Sasquatch | Bigfoot, Description, Sightings, & Facts (2024)

legendary creature

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What is Sasquatch?

Sasquatch is a large hairy humanoid that some believe to live in the northwestern United States and western Canada. The name comes from Salish se’sxac, meaning “wild men.” Sasquatch is also known as Bigfoot, and it appears to represent the North American counterpart of the Himalayan region’s mythical monster, the Abominable Snowman, or Yeti.

Where is Sasquatch said to live?

Sasquatch is said to live in the northwestern United States and western Canada. Sightings have been claimed in forested areas.

How is Sasquatch usually described?

Sasquatch is normally described as a bipedal primate that is anywhere from 6 to 15 feet (2 to 4.5 metres) tall. It is often said to give off a foul smell and either moves silently or emits a high-pitched cry. Alleged Sasquatch footprints have measured up to 24 inches (about 60 cm) long.

Who was the first person to claim a Sasquatch sighting?

Some people credit the British explorer David Thompson with the first discovery of Sasquatch footprints, in 1811. Since then, several photographers and videographers have claimed to have seen Sasquatch, although none of their purported evidence has been verified.

Is Sasquatch real?

Since the first alleged finding of Sasquatch footprints, in 1811, several people have claimed to have found such footprints or to have seen Sasquatch, and some have provided purported documentary evidence. However, scholars and scientific researchers have pointed out that no investigator has produced a physical body or other verifiable evidence, and they do not recognize Sasquatch’s existence.

Sasquatch, a large, hairy, humanlike creature believed by some people to exist in the northwestern United States and western Canada. It seems to represent the North American counterpart of the Himalayan region’s mythical monster, the Abominable Snowman, or Yeti. The name “Sasquatch” derives from the Salish word se’sxac, which means “wild men.” The creature is also commonly called Bigfoot.

Footprints, photographs, and the Ape Canyon incident

The British explorer David Thompson is sometimes credited with the first discovery (1811) of a set of Sasquatch footprints, and hundreds of alleged prints have been adduced since then. The Sasquatch legend grew in 1924, after five gold prospectors claimed to have had a violent encounter with “gorilla men” in a gorge (now called Ape Canyon) on Mount St. Helens, Washington. After the prospectors wounded one of the creatures during the day, the “mountain devils” returned that night, pelting the prospectors’ cabin with boulders and repeatedly ramming the structure. When the attack ended at daylight, the prospectors fled. Although their account was later discredited by U.S. forest rangers—who notably proved that the footprints were fake—the story spread. Subsequent sightings and even alleged photographs and filmings (notably by Roger Patterson at Bluff Creek, California, in 1967) have also contributed to the legend, though none of the purported evidence has been verified.

Description

Sasquatch is variably described as a primate ranging from 6 to 15 feet (2 to 4.5 meters) tall, standing erect on two feet, often giving off a foul smell, and either moving silently or emitting a high-pitched cry. Footprints have measured up to 24 inches (60 cm) in length and 8 inches (20 cm) in width. A Soviet scientist, Boris Porshnev, suggested that Sasquatch and his Siberian counterpart, the Almas, could be a remnant of Neanderthals, but most scientists do not recognize the creature’s existence. Instead, it is thought to be a hoax or an animal, possibly a bear.

Pop culture

Sasquatch is a popular character in media and entertainment. In addition to a number of horror films, it has inspired such comedies as Harry and the Hendersons (1987) and Sasquatch Sunset (2024). The creature is also a frequent topic of books—many of which are written by those claiming to have evidence of its existence—and various businesses have used Sasquatch in commercials and ads.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.