Bigfoot in Ketchikan: Alaska’s Haunted Forest Legends
Bigfoot in the Timber: Sasquatch Sightings and Lumberjack Lore in Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan, Alaska is a place where the mountains meet the sea and the dense, mist-draped Tongass National Forest stretches for millions of acres. This vast wilderness, once bustling with logging camps and timber crews, has long been fertile ground for stories of the strange and unexplained, especially when it comes to Bigfoot.
In the logging heyday of Southeast Alaska, workers shared eerie campfire tales of bizarre creatures and terrifying encounters in the woods. Many were just tall tales to spook the greenhorns. But others were recounted with a seriousness that suggested something real. Among the most persistent and chilling legends was that of
Sasquatch, the elusive, bipedal giant said to roam the remote forests of the Pacific Northwest, especially the rainforests around Ketchikan.
Modern-Day Bigfoot Video Evidence
In recent years, one of the most talked-about pieces of evidence emerged right from Ketchikan itself.
Known as the Ketchikan Bigfoot footage, this mysterious video was uploaded to YouTube on May 10, 2011 by a user named putua76. The grainy clip begins with the camera operator filming the quiet forest. But within the first eight seconds, a dark, upright figure can briefly be seen moving deeper into the trees. It reappears again around 0:23 and 0:24, just long enough for viewers to catch a glimpse of what appears to be a hairy face peering through the foliage.
Then, at the end of the video, the air is pierced by a loud, guttural scream, an animalistic sound that doesn’t resemble anything known to inhabit the region. The camera shakes, the person yells “Run!”, and the footage abruptly ends as the videographer flees.
While skeptics have questioned the video’s authenticity, it remains one of the more intriguing modern pieces of supposed Bigfoot evidence. For believers and curious locals alike, the Ketchikan footage adds fuel to a fire that’s been burning for generations.
Logging Camps and the Fear in the Forest
Even before this video surfaced, the woods around Ketchikan and its neighboring islands were notorious for unnerving encounters. In nearby Prince of Wales Island, loggers have shared firsthand accounts of strange phenomena at isolated camps. One veteran timber worker described how tools would go missing, only to be later found neatly arranged at the edge of the tree line, as if something intelligent was watching and toying with them.
More disturbing were the screams, piercing and inhuman sounds coming from the forest at night. “It was like an animal we’ve never heard before,” one logger reported. The events rattled the crew so badly that some refused to return to the site. Others abandoned the job entirely.
Locals warned them about the area. Certain parts of the island were considered off-limits, not for safety reasons, but out of fear. These mountains were believed to be home to the Sasquatch, and people who ventured too far sometimes never came back.
Sightings in Town and Close to Home
The encounters haven’t just happened in remote outposts. Some of the most startling sightings have occurred within Ketchikan city limits.
According to Raincoast Sasquatch, a book by former Ketchikan resident J. Robert Alley, many credible reports have come from places like Ward Lake, Signal Creek Campground, and Last Chance Campground, all popular recreation spots for locals.
But perhaps the most unnerving report took place in the Bear Valley neighborhood, a wooded residential area just above downtown. A longtime Ketchikan resident witnessed a large, upright, ape-like creature moving near homes on Bear Valley Drive. The figure, estimated at six to seven feet tall, was covered in dark brown hair, and walked erect on two legs. According to the witness, the creature stopped, appeared to look in their direction, and then silently slipped back into the trees.
By the time neighbors were alerted, it had vanished into the forest.
The Legend Walks On
For many in Ketchikan, Sasquatch isn’t just a legend or YouTube oddity. It’s a part of local culture and memory. Generations of loggers, hunters, and residents have had experiences they can’t explain. Whether it’s the screams in the woods, the massive footprints, or the fleeting glimpses of something too large to be human, the message is clear. Something is out there in the rainforest shadows.
And if the stories are true, Bigfoot doesn’t just live in the wilderness. Sometimes, he comes
right up to the edge of town.
Ready to Explore Ketchikan's Haunted Side?
Ready to uncover the haunted secrets of Alaska’s First City? Ketchikan may be known for its breathtaking scenery and logging history, but beneath the surface lies a shadowy world of ghost stories, strange creatures, and unexplained encounters in the rainforest.
Join us for a Ketchikan Ghost Tour and explore the city’s most chilling sites. From eerie alleyways to haunted harbors and Bigfoot sightings deep in the Tongass, our guides will share the spine-tingling legends that locals whisper about after dark. Discover the supernatural side of Ketchikan—if you dare.
