An illustration of the squonk.

Monsters. Creatures. Unexplained animals. People report them in the forest all the time. Though they go by several names, the most all-inclusive one is “cryptids.” The field of discovering them is known as cryptozoology. And for anyone interested in cryptozoology, Pennsylvania is an excellent place. Not only are there a lot of sightings but the sheer variety of creatures is impressive.

No matter what area of the state you’re in, there’s some sort of local cryptid to watch for. They range from the popular to the obscure, all of them on a scale of more-or-less likely to exist, though none of them have yet been proven.

BIGFOOT

Arguably the most well-known cryptid is Bigfoot, who clearly loves the attention, and Pennsylvania is no stranger to Bigfoot sightings. One of the likely areas to spot Bigfoot is near the border of Centre and Clinton Counties.

“I saw something in Beech Creek in February of 2023,” said Sonia Rodriguez, of Clinton County. “It was huge, maybe 10 feet tall.”

Artist sketch of the Clinton County Giwoogle.

While Rodriguez was driving home from work, she spotted the shape of what may have been Bigfoot, thrown into relief by the local streetlights. She described it as very clearly defined, not blurry, and of an impressive size.

“I see this dark silhouette,” she said. “It took two steps, and I was shocked. It was huge! I was like, all panicking.”

Bigfoot has repeatedly been spotted in that area, including multiple sightings in Bald Eagle State Park, because Bigfoot enjoys a recreational campout as much as anyone else.

MONSTERS OF THE

SUSQUEHANNA

Artist Taylor Garner's vision of the Potter Nondescript.

Water creatures are among the more mysterious of the cryptids, because you can’t just follow them home the way you can Bigfoot. Just try. Some have been reported in the Susquehanna River, and may be different monsters, or perhaps one monster that swims a long distance. In Lewisburg, the Susquehanna Mystery Thing has been reported by fishermen; and near Kettle Creek, there is a creature that’s been referred to as the Susquehanna Seal.

The Susquehanna Seal was in articles in the “Daily Democrat” in 1897, written by John F. Meginness. Though nobody saw enough of the creature to provide a physical description, Meginness speculated on what it may have been.

“His kind, that was the puzzle,” he wrote. “He was not the form or image of anything on earth. Some claimed, by his roar, that he was a sea lion; some that he was a monster cuttlefish; and again, some thought that he might possibly be an only survivor of some (thought to be) extinct order of sea or river monster.”

THE SQUONK

The Squonk is a uniquely Pennsylvania cryptid, first appearing in the 1910 book “Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods.” Described as an ugly pig-like creature living in the hemlock forests, the Squonk cries almost continuously. The Squonk was said to have emigrated from a desert area to Pennsylvania, and avoids people, because it knows how ugly it is. If you happen to see a Squonk while hiking, stop and give the poor thing a hug. It needs one.

Sketch of the Susquehanna Seal.

CLINTON COUNTY’S

GIWOGGLE

Clinton County has an official monster, and its name is the Giwoggle. The Giwoggle was from rural legends told by Belle Confer of Keating Township to her grandchildren. One of them, George Rhone, grew up to write these in “Keystone Folklore Quarterly” in 1956.

A werewolf-like creature, the Giwoggle had the hands of a bird and the feet of a horse, confusing anyone attempting to track it. According to the legends, they could be conjured by the local witches and were seen throughout Clinton and Clearfield Counties.

In July of 2011, the Clinton County Commissioners decreed the Giwoggle to be the official monster of the county. Not that there was a whole lot of competition.

Kettle Creek.

THE JERSEY DEVIL

The Jersey Devil? But this is an article about Pennsylvania cryptids! What’s a creature from New Jersey doing here?

The Jersey Devil, a flying monster sighted in New Jersey, has been known to travel into Pennsylvania occasionally. In 1909, it was reportedly seen in Williamsport and Lock Haven.

On January 28, 1909, the Clinton Democrat reported that the Jersey Devil had been seen in Williamsport. The article said,”The footprints appear in the snow in the rear yard of a West Fourth Street residence, first on one side of the tennis net and then the other. It is reported that the same mysterious tracks were discovered on the golf links north of the city.”

A few days later, the Lock Haven Express reported that the Jersey Devil had been spotted on the roof of a Grove Street house by resident Charles Poorman, who later propped a ladder up and allowed people to see the tracks in the snow on his roof. The Express reported,”Several persons have again come forward with statements that they saw this strange creature, which has sent terror into the hearts of the timid.” And it just goes to show that even the Jersey Devil prefers Pennsylvania to New Jersey sometimes.

THE POTTER

NONDESCRIPT

One of the most obscure cryptids was said to inhabit southern Potter County, according to articles in the “Potter Enterprise” in the spring of 1897. Described as a hairy, bipedal creature about six feet tall, it was said to have tusks that measured six or seven inches long.

“It is also reported that a fisherman was run out of Nelson Run by some kind of animal,” reported the Enterprise on April 12. “The animal stood upon its hind feet and struck its breast with its forepaws, causing a noise like a roll of many drums, and screamed like a panther.”

Later, resident William Butler had come forward with information. The newspaper said, “Though under the circumstances his eyes might have magnified a little, he thinks the animal was fully six feet high when standing on its hind legs. It was quite hairy about the head and had tusks from six to seven inches long, which the animal seemed proud to show, and another such mouth was never seen.”

The newspaper gave the creature its name, stating, “Bill looked at the Potter County Nondescript fully a minute or more.”

THE

THUNDERBIRD

Stories of Thunderbirds, excessively large birds, date back to Native American days. The Thunderbird was often seen near oncoming storms, like the cryptid equivalent of the Channel Six weather guy.

Joe Sohmer of Lock Haven described seeing a Thunderbird when he was about eleven years old. “My family had a cabin along the Susquehanna River,” he said. He saw a big bird, much bigger than average, flying over the river. “It wasn’t an eagle,” Sohmer clarified. “I mean, I’ve seen eagles, and this was bigger. You can tell.”

If you’ve read this far, there’s a good chance you’d like to see a cryptid yourself. Though there are never any guarantees, it’s best to choose your location based on previous sightings. Pack a camera, binoculars, and anything else you may need, and go out searching. You never know what you might find out there.