Guest Blogger

My online friend & former blogger Justin Harmon recalls a True Bigfoot Encounter while camping with his brothers in Southern Illinois.

In the heart of the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest, where towering trees and thick underbrush create an enchanting but mysterious landscape, tales of elusive creatures like Bigfoot have captivated the imaginations of adventure-seekers for decades.

While many dismiss Bigfoot as a mythical creature, there are those who claim to have had real encounters. In this article, we share a gripping account of camping with Bigfoot – a true story that raises questions about what might truly roam the wilderness.

Camping With Bigfoot
Camping With Bigfoot

Bigfoot, also commonly referred to as Sasquatch, is an ape-like creature that is purported to inhabit the forests of North America.

A prominent subject within Canadian and American folklore, supposed evidence of the existence of Bigfoot includes a number of anecdotal visual sightings as well as disputed video and audio recordings, photographs, and casts of large footprints. Some of these are speculated or known to be hoaxes.

Bigfoot has become an icon within the fringe subculture of cryptozoology and an enduring element of popular culture.

Folklorists trace the phenomenon of Bigfoot to a combination of factors and sources. These include the cultures of Indigenous people across the continent, the European wild man figure, and folk belief among loggers, miners, trappers, and prospectors.

Wishful thinking, a cultural increase in environmental concerns, and overall societal awareness of the subject have been cited as additional factors.

The majority of mainstream scientists have historically discounted the existence of Bigfoot, considering it to be the result of a combination of folklore, misidentification, and hoax, rather than a living animal.

Other creatures of relatively similar descriptions are alleged to inhabit various regions throughout the world, such as the Skunk ape of the southeastern United States; the Almas, Yeti, and Yeren in Asia; and the Australian Yowie; all of which, like Bigfoot, are engrained in the cultures of their regions.

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Our story unfolds in a secluded campsite nestled deep within the towering conifers and ancient ferns of the Olympic National Forest.

A family of campers embarked on a weekend excursion, eager to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and immerse themselves in the tranquility of nature.

Little did they know that their peaceful retreat would soon take an unexpected turn.

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I wasn’t sure how I was going to start this story. I’ve always been one to embrace superstitions in life. My uncles would tell my brothers and me stories when I was growing up.

Stories of someone they knew had spotted Bigfoot at the north end of one of the state parks we used to go to.

I always thought about that. Thought about going to the north end, where trees were so thick that nothing more than a foot’s distance could be seen in front of you at the brightest part of the day.

I imagined being brave and venturing into the forest to find the Bigfoot.

I never actually did, of course, but I probably would if I found my way back. This may or may not have affected what happened on the camping trip I am about to tell you about, and I felt it might be worth mentioning.

One thing is sure. If it did, it happened to all of us.

We set up camp around noon on a beautiful late summer day. One of our cousins came with my brothers and Uncle on this trip; it was her first time camping with us. I’m not sure how old we were, but I think I was around 10 or 11.

My two brothers, one likely 13, the other 7, and our cousin 13, were all stoked to get to our destination. We loved the sense of adventure when with our Uncle.

Our best times as kids were hanging out and camping with our Uncle. He used to pick out various spots deep in the woods to camp with us. This spot, in particular, we had been to once before with no eventful occurrences that I can recall.

Making a Campfire With Bigfoot

We usually started the day by finding kindling to add to the wood my Uncle would chop for the night’s fire. Shortly after arriving and picking up as many sticks as our little arms could carry, my cousin said something, which I immediately responded to.

She said she felt like someone was watching her. The hairs on my neck were already standing up before this, but I got a little scared after she said it. We went to meet with my brothers to investigate.

We looked around the camp, searching for signs of other people, houses, and animals, yet nothing. Nothing was there. We were in the middle of nowhere, 3+ miles from any road.

The day moved on, but something didn’t feel right. I was getting a bad vibe, something I knew wasn’t right. I remember feeling like I should have looked over my shoulder constantly.

Sure, my cousin had said something earlier that didn’t help, but why was a “sixth sense seemingly telling me something?  I didn’t know what it was.

After setting up camp, we all decided to walk down this very close trail. After walking for about 10 minutes, we came to this clearing.

The trail stopped and opened into a large field with a single red barn on top of a hill. This was odd as there were no houses or roads for a few miles. The strange feeling returned, and it came to us this time.

After deliberating on whether we should check it out, we headed back to camp. For the rest of the day, and just talked. As night approached and the sun finally set, we stuck close to the campfire and started to forget.

Forget the notion that something strange was going on. Then it happened!

My Uncle was partially standing/sitting on the hood of his car when he felt it move. He said that the front felt like it was dropping. I remember him thinking it was his brother trying to sneak into us.

Our other Uncle was the only one who knew about this particular camping spot. It happened again! This time we could see the car dip, and it would have taken 3 or 4 men to make it drop that far.

The hood was hitting the dirt, and my Uncle slid off.

Not knowing what to do, we heard thuds of something running behind the car. We were frozen with fear, and there was nothing we could do. Our only weapon was an Ax, which was laid next to a tree.

Suddenly – the most frightening moment of my life was before me.

Meeting Bigfoot

A HUGE dark figure appeared behind the fire. Still frozen with fright, we could only look on as this strange creature stared at us with some of the most prominent reddest eyes we had ever seen.

I can remember the only visible features of this creature were its red eyes and white hair on its broad shoulders.

Rather than the expected fear, an inexplicable calm settled over me as I locked eyes with the legendary creature.

The encounter lasted for several minutes, during which the creature observed the group with an almost intelligent curiosity.

Witnesses described the creature’s eyes as deep and expressive, suggesting a level of sentience beyond that of a mere wild animal.

The campers noted the creature’s massive size, estimated to be well over seven feet tall, with broad shoulders and a distinct, humanoid shape.

Its movements were deliberate and calculated, leaving an indelible impression on those fortunate (or perhaps unfortunate) enough to witness this rare spectacle.

As suddenly as it appeared, the enigmatic figure melted back into the shadows, leaving the campers in a state of awe and disbelief.

The forest, once again, embraced the silence broken only by the crackling embers of the dying fire.

We could hear trees falling as they ran into the night. It was moving fast. That’s when we started to move more quickly. We grabbed what we could with our hands, shaking with fear, not knowing if it would return.

At that moment, the worst-case scenario happened. The car didn’t start. Uncle tried again still didn’t start. One more time, yet nothing. We jumped into the car, ready to tear away like something fierce.

After the fourth attempt, the miniature Cavalier finally started, and we were gone.

We returned to my Uncle’s house around 4 in the morning. We tried to make sense of what happened but could only agree that it had to be Bigfoot, and there was nothing else that the creature resembled.

The group, still processing the surreal encounter, struggled to articulate the magnitude of what they had just experienced.

After daybreak and no way to fall asleep with the phenomenon, we decided to go back for our tents and equipment that we left.

When we arrived, everything looked intact. Searching around the perimeter, we found our cooler tipped over and emptied with soda and an open loaf of bread scattered across the dirt. One of the tents was on its side.

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To confirm what we heard that night, some trees that stood the day before were knocked over. We gathered everything up without incident and left.

Many years have passed, and I have told the story to only a few people. To this very day, not myself, my brothers, or my cousin have returned to that spot deep in the woods.

My Uncle went by himself a few years later without any incident.

The supernatural disturbance that could only be defined as Bigfoot still lingers with me. I wonder about that day when I hear a strange story or scary phenomenon.

Was it Bigfoot that I encountered? Or was it a correlation of events that day that made an average animal appear to be something more? I guess we will never know.

Have you ever encountered a Bigfoot?

The account of camping with Bigfoot remains a vivid memory for those who were there, challenging preconceived notions about the boundaries between myth and reality.

While skeptics may dismiss such stories as mere folklore, those who have encountered the mysterious creature insist that there are aspects of our world that defy explanation.

As the debate over Bigfoot’s existence continues, tales like these add a layer of intrigue to the vast and unexplored wilderness, inviting us to contemplate the mysteries that may still lurk in the shadows of the natural world.

 About the AuthorJustin Harmon writes for Unplugged Recreated. He believes everyone deserves fulfillment in life. We can do it by changing our world. 

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