07/27/2025
More Than Bigfoot Roams These Woods around the area of the upcoming Hocking Hills Bigfoot Festival . . .
Silent. Agile. Capable of climbing trees and gliding low to the ground with eerie grace—this is how folks describe one of the wildest cryptids in the Hocking Hills. It leaves behind paw prints four to five inches wide in the mud and dust. But don’t let the tracks fool you. This ain’t your grandma’s housecat.
No, this one is too big for a bobcat, too real to be a rumor, and it shrieks high-pitched like a 3-year-old who awakened at night face to face with a bogeyman. Folks who’ve lived in Vinton County long enough know better than to wander out after dark with a can of cat food clasped in one hand, shaking a bag of catnip in the other, and calling, “Here, kitty kitty.”
Because if this cat shows up, it’s not sniffing around for a whiff of nepetalactone—that’s the stuff in catnip that gets your 'generally sweet' tabby high enough to scratch its way, with tiny murder paws, to the top of your head for another hit.
No, it’s looking for something a little more… protein-rich.
At 150 to 200 pounds, this isn’t a feline you want curling up in your lap. Or you in theirs.
So while you’re enjoying the Hocking Hills Bigfoot Festival this August 7–10, remember: Bigfoot may be the star of the show, but he’s not the only one watching from the trees. This is Vinton County—where Wayne National Forest, Zaleski and Hocking State Forest, the Vinton County Park District, and miles of wild private land all converge into one of the most remote, untamed regions in Ohio.
For over a century, people around here have spotted a massive cat-like creature crouched along trails and disappearing without a sound. Some claim it’s a remnant eastern cougar or an abandoned exotic pet that made the hills its hunting ground. Others—myself included—have found prints (BIG KITTY FOOTPRINTS the size of my size 6 boot) deep in the forest… and noticed they weren’t there the first time we passed through. Eek.
One well-known local story dates back to the 1990s, when a real estate agent and her intern were scouting a property on foot and turned to find a massive, cougar-like animal crouched low in the tall grass behind them. Long tail. Muscular frame. Predatory stare. It was no housecat, and they didn’t wait around to ask questions. According to the agent:
“What do you think we did? We ran like hell back to my car and never went back.”
Heels, skirts, a mile of rugged trail—it didn’t matter. They never looked back.
And they’re not alone. Hunters, hikers, and old-timers have all shared stories of strange shrieks in the night, of cats too big to be real and too fast to catch. I’m just glad I don’t have to clean their cat pan.
Notable Sighting Areas
Vinton Furnace State Forest
A cryptid's dream hideout: remote, rugged, and mostly untouched. Sightings here are rare only because few people wander deep enough to see what’s watching.
Hope Furnace Trail Area
Known for repeated reports of “child-like shrieks” after sundown. Locals say it’s no owl. Some say it ain’t even a cat.
Zaleski State Forest
Once dotted with mining towns, now it’s a ghost forest—dense, quiet, and vast. Perfect territory for a creature that doesn't want to be found.
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Notes for Researchers and Visitors
Best Observation Periods:
Dusk and dawn, especially in late summer through early fall—prime roaming time.
Precautions:
Terrain here is rugged and remote, with cell service spotty to nonexistent. Always let someone know where you're headed, and don’t leave the trails alone—unless, of course, you’re faster than your hiking partner.
Local Legends:
Some believe the Wildcat is a holdover of the eastern cougar, while others think it’s a descendant of released exotic pets. Either way, it’s not in your average Ohio field guide. (Oh, but it is in mine!)
Scientific Considerations:
The Ohio Division of Wildlife insists there are no large native felines here—only bobcats, smaller, tailless, and not ones to scream like the undead. Yet the stories keep coming, shared by folks with nothing to prove and everything to feel—chilled to the bone by a good story and a new set of goosebumps.
Come out to the HOCKING HILLS BIGFOOT Festival! Meet TV celebrities like Cliff Barackman, Finding Bigfoot Field Researcher, Turtleman, and Wild Bill from Mountain Monsters https://hockinghillsbigfoot.com/
Want to read more fascinating cryptid encounters? Check out my new book, "Cryptids of the Appalachian Heartland: A Little Field Guide to the Mysterious Creatures of Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.” It's available now wherever books are sold, and you can also pick up a signed copy directly from me at the Hocking Hills Bigfoot Festival—packed with in-depth sightings, stories, and tips for your next adventure! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FH5M5KFX
