Exploring Washington’s Legendary Creatures
Friends,
From the infamous hijacker D.B. Cooper to the crisp orchards that feed a nation, from aviation giant Boeing to tech behemoth Amazon, and yes, the first-ever Starbucks Coffee Shop—Washington State boasts many claims to fame. Yet lurking in the shadows of its dense forests and misty coastlines is another distinction many overlook: a bestiary of legendary creatures that would make any cryptozoologist’s heart race.
Sasquatch (Bigfoot)Many cultures have their own names for the creature we commonly call Bigfoot, a term most associated with the Western mountains of North America. The Salish people gave us “Sasquatch,” derived from their word “Sasquits,” while further east, the Algonquin tribes speak of the fearsome “Witiko” or “Wendigo” stalking the forests of the north-central continent.
Across the continent, legends speak of a towering figure—nearly human in form but possessing extraordinary abilities beyond mortal men. Among the Ojibway people who roamed the Northern Plains, the Rugaru emerged only when peril loomed. Neighboring tribes shared this understanding: that this fur-covered visitor came not to harm but to herald, urging humans to alter their destructive paths before consequences arrived.
Though California lays claim to the first documented Bigfoot encounter in September 1958, it’s Washington state where the elusive creature seems to roam most freely. The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization has cataloged more than 700 Washington sightings—more than any other state. Within Washington’s borders, Pierce County emerges as a particular hotspot, boasting 83 separate reported encounters, the densest concentration in the state.
Photo by Gabe via PexelsThe state of Washington takes Bigfoot protection seriously. In 1969, Skamania County’s council enacted an ordinance making it a felony to harm a Sasquatch—violators face five years in county jail and fines up to $10,000. Decades later, Whatcom County followed suit, officially designating itself a “Sasquatch protection and refuge area” in 1991.
For more information or recent sightings, please visit the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization here.
The Lake Chelan DragonLake Chelan plunges to depths of nearly 1,500 feet, making it America’s third-deepest lake. Indigenous storytellers spoke of vast cave networks beneath the water’s surface, where they claimed a creature known as N’hah’hahat’q made its home in the inky depths.
“Early Indians were very wary of canoeing on the Deep Lake (Lake Chelan) for fear of the monster that they called “N’hah’hahat’q”. Long ago there were great struggles between the good and bad spirits in the Chelan Valley. An evil spirit in the form of a large serpent would come out of the Chelan River without warning and destroy the homes of the people up and down the valley. At other times it appeared and scared away all the animals and fish. This left the Indians without food for long periods at a time.”
“The good spirit finally decided to put up a rock barrier at the lower end of the valley that would dam the river, trapping the serpent and killing it. Unfortunately, the monster did not die but became enraged instead. The serpent slashed his way up the valley killing all the Indians except for a lone girl picking berries at the top of the valley. The rising water left her stranded and she eventually died. However, before she died, she painted the story of her life on the rock walls. The stories have never been translated but can still be seen at Stehekin when the lake level is low.” (Hackenmiller, Tom. Wapato Heritage: the History of the Chelan and Entiat Indians. Point Pub., 1995.)
Dan Coe Carto – Lake Chelan–Washington’s Deepest LakeThe descendants of European colonists would later spread stories about a creature akin to Scotland’s fabled Nessie. According to their lore, Captain Chelan from the Highlands had smuggled one of the monster’s eggs aboard his ship during 1812 when the egg cracked open and a hatchling emerged.
In 1892, the creature surfaced again when three young men ventured into the lake’s waters. According to the two survivors, the dragon seized their companion by the leg with its jaws. Despite their desperate attempts to free him, they watched in horror as the beast took flight, their friend’s screams fading as predator and prey vanished into the clouds.
For more information on Lake Chelan’s Pirate festival and its famous dragon, please visit here.
The Basket OgressAmong the Salish people, stories circulate of the Basket Ogress—the Wild Woman who haunts woods and shorelines, gathering stray children into her woven trap before devouring them. Parents whispered these tales as twilight fell, ensuring their little ones understood the perils lurking within the state’s shadowy forests.
From the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Strait of Georgia, the Salish tell this tale in over twenty languages across forty nations, each with its own name for the ogress and its own twist to the narrative. In every version, though, there are quick-witted children who find a way to slip through her grasp:
A group of children knew a woman who lived all alone near the river. The children knew that she was lonely, and they wanted to go visit with her. When they asked their parents for permission to go, their parents said, “No. You can’t go, because it is too far away: the Giant Woman might get you when you are away from home. The Giant woman is powerful. She would put you in her huge clam basket.”
The children ignored their parents. They got into a canoe and went on their way to visit the lonely woman. When night came, they made themselves a camp on the other side of the river. They built a fire and cooked their supper. One of the children was a liunchback. When the children divided their supper, Hunchback was given the tail part.
They traveled for several days. Each evening they would stop to camp overnight and eat their supper. Every time, they would give Hunchback the tail part for his share.
Hunchback finally said, “If you folks are always going to be giving me the tail part when I woulet really rather have the tips, I will call the Giant Woman!”
When night came again and they stopped to camp and eat their supper, it was still the tail part which he was given. Now Hunchback hollered! He hollered:
“Come downhill, Giant Woman, Come downhill, Giant Woman. It is just the tail part that I am given by my playmates ! “
The Giant woman heard right away. “Oh, there is someone hollering at me!” She put her basket on her back and she walked. She was a huge person, this Giant Woman. She chewed on everything as she traveled.
She arrived where the children were. Right away she began to pick up the children one by one and put them into her basket. She grabbed Hunchback first and put him there. When all of the childran were in the basket, the Giant Woman walked. she carried these children upland. suddenly she could feel something catch at her basket. She thought, “Oh, it must be Hunchback who has caught onto something.”
Hunchback had squirmed and squirmed until he managed to get himself up on top of the other children. Each time he came to a leaning tree he tried to grab ahold of it. No. He couldn’ t do it. On the fourth try, he did it.
Giant Woman went on walking. When she arrived at her home with the children she immediately gathered rocks and placed them on her fire to heat. When they were good and hot she began to take the children out of her basket. Then she found that Hunchback was missing. “Oh, Hunchback isn’t here ! Where is he? Maybe he managed to run away.”
Giant Woman ran!
Hunchback was in the canoe, shoving off from shore. He had a paddle with holes in it. This paddle had holes. When Giant Woman threw rocks at him, he held up his paddle and the rocks just went through. Hunchback paddled hard. Each time she threw a rock at him, he raised his paddle and the rock just went through a hole.
Giant Woman gave up. she went home and put more rocks on her fire. She wanted the rocks to be very hot to cook her supper fast.
The children huddled together and began talking to each other. They watched the Giant Woman heating all of those rocks on the fire.
Giant Woman noticed and said to them, “What are you children saying?”
The children carefully answred, “Oh, it is just that we are so happy for you that you are heating rocks. We would like for you to sing and dance before you cook us there.”
Giant Woman was so flattered at the request that she said, “All right!”
The children said, “You will dance!”
She proudly said, “Yes, I will.” Now Giant Woman danced. She sang this as she danced:
The children will be roasted on the rocks.
The children will be roasted on the rocks.
The children will be roasted on the rocks.
The children will be roasted on the rocks.
The children said, “Oh my, but your song is so nice. Sing more. ” And again Giant Woman sang and danced.
The oldest and strongest of the children were making plans: “We had better push her onto the hot rocks.”
Giant Woman asked, “What. are you children saying?”
They cautiously answered,, “Oh, we are just so happy for you.”
They whispered to each other, “When she comes near us, let’s all push her.”
Ohl Giant Woman was coming closer, singing:
The children will be roasted on the rocks
The children will be roasted on the rocks
The children will be roasted on the rocks
The children will be roasted on the rocks
As she came close to them, all of the oldest, strongest children pushed her. Right onto the hot rocks she fell. She screamed, “Remove me, children. Remove me from the fire and I will return you to your home. “
One of the children said, “Get a forked stick, and we shall remove your grandmother from the fire. We shall remove her. Get a forked stick.”
However, the children took the forked stick, and everyone pressed her down onto the hot rocks until she was just stuck there, roasting.
That is the end of the story.
This tale is told by 77-year-old Upper Skagit (Lushootseed) storyteller and elder Vi Hilbert, who has done a great deal to preserve her language, working with University linguists, and culture, in her work as a public storyteller and writer. The tale below is from her book, Haboo, Native American Stories from Puget Sound. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1985 p. 42-44.
To explore more myths from the PNW area or learn about the different tribes and cultures, please visit here.
Final ThoughtsMonsters, goblins, and ghouls stalk the shadows far beyond European borders. They haunt every corner of our world, their blood-soaked legends pulsing through the veins of cultures across America. We MUST excavate these terrifying myths from the darkness of neglect, or risk the vengeful spirits of our forgotten histories rising to claim us all.
Until next time, Keep Reading and Stay Caffeinated.
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