Possible Arkansas Bigfoot Encounter

In May 2015, members of Squatch Watch Gear and their friends were invited to investigate an area North of Van Buren, Arkansas for possible Bigfoot activity. Reports had come in that a creature had been spotted, footprints had been found and strange sounds had been heard in the area. We were intrigued and excited to investigate the area.

Our investigation took place around two different locations along a long, winding creek. Our first stop included hiking up a short hill and bluff that overlooked the creek and small valley. We broke up into two groups along a trail and for a couple hours made vocalizations and wood knocks in the hopes of eliciting a response. We had none and then decided to move to a new location.

After a quick drive, we arrived at a lower area that appeared to have been a camping ground and small boat cast off area. From the camp location, we took a trail that ran along the creek. The woods were dark and thick, and many of the trees were covered in vines. After a short hike, we made the decision to leave one group at a location just off the creek while a second group headed up the trail. I was in the second group that continued.

Moving along the trail, we traveled approximately one hundred yards. At this point the trail led through a sort of natural tunnel created by small trees and honeysuckle vines. The tunnel was roughly five and half feet tall, about thirty feet long and only wide enough for one person to travel through at a time. We moved through the tunnel and emerged in a powerline clearing and decided the clearing was a good place to stop.

For the next couple hours we made howls and wood knock noises again to which a couple members of my group thought they heard distant responses. I, however, didn’t hear anything and with the creek loud and swelling from recent flooding, I was leery to believe they had heard anything either. During the time in the clearing, though, I kept hearing rustling noises behind us. I thought it nothing more than a field mouse moving about or perhaps an armadillo rooting around.

It began to get late and after a rather uneventful night, we decided to hike back to the first group. We packed up our gear and began to make our way through the honeysuckle tunnel. As the four of us reached the midway point of the tunnel, something took several heavy steps directly toward us. It sounded bi-pedal and big.

One member of the group wandered out loud what would happen if we all turned off our head lamps. Curious as well, we agreed to all flip our lights off. As soon as the last light was turned off, the being took three large, lumbering steps directly toward us again. It sounded like it could reach through the tunnel and grab any one of us. At the same moment, something large to the right side of the tunnel moved in closer, as well.

Immediately we flipped our head lamps on. We waited. No movement. We waited a bit more. Still no movement. I attempted to shine my light through the undergrowth, but I couldn’t see anything. Unnerved and feeling not the least bit safe, we unanimously decided to quickly evacuate the tunnel. Once exiting, we began to investigate each outer side of the tunnel and could see no animal life at all.

We had radioed the other group and they joined us in attempting to find some trace of what had made those large movements. In the end, we came up empty. Deciding that nothing more could be done that night, we hiked out, loaded up the trucks and went home.

While we cannot prove it, we all believe we had two Bigfoots in our presence that night. We believe they used that tunnel to trap prey that used the easy-to-travel trail that passed through it. That was exactly how we felt in the tunnel: like trapped prey. In fact, the first time we passed through one member of the group commented on how the tunnel would be a great place to ambush something. It was entirely possible that we had two large animals, such as bear or deer, move closer to inspect us, but we heard none of the noises that such animals would like create. No grunts, snorts or snarls of any kind. Just big, heavy, and bi-pedal sounding footsteps.

It was a moment of my life that I will never forget and one that will likely give me pause every time I encounter a natural tunnel for many years to come.