Hidden within Alabama’s misty Appalachian foothills, sprawling pine forests, and murky Gulf Coast swamps, whispers of a mysterious creature have echoed for decades.
Alabama Bigfoot Sightings recount chilling encounters with a towering, hairy biped—often cloaked in reddish-brown fur, emitting a pungent odor, or betraying its presence with glowing eyes in the twilight.
From the dense thickets of Talladega National Forest to the quiet backroads of Tuscaloosa County and the swampy depths near Brewton, these vivid reports spark curiosity and debate, drawing adventurers and researchers to unravel the enigma of Alabama’s elusive giant.
Table of Contents
Alabama Bigfoot Sightings
Alabama, with its rich tapestry of forests, swamps, and rural landscapes, has become a notable region for Bigfoot sightings, with 107 documented reports according to some sources, though the BFRO cites 101 as of recent records.
These encounters, predominantly in northern and central areas like Talladega and Bankhead National Forests, describe a towering, hairy creature often accompanied by a pungent odor, aligning with classic Sasquatch traits.
From fleeting glimpses on rural roads to detailed observations in dense woodlands, these sightings contribute to Alabama’s vibrant folklore, fueled by reports of tracks, howls, and glowing eyes. Below is a table of selected sightings, providing a snapshot of Alabama’s Bigfoot phenomenon.
| Date | Witness Description | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1975 | Hunter | Near Choccolocco, Calhoun County | At dawn, saw 8-foot creature with dark hair eating berries, grunted loudly before fleeing into woods. |
| November 1985 | Local resident | Near Brewton, Escambia County | Late evening, saw tall, hairy figure with long arms near swamp, left deep footprints in mud. |
| April 1990 | Fisherman | Near Mobile, Mobile County | Evening, saw 7-foot creature with matted hair near riverbank, emitted low growl and vanished into brush. |
| September 1999 | Hunter | Conecuh National Forest, Covington County | Early morning, saw 6.5-foot creature with black hair watching from tree line, retreated after being noticed. |
| February 2000 | Farmer | Near Andalusia, Covington County | Early morning, saw large, hairy figure near barn, knocked over feed bins, left 16-inch tracks. |
| June 2003 | Hiker | Near Fort Payne, DeKalb County | Evening, saw 7–8-foot creature with dark hair crossing field, moved swiftly into woods. |
| August 2004 | Resident | Near Daviston, Tallapoosa County | Afternoon, saw 9-foot creature with long, flowing hair in backyard, moved swiftly past road sign. |
| July 2007 | Camper | Bankhead National Forest, Winston County | At dusk, heard loud howls, saw 7-foot creature with reddish hair near campsite, smelled foul odor. |
| March 2008 | Motorist | Highway 9, Clay County | Dusk, saw 7.5-foot creature with long arms cross road, moved with unnatural speed into forest. |
| March 2010 | Motorist | Highway 231, Blount County | Night, saw 8-foot, dark figure with glowing eyes cross road, left large tracks in mud. |
| January 2011 | Mother and adult child | Bone Camp Road, Northport, Tuscaloosa County | At noon, saw 7-foot, 350-pound creature with dark brown, shaggy hair crossing road in 3 seconds, shielding face with hands. |
| June 2012 | Camper | Sipsey Wilderness, Lawrence County | Night, saw 8-foot creature with glowing eyes near camp, left broken branches and foul smell. |
| October 2013 | Teenage bow hunter | 15 miles south of Clanton, Chilton County | Late afternoon, saw 7-foot, slender creature with reddish-brown hair in hardwood forest, walking calmly, possibly female. |
| October 2013 | Motorist | Highway 22, between Daviston and New Site, Tallapoosa County | At 7:05 PM, dark Bigfoot crossed highway in 3 steps, vanished into dense woods near Chappell Road. |
| April 2014 | Local resident | Bone Camp Road, Northport, Tuscaloosa County | At 9:00 PM, saw a large, dark figure in brush, fled into woods when car brights were turned on. |
| August 2014 | Friend of local resident | Near residential area, Tuscaloosa County | At 2:00 AM, saw bipedal figure with 8-foot-high eye-shine in wood line, stepped behind tree when high beams hit it. |
| November 2014 | Two motorists | Near Bishop Road and Clay Co. Rd. 5, Clay County | Dark brown Bigfoot crossed road, ran into forest, and disappeared into bushes. |
| January 2015 | Local professional | Highway 148, Clay County | Late night, saw large, dark figure cross scarcely populated road, moved quickly into woods. |
| August 2015 | Family group | Green Mountain, Madison County | At dusk, smelled foul odor and heard strange noises, saw large shadow moving in woods while photographing pushed-down trees. |
| September 2015 | Truck driver | Near Evergreen, Conecuh County | Night, saw 6–7-foot black, hairy creature cross road, left large footprints in woods. |
| December 2015 | Resident | Houston County | Late night, saw large shadow pass mobile home window after hearing Bigfoot howls on TV, felt home lifted and slammed down. |
| May 2018 | Hiker | Talladega National Forest, Cleburne County | Afternoon, saw 7-foot creature with dark brown hair drinking from stream, fled when approached. |
| February 2023 | Hiker | Near Heflin, Cleburne County | Daytime, saw creature peeking from behind tree for 5 minutes, appeared to watch witness before retreating. |
Hotspot Habitats
Alabama’s Bigfoot sightings are closely tied to its diverse ecosystems, particularly in regions offering dense cover and ample resources. The Talladega National Forest, spanning Cleburne and Clay Counties, is a recurring hotspot, with sightings like the May 2018 report of a creature drinking from a stream.
Bankhead National Forest in Winston County, noted in the July 2007 sighting, features thick hardwood forests and rugged terrain ideal for a large, elusive creature.
Conecuh National Forest in Covington County, cited in the September 1999 and September 2015 reports, has swampy lowlands and pine forests where tracks and fleeting glimpses are common.
Tuscaloosa County’s Bone Camp Road, with multiple sightings (January 2011, April 2014, August 2014), suggests proximity to suburban areas doesn’t deter activity, possibly due to nearby Black Warrior River tributaries providing water and cover.
Sipsey Wilderness in Lawrence County, mentioned in the June 2012 sighting, is a remote area with minimal human traffic, aligning with reports of glowing eyes and broken branches. These locations share features like water sources, dense vegetation, and low human presence, which witnesses often associate with Bigfoot activity.
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Reported Physical Characteristics
Across Alabama’s sightings, witnesses describe a consistent set of physical traits for the creature. Heights range from 6.5 to 9 feet, with the August 2004 Daviston sighting noting a 9-foot figure and the September 1999 Conecuh report citing a 6.5-foot creature.
Hair color varies between dark brown (January 2011, Tuscaloosa), reddish-brown (October 2013, Chilton), and black (September 2015, Conecuh). The January 2011 Tuscaloosa sighting estimated a 350-pound creature, while the October 2013 Chilton report described a slender build, possibly female.
Long arms are frequently noted, as in the November 1985 Brewton and March 2008 Clay County sightings. Glowing eyes, often red or yellow, appear in reports like March 2010 (Blount County) and June 2012 (Sipsey Wilderness).
A foul, musky odor is a hallmark, mentioned in the July 2007 Bankhead and August 2015 Madison County encounters. Vocalizations, such as grunts (October 1975, Calhoun) or howls (July 2007, Winston), and physical evidence like 16-inch tracks (February 2000, Covington) or broken branches (June 2012, Lawrence) further define the reported creature’s presence.
Investigation Efforts in Alabama
Alabama’s Bigfoot sightings have spurred dedicated investigation efforts, particularly by local groups and researchers. The Alabama Bigfoot Society, based in Evergreen, has documented reports like the September 2015 Conecuh County sighting, often conducting field visits to verify tracks and collect witness testimonies.
The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) has been instrumental, classifying Alabama sightings into Class A (e.g., January 2011, Tuscaloosa) and Class B reports, with investigators visiting sites like Talladega National Forest after the May 2018 sighting to search for footprints.
Expeditions in Bankhead National Forest, following the July 2007 report, involved night-vision equipment and audio recordings to capture howls. Local researchers in Clay County, post-November 2014, cast plaster molds of tracks found near Bishop Road.
These efforts, while yielding no definitive proof, document physical evidence like the 16-inch tracks in Covington County (February 2000) and broken vegetation in Sipsey Wilderness (June 2012), reinforcing the consistency of witness accounts across Alabama’s diverse regions.
Detailed Case Study: October 2013 Chilton County Sighting
One of the most detailed and compelling Bigfoot sightings in Alabama occurred in October 2013, approximately 15 miles south of Clanton in Chilton County, reported by a 16-year-old bow hunter.
This Class A sighting, documented by the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO Report #43269), stands out due to the witness’s prolonged observation, detailed description, and the subsequent investigation that provided additional context.
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Incident Details
The sighting took place in the late afternoon, around 4:30 PM, during deer season in a hardwood forest near a creek. The witness, a teenage bow hunter, was positioned in a tree stand 15 feet above the ground, providing an elevated vantage point.
The creature, described as a 7-foot-tall, slender, bipedal figure with reddish-brown hair, was observed walking calmly through the forest for approximately 2–3 minutes. The witness noted specific physical characteristics: large, dark eyes, small ears, a conical head, and a smooth, relaxed stride, suggesting a female due to its slender build and lack of aggressive behavior.
The creature appeared unaware of the witness, moving parallel to the creek before disappearing into denser vegetation. No odor or vocalizations were reported, and the witness, initially hesitant, submitted the report to the BFRO after discussing it with family.
Investigation and Findings
The BFRO conducted a follow-up investigation, led by an experienced field researcher, who visited the site in Chilton County. The investigator confirmed the location as a mixed hardwood forest with thick undergrowth, ideal for concealing a large creature. The witness’s account was deemed credible due to its consistency, the hunter’s familiarity with local wildlife (ruling out misidentification of a bear or other animal), and the detailed description of the creature’s features.
The investigator noted the area’s proximity to a water source (the creek), consistent with patterns observed in other Alabama sightings, such as the May 2018 Talladega National Forest report. No physical evidence, such as tracks or hair, was found during the site visit, likely due to the time elapsed since the sighting and the forest’s dense leaf litter.
However, the investigator documented the terrain’s suitability for a large, elusive primate, with ample cover and nearby food sources like acorns and berries, as noted in the October 1975 Calhoun County sighting.
Significance
This sighting is notable for several reasons. The extended observation period (2–3 minutes) allowed for a detailed description, rare among Alabama’s typically brief sightings, such as the April 2014 Tuscaloosa County encounter (lasting seconds).
The witness’s elevated position in the tree stand provided a clear, unobstructed view, reducing the likelihood of optical illusions or misidentification, unlike the August 2015 Madison County report, which involved only a shadow and noises. The reddish-brown hair and slender build align with other Chilton County reports, suggesting a possible regional population with distinct traits compared to the darker-haired creatures in Tuscaloosa (January 2011) or Conecuh (September 2015).
The BFRO’s investigation, while inconclusive, underscores the sighting’s credibility, as the witness’s background as a hunter familiar with the area minimized the chance of mistaking a known animal. The report’s public availability on the BFRO website allows for further scrutiny, and its classification as Class A reflects its high reliability within Alabama’s Bigfoot sighting database.
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Contextual Notes
The Chilton County sighting contributes to the county’s history of Bigfoot sightings, with four documented reports, including suspicious tracks found in peach orchards in the 1960s. The area’s rural setting, with hardwood forests and water sources, mirrors other Alabama hotspots like Bankhead and Conecuh National Forests.
The witness’s reluctance to report immediately reflects a common theme in Alabama sightings, as noted by local researchers, where fear of ridicule often delays reporting. This case, combined with the BFRO’s thorough follow-up, provides one of the most robust datasets for a single Alabama Bigfoot sighting, offering a benchmark for comparing other reports in the state’s extensive cryptozoological record.
