Pocono Cryptids: Field guide to legendary beasts of northeast PA – Pocono Record
The Pocono Record and Tri-County Independent have collaborated for a series of stories called Mountain Beasts: Pocono cryptids, legends and lore. We hope you enjoy this foray into the most weird and wonderful our beloved Pocono Mountains have to offer.
Safety first: If you plan on heading out into the northeast Pa. wilderness to seek out sightings of your own, be sure to check out our guide on how not to get lost in the Pocono Mountains.
Read the editor’s column: Environmental and cultural preservation should go hand in hand. Learn why the Pocono Record and Tri-County Independent embarked on the series Mountain Beasts: Pocono cryptids, legends and lore.
The large, ape-like mythological creature has been on the radar of people across the state and country for decades, but one has never been captured. “As far as I know there’s no evidence to support it,” Neely Mitchell said about Bigfoot being in the state.
While the agency has never received any evidence that there are Bigfoot-type animals in Pennsylvania, she does offer a warning for those who think they found one.
If you think you are seeing Bigfoot, know you are not allowed to shoot it in Pennsylvania. “Bigfoot is not listed as a game species and is therefore a protected species,” she said.
Read the full storyBigfoot, mountain lions, and other mythical creatures: PA officials discuss what they know
There is a Bigfoot presence lurking about northeast Pennsylvania thanks to pop culture: That includes a local country music station (Bigfoot Country 103.1), a website dedicated to sharing Sasquatch related stories, and even a podcast.
“Strange Familiars” podcast host and author Timothy Renner is a certifiable Bigfoot fanatic — he’s written books on the burly beast including “When the Footprints End: Vols. 1 and 2,” and “Bigfoot in Pennsylvania,” and loves to discuss everything cryptid. This is not to say that he jumps to the conclusion that Bigfoot is a paranormal creature; he tends to err on the side of caution, employing proper research, interviews, and, when it’s available, evidence.
Renner’s wife, on the other hand, was a “huge skeptic.” That is, until she saw something that became a cornerstone of Sasquatch lore in their very home: “the Flannel Man,” a lumberjack-like entity they say appeared at the foot of their bed one night.
Read the full story:The Poconos may be America’s next cryptid, Bigfoot hotspot. Here’s why
The vast swaths of Pocono wilderness are home to a variety of creatures. From bears to hellbenders, you’re bound to spot all types of wildlife. Could something more be lurking in these woods?
If it can’t be explained, perhaps it’s one of these legendary local monsters. We rounded up a list of some places in the Poconos to capture a glimpse of some fearsome beasts. Who knows, you may be unlucky enough to spot one.
Read the full storyWitches, fairies and Bigfoot: Where to track cryptids and other creatures in the Poconos
A mastodon’s skull was first located in Marshalls Creek, Monroe County, on July 5, 1968. John Leap of East Stroudsburg’s Lakeside Peat Humus Co. and an employee, Paul Strauser, found the bones in a peat bog off Route 209. Geologist Dr. John Yolton made the identification.
That summer, a team from the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg excavated the nearly complete skeleton of the ancient elephant, the first of its kind found in the Commonwealth. Leap transferred ownership rights to the state.
Here’s a glimpse at what long-gone Pocono beasts the region’s very first wave of residents may have seen, and the wild things that followed up to as late as the early 20th century.
Read the full storyPocono beasts: Northeast PA’s extinct creatures range from mastodons to mountain lions
