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
    

Boojum of the Balsams

     There's an old legend here in western North Carolina that has been all but forgotten in the last few decades. The story of Boojum of the Balsams is sometimes cited as a peculiar Appalachian variant of the Bigfoot legend, but it's hard reduce this tale into something so simple. I've read several articles about the Boojum, both online and in print, and they all tell a very similar story, with only a few details changing between versions. I'll give you the condensed version of the Boojum story, and then we can discuss.

     Boojum is described as tall, between 7 and 8 feet tall, and covered in shaggy dark brown or gray fur, except for his face, which is long and human-like. His eyes are almost always noted as being somehow sad. Most of the reports of Boojum, however, are based on his sounds and vocalizations. Lip smacking, grunting, and heavy breathing are all hallmarks of the Bigfoot of the Balsams. A particular noise, something of a cross between an owls hoot and the growl of a tiger is a frequent report. 

     Most of this sounds like a typical Bigfoot story; the physical attributes and noises are found in reports across the country. But where Boojum departs from the norm is in his actions and in the particulars of his story. He has an insatiable affinity for shiny jewels, rubies, sapphires and beryls found in the clear mountain streams of his home. He is said to hunt the hills in his search for these baubles, hiding them in caves scattered around the area. Beyond this, he has an affinity for human women, especially women who have slipped off to cool off in the mountain streams. Many less-than-fully-dressed young women have reporte hearing the sounds of breathing or a rustling in the leaves only to look up and see those sad eyes, framed in a dense mat of long hair, peering down from the underbrush. 

     It is said that one of these lasses, (named either Annie or Maggie, depending on the source) found herself drawn to that forlorn face. She followed Boojum into the forest, becoming his companion and eventually, his wife. 

     The end of this story revolves around another grand hotel here in the mountains, although this one is long gone: the old Eagles Nest Hotel. Built by S.C. Satterthwait of Waynesville, this high altitude hotel catered to wealthy patrons who could afford to escape the oppressive southern heat. Stories about strange occurrences started almost immediately. Well-to-do patrons of the hotel reported occasional sightings of Boojum and numerous unexplained sounds. Fearful of this strange beast, they demanded that Satterthwait put an end to the strange occurrences. I haven't found much in the way of historical documentation, but on April 22, 1918, the hotel burned to the ground. Some say that Satterthwait finally captured Boojum, and that a lonely, heartbroken Annie (or Maggie) burned down the huge building in retribution. The stories and sightings have continued, though only sporadically. Maybe the Balsam Mountains are home to some offspring of Boojum and his bride, still searching for gems in those cold and lonesome creeks. 

     It's hard to say much about this story. It's so completely tied to local legend that it's almost impossible to tease out what is true and what is purely imaginary. There are numerous mythological archetypes in here as well, and parts of the story seem to be designed to either teach a lesson (young women shouldn't be skinny dipping alone) or impart a moral lesson (true love is blind). Normally, I regard these sorts of stories with caution, simply because I can't prove or disprove anything. But the Boojum story resonates with me for a couple of reasons: I lived on Eagles Nest Mountain as a kid, and a relative of mine was said to have had a physical run-in with the elusive creature. 

     The story goes like this: A great uncle of mine was a driver for a livery company that existed in the days of the Eagles Nest Hotel. He would pick guests up at the old train depot just below Main Street, Waynesville and load them into his horse-drawn wagon for the trip to the top of the mountain. He reported several instances of feeling watched, of hearing strange noises in the forest or seeing shadowy shapes disappearing behind the brush. But on one night in particular, his experience became much more real. He was taking a load of passengers to the end, and the sun had begun to set as they made their approach to the hotel. Suddenly, his horses became skittish and refused to move another foot up the road. He urged them to move forward, as his passengers were tired and more than ready to check into their rooms for some rest. Almost instantly, the source of his horses fear became apparent as a tall, broad creature broke from the brush, crossing the road not more than 10 yards in front of him. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished into the dense forest on the other side of the road. After a couple of moments of coaxing, the horses began to walk towards the hotel, as if nothing had ever happened. 

     Unfortunately, this relative died long before I was born so I can't ask him for more details. This story was passed to me by my grandparents, like a lot of good stories are around here. I don't believe this story was ever written down, but I've told it as best I can remember. It mimics a more traditional Bigfoot story, but the location places it firmly in Boojum territory. I'll be looking at some more recent western North Carolina Bigfoot sightings in an upcoming article, so it'll be interesting to search for parallels with the Boojum legends of years past.