13 Appalachian Cryptids: Appearance, Behavior, and Location

In the Appalachian mountains, a special brand of folklore has developed because of the unique and isolating environments produced by the mountain range that stretches down the eastern United States. As part of this folklore, cryptids specific to the region are said to exist. Cryptozoologists take pains to study these creatures, though no substantiated evidence of them exists. What are 13 Appalachian cryptids? Their appearance, behaviors, and locations will be discussed now.

13. The Albatwitch

It’s rumored that the Albatwitch lives along the Susquehanna River just below the Appalachians near Columbia, Pennsylvania. It may also exist farther into the mountains along the wider watershed up in the hills.

The Albatwitch is about 4 feet tall and spends its time in heavily forested areas sitting in trees, and they’re known for stealing apples from forest visitors. The Susquehannocks, a local indigenous tribe that used to inhabit the area of sightings, may have talked about the Albatwitch in poorly recorded stories.

12. The Flatwoods Monster

The Flatwoods Monster, also known as Braxie, is a cryptid believed to inhabit the wood around the small town of Flatwoods in West Virginia. Braxie is believed to be about 10 feet tall with a red hood-shaped face, and eyes that glow. Its body is dark, and it has claws for its hands.

The original sighting was on September 12, 1952, at 7:15 pm. It was sensationalized in newspapers and broadcasts, and skeptics have spent time debunking the story. Regardless, locals have embraced the monster’s legacy and a museum exists honoring the Flatwoods Monster in the nearby town of Sutton.  

11. White Thangs

The White Thang is an Appalachian cryptid that’s a lot like the Bigfoot cryptids that are seen in many forested regions in the United States. What makes White Thangs different is they’re covered in nothing but long white hair.

They’re especially concentrated in Pennsylvania which has earned them the name of the Pennsylvania White Bigfoot. There haven’t been as many sightings recently, and locals in Pennsylvania think it’s because they may have been hunted into extinction.

10. Skunk Apes

Skunk apes are a lot like Bigfoot, but they’re a bit shorter. They’re known to inhabit the southern Appalachians and the swamps of Florida.

These cryptids walk on two legs like humans and are covered in brownish-red hair. They’ve earned their skunk moniker because people who have seen them say they stink.

They’ve been in local folklore since the 1800s when they were accused of stealing food stores from early Europeans. Skunk apes are also accused of killing livestock and harassing drivers on remote roads. Hundreds of sightings and many blurry photos exist of the cryptid though they’ve managed to evade capture.

9. Ole Slewfoot

The cryptid named Ole Slewfoot lives in the mountains of North Carolina. Hunters have tried to track this bear-like creature down but to no avail. Ole Slewfoot travels so fast that dogs can’t even keep up with his whereabouts.

However, one time in the 1950s, this bear was caught in a claw trap on Balsam Mountain. However, the animal gnawed its leg off to get away before the hunters checked the trap.

This set off a monumental search for Ole Slewfoot that resulted in the slaying of a 3 legged bear-like animal. Some believe this animal was Ole Slewfoot, while others still believe he’s hiding in the mountains.

8. Pukwudgies

Wampanoag stories tell of the Pukwudgies which are short cryptids that stand no more than 3 feet tall. They’re human-like though their fingers, ears, and noses are very long. They have grey skin that sometimes glows.

Pukwudgies have supernatural characteristics. They’re able to vanish into thin air whenever they want, and they can create fire without any tools. They carry poison arrows, and they can transform themselves into an animal resembling a porcupine when needed.

These cryptids like to be left alone, but they are sometimes spotted by people in the woods of Massachusetts. If they aren’t left alone, they behave like tricksters. They enjoy luring people into falling off of cliffs. They also throw sand in people’s eyes, and they attack people by stabbing them.

7. The Loveland Frogmen

The edge of Ohio’s Appalachian mountains may play host to the Loveland Frogmen. These frogs are bipedal and about 4 feet tall. They have leathery skin, and they crouch over like frogs when on the move.

As the name implies, they make their home near Loveland, Ohio, and the latest widely reported sighting was in 2016. The City of Loveland made the Loveland Frog its official mascot in 2023.

The original police officers who reported the Loveland Frogmen in the 1970s later said it was a large escaped iguana. They discovered this after they shot it. Despite this, the legend persists to this day.

6. The Appalachian Chupacabra

In West Virginia, the cryptid called the Appalachian Chupacabra resides. It’s believed to be the descendants of immigrant chupacabras from elsewhere in the Americas.

The Appalachian chupacabra stands on 4 legs and is about 4 feet tall when measured from the shoulders to the ground. Its back holds a row of spines. It has a pig snout and huge fangs, and it has talons like those found on birds of prey.

It’s reported that deer bodies are found with fang marks and that the deer have been drained of their blood. They’re believed to run in packs, and some believe Bigfoot uses them like hunting hounds.

5. The Raven Mocker

The Raven Mocker is a bird-esque cryptid originating from indigenous stories. It’s a shapeshifter with black feathers and white eyes.

It’s over 7 feet tall, and most sightings have been in Virginia. If someone sees it, it’s considered a bad omen. Tragedy will soon affect the viewer’s life.

The Raven Mocker can make itself look like a normal human which allows it to get close to unknowing people. It does this because it sometimes eats people’s hearts. What’s remarkable about its consumption style is it’s able to feed on these hearts without causing any discernible physical trauma.

It usually preys on people who are dying, and it’s considered malevolent as it will harm without conscience. Sometimes, it just consumes the essence of the dying without taking their hearts. It goes after the dying so that it can strengthen its life force and continue living.

4. Smoke Wolves

Smoke wolves are black with glowing red eyes, and they’re able to turn into smoke whenever they want. That’s how they evade capture and photography.

These wolves are responsible for the death of livestock and lost people. It has a demonic howl that’s more like a scream. The only way to keep it from mauling something is to rattle chains at it as it approaches.

3. Wampus Cats

Wampus are huge cat-like animals that are most often spotted in West Virginia. They’re over 4 times larger than the biggest mountain lions, and it’s estimated they weigh up to 600 pounds. Wampus cats are accused of the deaths of animals and humans in the regions where they’re seen.

When they’re near they can be smelled. Their stink is described as a cross between a skunk and a wet dog. They have green eyes and huge claws. They’re elusive because they’re so fast, and because they can shapeshift into human women if desired.

2. The Snallygaster

Snallygasters are birdish creatures with a reptile body and a huge beak. Because its beak is so well equipped, it makes easy meals out of people and livestock. They’re most common near South Mountain in Maryland.

This cryptid has a metallic appearance, and its huge beak is full of teeth. It dive-bombs whatever it wants to kill and carries it away like a bird of prey. It’s said that it has one eye protruding from its forehead.

7 pointed stars may dispel the Snallygaster. As a result, early German settlers in the 1700s had a habit of painting these on their barns to protect themselves and their animals.

1. The Mothman

The most famous Appalachian cryptid is arguably the Mothman. He was first seen in West Virginia on November 15, 1966, in the city of Point Pleasant. Those who see Mothman are said to be headed into some kind of catastrophe.

He’s believed to be a seven-foot-tall man with wings that can fly. He also has red eyes and a massive wingspan, and how he glides is reminiscent of a moth’s behavior. Because these features are moth-like, this has earned him his name.

Like all cryptids, no sightings have ever been substantiated. However, the Mothman Festival is a popular event attended by thousands every year in Point Pleasant, WV.