The Mogollon Monster is an alleged creature that has been discussed in accounts from central and eastern Arizona along the Mogollon Rim. It is most often described as a Bigfoot or ape-like creature, but descriptions vary. No physical evidence has been found, and the existence of such a creature is doubted by biologists.

Description

The Mogollon Monster is reported to be a bipedal humanoid from 6–8 feet tall with large eyes. Its body is said to be covered with long black or dark brown hair, with the exclusion of the face. Reports claim it has a strong and pungent odor like that of a decaying fish.

Stories say the creature is shy and nocturnal. The monster is generally reported to explore campsites after dark, emit unusual whistle sounds, and hurl stones from locations that are hidden from view.

Reported sightings

Based on multiple reports, monster sightings along the Mogollon Rim range from Prescott, AZ north to Williams, AZ, east to Springerville, AZ, south to Hannagan Meadow, Arizona, and west back to Prescott. Most sightings center around the city of Payson, AZ.

The oldest known documented sighting of the Mogollon Monster was reported in a 1903 addition of The Arizona Republican, today called The Arizona Republic. In it, I.W. Stevens described a creature seen near the Grand Canyon as having "long white hair and matted beard that reached to his knees." He later stated that after he discovered the creature drinking the blood of two cougars, that it had just beaten with a club, it let out an "unearthly screech".

A member of the White Mountain Apache Nation in Arizona by the name of Collette Altaha stated in 2006 “We're not prone to easily talk to outsiders, but there have been more sightings than ever before. It cannot be ignored any longer.” “No one's had a negative encounter with it,” said Marjorie Grimes, who lives in Whiteriver, the primary town on the reservation. When asked about her encounter she reports that “It was all black and it was tall! The way it walked; it was taking big strides. I put on the brakes and raced back and looked between the two trees where it was, and it was gone!” Regarding local reports, Tribal police lieutenant Ray Burnette states that “A couple of times they've seen this creature looking through the windows. They're scared when they call.” He stated “The calls we're getting from people — they weren't hallucinating, they weren't drunks, they weren't people that we know can make hoax calls. They're from real citizens of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.”

Criticism

Biology professor Stan Lindstedt of Northern Arizona University dismisses the idea that a large subhuman would remain hidden in such a large area of the country: "I put that in the category of mythology that can certainly make our culture interesting, but has nothing to do with science."

The monster in fiction

The Mogollon Monster has become a popular campfire story.

After the Rodeo-Chediski Fire burned 467,066 acres of Arizona forest land, Dolan Ellis (Arizona's Official State Balladeer since 1966) wished to help. Years ago, Dolan used a song named after the monster in a campaign against littering, especially in the wildnerness areas of Arizona. The Mogollon Monster is included in Dolan's "Wildfire" song, as a metaphor for the raging fire."

Media

The Mogollon Monster is a topic in folklore collections, guides on "local color", and works of fiction, including the following

• Novels by Bentley Little: The Return (2002, ISBN 9780451206879) and The Summoning (1993, ISBN 9780786014804)

See also

• Mogollon Mountains

References