised if you find yourself in a situation where seeing might lead to believing.
Have you caught a glimpse of Bigfoot in Marion County? Send us your answers to submit@mariontalk.com, and your paranormal encounter with the legendary cryptid might just be featured in our next Bigfoot article! For a wider audience and research purposes, you can also report your sightings to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization website as they continue documenting encounters with the creature across the country.
