Flat Laurel Creek Bigfoot Encounter

     I pulled this first report from a website that specializes in cryptids in western North Carolina. It's a fairly typical Bigfoot encounter, but it represents another facet of the unusual here in Appalachia. I've linked to the original website below if you want to look at the original write-up or read through some of the other mystery animal sightings from the area. There's some fascinating reports to examine. The second report came to my by word-of-mouth. I'm still trying to track down some of the participants, but I've told the story as I heard it.

     In June of 2005, an unnamed hiker claims to have had an encounter with a large, bipedal creature on the Flat Laurel Creek trail. The creature stood and moved away, quickly vanishing in the thick underbrush. The hiker found physical evidence in the form of a 16" long, 8" wide footprint. It is unknown if he took a photo of the footprint. 

     The second case is almost identical: Four hikers were moving down the Flat Laurel Creek trail when one of them spotted what they thought was a bear resting in the shade. They made a little noise to scare of the creature, but were shocked when it stood up on two legs. It appeared to be human in shape, but much larger and more muscular. It was described as having black and silver fur, and moving quickly away, with large strides.

     More than one person has ventured into the dense thickets that surround the trail, only to find branches that have been broken off with a twisting motion. Others have reported thuds and thumps and crashing noises.

     It's hard to make any sort of judgement based on these two meager reports. The area is known to have a healthy bear population, so simple misidentification may be the explanation. I will say that the area would make a good habitat for a large mammal; the rugged topography keep most hikers out, and water and food sources abound. Is there some connection between these more modern encounters with a cryptid ape and the historical accounts of the Boojum of the Balsams? 


     If you want to go explore, the Flat Laurel Creek trail is a great hike. Take the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Black Balsam Parking Area. Drive all the way to the end of the road until you hit the parking area with a restroom. Park there; the trail starts at the far end of the lot opposite the restrooms.

Resources

Mystery Animals in WNC