Complete Guide to New York Bigfoot Sightings (1840–2025)

The legend of Bigfoot, often referred to as Sasquatch, has captivated imaginations across North America, and Bigfoot sightings in New York are no exception. From the dense forests of the Adirondacks to the rolling hills of the Hudson Valley, New York Bigfoot sightings have been reported for centuries, weaving a rich tapestry of folklore, mystery, and debate.

These accounts describe a towering, hairy, bipedal creature, often accompanied by eerie vocalizations, large footprints, or a pungent odor. This article provides a comprehensive exploration of Bigfoot sightings in New York, delving into historical and recent reports, investigation efforts, notable case studies, and the broader context of other cryptid sightings in the state, offering an unparalleled depth of insight into this enduring phenomenon.

New York Bigfoot Sightings

New York’s rugged landscapes, from the Adirondack Mountains to the Catskill Mountains and the Finger Lakes region, provide an ideal habitat for a creature as elusive as Bigfoot. According to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO), New York has recorded 93 documented Bigfoot sightings, with Essex, Dutchess, and Orleans counties reporting the highest numbers.

These encounters often describe a creature standing 7 to 9 feet tall, covered in dark or reddish-brown fur, with glowing eyes or a musky scent. Sightings span rural woodlands, remote trails, and even suburban fringes, fueling local legends and sparking curiosity among researchers and enthusiasts alike.

The following table compiles all known Bigfoot sightings in New York from the BFRO database and other credible sources, organized chronologically from the earliest documented reports to 2025. Each entry includes the date, witness name (where available), precise location, and a detailed description of the encounter.

Table of Bigfoot Sightings in New York:

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Investigation Efforts in New York

Investigating Bigfoot sightings in New York is a multifaceted endeavor, combining scientific inquiry, local enthusiasm, and folklore preservation. The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO), founded in 1995, remains a cornerstone of these efforts, maintaining a database of 93 credible sightings in New York.

BFRO investigators, such as Matthew Moneymaker, conduct field visits, interview witnesses, and collect physical evidence like casts of footprints or audio recordings of vocalizations. Their rigorous classification system—dividing reports into Class A (clear sightings), Class B (indirect evidence like sounds), and Class C (less reliable)—ensures only credible accounts are published.

Beyond the BFRO, other organizations and individuals contribute significantly to Bigfoot research in New York. The New York Bigfoot Society, based in Albany, fosters a community of enthusiasts through social media, public events, and field expeditions. Led by figures like Jonathan Betts, the society organizes annual gatherings in the Adirondacks, where members share sighting reports and search for evidence like tree knocks or twisted branches, which some believe indicate Bigfoot activity. Their work emphasizes community engagement and local knowledge, often collaborating with hunters and hikers familiar with New York’s terrain.

Bigfoot Researchers of the Hudson Valley, led by Gayle Beatty, focuses on the Hudson Valley’s dense forests and rolling hills. Beatty, who claims two personal sightings in Dutchess County, conducts regular expeditions, using trail cameras and audio recorders to capture potential evidence. Her team has documented unusual tree structures—piles of branches arranged in unnatural patterns—near sighting locations, which some researchers interpret as territorial markers. Beatty’s work has been featured in local media, raising awareness of Bigfoot in the region.

Independent researchers like Robert E. Bartholomew, a medical sociologist, and Paul B. Bartholomew, his brother, have also made significant contributions. Their book, Bigfoot Encounters in New York, compiles decades of sighting reports, blending historical accounts with modern investigations.

The Bartholomews emphasize the cultural significance of Bigfoot, arguing that these stories reflect humanity’s fascination with the unknown. Their research includes interviews with witnesses, such as those from the 1976 Whitehall sightings, and analysis of physical evidence like plaster casts of tracks.

The North American Wood Ape Conservancy (NAWAC), though primarily focused on southern states, has occasionally investigated New York sightings, applying their strict classification system. NAWAC’s Class 2 reports, which involve sightings by trained observers like rangers or biologists, have been recorded in New York, particularly in the Adirondacks. Their approach prioritizes scientific rigor, seeking tangible evidence like hair or scat, though such evidence remains elusive.

Local law enforcement has also played a role in investigations, particularly in high-profile cases like the 1976 Whitehall sightings. Officers like Bryan Gosselin conducted searches and documented witness statements, lending credibility to reports. Similarly, historical accounts from the 1920s involve loggers and trappers in the Catskills, whose detailed observations were recorded by local historians.

Citizen-led initiatives, such as the Sasquatch Watch of New York, encourage public participation through online forums and annual campouts. These events, often held in Hamilton or Franklin counties, attract dozens of “squatchers” who share stories, analyze tracks, and attempt to record vocalizations. Participants use techniques like wood knocking—striking trees to elicit responses from potential Bigfoots—and night vision equipment to enhance their searches.

Despite these efforts, no definitive proof, such as a body or DNA, has been found. Skeptics argue that sightings may result from misidentified animals like bears or psychological phenomena like pareidolia. However, the consistency of witness descriptions—tall, bipedal, hairy creatures with glowing eyes or strong odors—keeps the mystery alive. New York’s investigation efforts, blending professional research with grassroots enthusiasm, continue to explore the enigma of Bigfoot, making the state a key hub for cryptozoological study.

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Detailed Case Studies

The 1976 Whitehall Sightings

The 1976 Whitehall sightings, occurring in August in Washington County, are among the most famous Bigfoot sightings in New York. On August 24, 1976, three teenagers—Martin Paddock, Paul Gosselin, and Bart Kinney—were driving on Abair Road near Whitehall when they encountered a creature that would spark a town-wide phenomenon.

According to their testimony, as reported to the BFRO, they spotted a figure standing on the roadside around 9:00 PM. The creature was 7-8 feet tall, covered in dark, matted fur, with glowing red eyes that shone in their headlights. As they slowed to observe, the creature emitted a piercing, high-pitched squeal and began running toward their car. Terrified, the boys sped away and reported the incident to the Whitehall police.

Later that night, Officer Bryan Gosselin, Paul’s father, led a search party to the area. In his official report, Gosselin described seeing a similar creature near the Skene Valley Country Club, approximately 7 feet tall with glowing red eyes and a musky odor. He noted that it moved swiftly on two legs, unlike any bear or known animal in the region. Other officers corroborated his account, describing the creature as “ape-like” and “massive.”

The following evening, Cliff Sparks, a local resident, reported a sighting at the same golf course. Sparks stated, “I was walking my dog when I saw it standing there, maybe 50 yards away. Its eyes were red, glowing like embers, and it just stared at my dog. It didn’t move toward me, but my dog went quiet, which isn’t like him.”

Over the next week, additional reports flooded in from Whitehall residents, including hunters and farmers who described hearing loud whoops and finding 16-inch footprints with a 5-foot stride. The sightings divided the community, with some dismissing them as pranks or misidentifications, while others believed they had encountered a genuine cryptid.

The BFRO later classified these as Class A sightings due to the multiple credible witnesses, including law enforcement. Whitehall embraced its Bigfoot legacy, establishing an annual Sasquatch Festival and passing a law declaring the town a Bigfoot sanctuary. The case remains a cornerstone of New York Bigfoot sightings, highlighting the creature’s cultural impact and the credibility of multiple-witness accounts.

The 2022 Essex County Sighting by Walter Morse

On May 30, 2022, Walter Morse, a 79-year-old retired land surveyor and former police officer, had a chilling encounter near Keeseville, Essex County. As documented in BFRO Report #74114, Morse was driving on Augar Lake Road at 3:20 AM when he noticed a figure standing beside a large white pine tree, approximately 300 feet ahead.

In his detailed testimony, Morse stated, “I thought it was a bear at first, but it was standing upright, maybe 7 to 8 feet tall. It had shaggy dark brown hair covering its body, with arms that hung down past its waist. Its shoulders were broad, like a linebacker’s, and it stared right at me with dark eyes.”

Morse slowed his vehicle to observe the creature, which stood motionless for 5-10 seconds before taking two steps and vanishing into the treeline. He noted, “The branches shook as it moved, like something heavy was pushing through. I’ve seen bears, moose, everything in these woods, and this was different. It walked like a man, but no man is that big.” Alarmed, Morse drove away but returned later that morning to search for evidence. He found no tracks due to the hard ground but reported a faint musky smell lingering in the area.

BFRO investigator Lisa Gilmore interviewed Morse and classified the sighting as Class A due to his credibility as a former police officer and military veteran. Gilmore noted, “Walter’s experience as a surveyor means he’s trained to observe details, and his description was consistent with other Adirondack sightings.”

The remote location, near dense forests and wetlands, aligns with typical Bigfoot habitats, rich in deer and other prey. Morse’s account adds weight to the pattern of Bigfoot sightings in New York, particularly in Essex County, which has the highest number of reports in the state.

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The 2013 Dutchess County Sighting

On November 9, 2013, a bow hunter in Amenia, Dutchess County, experienced a remarkable encounter that suggested the presence of multiple Bigfoot-like creatures. As detailed in BFRO Report #44022, the anonymous hunter was positioned in a tree stand overlooking a deer food plot when he noticed movement in a clearing at dusk. He stated, “I saw two figures, one about 8 to 8.5 feet tall, massive, covered in dark hair. The other was smaller, maybe 3 to 4 feet, also hairy. They were walking upright, like people, but their arms were longer than any human’s.”

The hunter observed the larger creature pick up the smaller one, as if protective, and begin walking toward the woods. Feeling threatened, he fired an arrow into the ground to scare them, stating, “I didn’t want to hurt them, just make them leave. They didn’t react much, just kept moving and disappeared into the trees.” The hunter, an experienced outdoorsman familiar with local wildlife, insisted the creatures were not bears, noting their bipedal gait and humanoid shape.

BFRO investigator Lisa Gilmore conducted a follow-up, visiting the site with the hunter’s cousin to recreate the sighting. Using binoculars and stuffed toys for comparison, Gilmore confirmed the witness’s ability to distinguish the creatures from bears. She noted, “The witness has Native American heritage and has studied Sasquatch behaviors. He’s spent years in these woods and knows what a bear looks like.”

The sighting’s significance lies in its suggestion of a Bigfoot family unit, with the smaller creature possibly a juvenile. The location, near other reported sightings in Dutchess County, reinforces the area’s reputation as a hotspot for Bigfoot sightings in New York.

Bigfoot Sightings vs Other Cryptid Sightings in New York

New York’s cryptozoological landscape extends beyond Bigfoot sightings to include a variety of other mysterious creatures and phenomena. Notable cryptids include Champ, the lake monster of Lake Champlain; the Kinderhook Creature, a Bigfoot-like entity in the Catskills; Sewer Alligators, an urban legend from New York City; and occasional reports of the Jersey Devil in the Hudson Valley. These sightings, alongside paranormal events like ghostly apparitions, contribute to New York’s reputation as a hub for the unexplained.

Champ, often likened to the Loch Ness Monster, has been reported in Lake Champlain since the 1600s. Witnesses describe a serpentine creature, 15-30 feet long, with a horse-like head and humps breaking the water’s surface. Sightings are concentrated near Port Henry and Plattsburgh, with notable reports in 1819 by settler Henry Hudson and in 1977 by Sandra Mansi, who photographed a creature in the lake. While Champ is aquatic, some researchers speculate that Bigfoot and Champ could share ecological niches, as both are reported in the Adirondack region, but no evidence supports this theory.

The Kinderhook Creature, documented in the 1980s in Columbia County, is described as a 7-foot-tall, reddish-brown, hairy biped, closely resembling Bigfoot. A 1983 sighting near Kinderhook involved a farmer who saw the creature rummaging through a barn, leaving behind large footprints. Local historian Bruce G. Hallenbeck, in his book Monsters of New York, suggests the creature may be a regional Bigfoot variant, given the similarity in descriptions and its forested habitat.

Sewer Alligators, a New York City urban legend, stem from 1930s reports of alligators found in sewers, allegedly released as unwanted pets. A 1935 account in Manhattan described workers finding a 7-foot alligator in a storm drain. While these are likely escaped animals, the legend persists, contrasting with Bigfoot’s wilderness-based sightings but adding to New York’s cryptid lore.

The Jersey Devil, a winged, horse-headed creature, is primarily associated with New Jersey but has been reported in the Hudson Valley, particularly near Sleepy Hollow. A 2008 sighting described a bat-like creature with glowing eyes near Tarrytown, echoing Bigfoot’s eerie presence but differing in morphology.

Other paranormal phenomena, such as the Ghost Train of Abraham Lincoln, reported near Albany, and UFO sightings in the Adirondacks, particularly during the 1976 Whitehall Bigfoot wave, add layers of mystery. Some enthusiasts propose that areas with Bigfoot sightings, like Whitehall, may be “hotspots” for paranormal activity, but these connections remain speculative.

While Bigfoot, Champ, and other cryptids share no proven links, their sightings reflect New York’s diverse landscapes—from lakes and forests to urban centers—fostering a culture of curiosity about the unknown. The consistency of Bigfoot reports, with their detailed descriptions of bipedal creatures, sets them apart from other cryptids, yet all contribute to the state’s rich tapestry of folklore.

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Conclusion

Bigfoot sightings in New York remain a captivating chapter in the state’s cultural and natural history. From the 1840s to 2025, New York Bigfoot sightings have been reported across counties like Essex, Dutchess, and Orleans, painting a picture of a creature that eludes definitive proof yet persists in the public imagination.

The comprehensive table of sightings, detailed case studies like the 1976 Whitehall encounters, Walter Morse’s 2022 sighting, and the 2013 Dutchess County report, and robust investigation efforts by groups like the BFRO, New York Bigfoot Society, and independent researchers underscore the depth of this phenomenon.

New York’s cryptozoological landscape, enriched by creatures like Champ and the Kinderhook Creature, reflects a broader fascination with the unexplained. Whether Bigfoot is a real creature or a product of folklore, its enduring presence in New York’s forests and stories invites us to question the boundaries of the known world.

As researchers and enthusiasts continue their search, the legend of Bigfoot in New York remains a testament to the power of mystery and the human desire to explore the unknown.