Bigfoot Society - A Mother’s Terrifying Encounter Near Bagby Hot Springs, Oregon

Episode Date: March 25, 2026

In this episode, we delve into the unforgettable experience of Vanessa from Oregon, who shares a chilling encounter that took place deep within the forests near Bagby Hot Springs in Mount Hood National Forest. What began as a simple camping trip with her young son quickly turned into something she still struggles to explain.As night settled in, the familiar sounds of the forest gave way to something far more deliberate. Strange knocking echoed through the trees, carrying in a way that felt unnatural, followed by a moment that would stay with her forever. Vanessa recounts what she and her son witnessed just beyond their camp, describing details that continue to raise questions long after they left the area.The following morning brought another discovery that added a new layer to the experience, leaving her to reconsider everything she thought she understood about the wilderness.Vanessa’s story is grounded, emotional, and deeply personal, offering a firsthand account from someone who had no expectations of encountering the unknown. Join us as we explore her experience in one of the most active regions in Oregon and consider what might be waiting just beyond the edge of the firelight.🗣️ Share Your StoryHad a Bigfoot encounter or strange experience?Send it to [e-mail] – your story might be featured on the show!🎥 Watch & Subscribe on YouTube🔴 Subscribe here → Bigfoot Society YouTube💬 Leave a comment & let us know your thoughts!📞 Leave a voicemail with your story → Speakpipe (Use multiple voicemails if needed)👥 Share this episode → Watch & Share🎧 More episodes → Podcast Playlist🌲 Recommended: New Jersey Bigfoot Encounters💥 Support the Show & Get Perks✅ Join the community on Supercast – Become a Member✅ Listen ad-free & early on YouTube – Join Here📱 Let’s ConnectInstagram: @bigfootsocietyTwitter: @bigfoot_societyTikTok: @bigfoot.society🧰 Tools & Partners I Use (Affiliate Links)These help support the show at no extra cost to you:Beam (Better Sleep): Try BeamWildgrain (Better Bread): Join HereSeed (Probiotics): Get SeedMedi-Share (Healthcare): Learn MoreLMNT (Electrolytes) Free Sample Pack with your first purchase! : Get LMNTOrganic and non-GMO groceries delivered for lesshttp://thrv.me/uarEhS🎙️ Podcasting Tools:Repurpose.io: Try ItDescript: Sign UpStreamyard: Start RecordingRiverside.fm: Try Riverside🎧 My Audio Interface: View on Amazon☕ Buy Me a Coffee – Support Here🛍️ Grab Some Merch – Shop on Etsy📬 Mailing Address:Bigfoot Society125 E 1st St. #233Earlham, IA 50072

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You're listening to Bigfoot Society and I'm Jeremiah Byron. In this show, we go beyond the campfire stories to bring you first-hand encounters from people who say they've seen something impossible from backwoods trails and remote mountain haulers to quiet farms and crowded highways. The stories come from everywhere, and each one leaves us with more questions than answers. These are the voices of the people who've lived it. So settle in because today you'll hear another account that just might change the way you see the woods forever. So stay with us. All right, Pickfoot Society.

I've got the privilege of talking to Vanessa today. Vanessa is a individual I got connected to, I believe, over on the TikTok platform. She's from out there in Lincoln City, Oregon. But today we're going to be talking about an experience that Vanessa had in a place in Oregon. It sounds like she will never be going back to again if I've gotten the story good so far. But Vanessa, welcome to the show. How are you doing today? I'm well.

Thank you. Thank you for having me. Absolutely. this area of Mount Hood National Forest there's a lot of ground in this area and of course it's one of the most it's one of the areas we hear the most about on the show to be honest just because there's so much activity in this area so now I'm excited to hear what your account was

and I know that you haven't really been able to share this account with a lot of people correct? Yes but yes that's correct that's great so Vanessa I'm going to make sure that you have the the time to share what you've come to the show to share today so feel free to you know to take us back to to that time what was going on why were you why were you in that area to begin with and things like that took my son and his friend camping and at that time he was nine years old and so they were both nine

and I decided to take them camping and the plan was to go to Bagby because we heard about the hot springs just reopening we had originally we moved here from Colorado and we moved to Vancouver, Washington at that time and I just thought

how cool would it be to go to the hot springs we went out there and we got lost and this would have been in May of last year so May of 2025 when I took them out there I've never been around Mount Hood National Forest that was the furthest I've ever been in Oregon at that time and that's I guess that's how it started but we got lost

there was the GPS lost the signal location and we were trying to follow signs and we ended up camping we just parked at a spot because there was a river below us and I just thought okay I'm going to stop and we're going to park here and we'll just camp here but so I know I was near Bagby Oregon but the actually location, I don't know because we were lost. Something I will point out real quick to listeners.

Bagby Hot Springs has come up on the show before. It is a super active area. This is down by the Bigfoot Highway, which goes from Estaceta to Detroit. I know we've heard about this area on episode 718 with Jeff Rhone, an individual who has been there a few times. there's feelings of being watched and found 15-inch tracks after hearing pretty much a voice inside that urged him to visit that area. So a lot of really weird stuff that happens in the Bagby Hot Spring. There's other reports out there as well.

But Vanessa, what happened to you guys when you were in this area then? When we got there, I mean, things were as normal as they can be for having two, you know, nine-year-old. kids. And I mean, it was just a normal camping experience until the nightfall hit. So at dusk, I don't know if they're called nightingales or nightbirds, but we kept hearing these birds come down. So for me, this is significant because I bird watch. And the boys started freaking out, you know, because they thought it sounded like a bear.

I'm like, it's not a bear because these were birds. So by nightfall, you know, we're in, we're in our campgrounds. were in bed on the air mattress. And then about, I mean, I think it was probably 1.30 or 1 o'clock in the morning because I do remember looking at my phone. And my son, he had to go to the bathroom, but he didn't want to walk out of the camp alone. So I walked out with him. And I started getting the fire going while he did his business.

And then, I mean, once the fire started going, we both looked up and there was no sounds. At that time, how that would explain it. at that time there was no sounds. But we looked up and we could see something walking and my son started freaking out saying that's a bear. I'm like, that's not a bear. And then we heard these, it sounded like a woodpecker.

That's the only way I don't know how to describe it because I know it wasn't a woodpecker at that time of night. But there was like these echoes and it just echoed through the trees and you could hear these knocks on the wood. And it sounded to me my first spot was woodpecker. but, you know, the same part of myself says, no, there's not woodpeckers. They don't come out at night. And we're watching this figure like he's walking across the camp.

And that's because the fire starts going and it's not a bear because it's, I don't know, he had to be at least seven feet tall. And we just grabbed each other's arms. I mean, literally just grabbed each other's arms and we went back in the tent. His friend was still sleeping. and we just huddled up in the tent. And that next morning we left. And I still cannot make sense of it.

And that's when I actually discovered what Bigfoot was or the abominable snowman because we were researching it because we know what we saw, but there's no way to describe it, especially the knocks through the wood because I've never heard of anything like that. Wow, that is extremely intense.

I have a few thoughts right off the bat. I'm trying to control my emotions with it because it's like it happened yesterday, and I will never go back there. To point out, though, this is that it's not that we were scared, like I didn't feel threatened or something with trying to hurt us, but I'm scared because I don't know what it was. I can't identify it. And that's scary.

Oh, yeah, absolutely. It would be interesting if you were. to find a copy of the Oregon Bigfoot Highway book. And using the maps in there, you might be able to figure out kind of the area. I mean, because you're by Bagby, but there's so many other weird things down there by Bagby. I mean,

there's Skookum Lake, which is where a gentleman named Henry Franzoni had a lot of Bigfoot activity. So that's north of there. And then even north of there is, is Fish Creek where I believe that hunter was found after he went missing. So that whole area, and that just happened recently this last year. But a few questions about the encounter.

So the tree knocks that you heard, do you remember if or the woodpecker type sounds that you heard with the echoing, right? Was there a pattern to them at all? Yes. Yes. I mean, that's what my first instinct would say, that's a woodpecker, because it was like, it sounded like three pecks, so three knocks, I guess. I mean, you just, it's just tap, tap, tap. And that, but it, I can't explain it because it feels like it echoed through all the trees. And that's what, I mean, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

And that's when my son came back to me. And we're looking and then we see a figure. So, so I, at this, at this point, I mean, I researched a lot more since then, and I don't know what. through what's not. And that's where your channel on TikTok really caught my attention because it's like somebody's able to explain maybe what I just went through. Oh, sure. Because again, to me, it felt like it was yesterday.

So the patterns of it, it sounded like a woodpecker knocking or somebody knocking on the wood and it was fast. It was three knocks. And then, but it echoes. It just echoed throughout the whole forest. Did it sound like there was more, let's let's, let's, let's, let's, let's, let's assume maybe that it was it was what you saw that could have been making the sounds of the knocks right was did it sound like there was more if we're saying three knocks would be a

group of knocks did it sound like it was just coming from one area or were they coming from multiple areas around the camp well so that's what it's still to this day confusing for me because initially you could hear it, like, I'm putting myself in that position. I could hear it from my right ear, the knocks. But the way that it echoed around the forest, I couldn't tell if it was coming from another direction. You know, there's nothing in sight. I mean, all we had was stars in our little camp. There was nothing in sight.

So it's almost like the forest was playing tricks on my head. I know that sounds crazy, but to me initially when it happened, I would say, it was coming from my right hand side. I mean, I could hear it through my right ear, you know, the three taps, the knocks. And I'm sitting here at my kitchen table, so I'm going to do it. But it was so fast. And like it's out of woodpecker, but then it just echoed throughout the forest. So I didn't know if it was something else was knocking back or if it was an echo.

And that disillusion is extremely terrifying when you don't know what's going on. Right. and also keeping in mind that you said this is between 1 to 1.30 a.m. in the morning, correct? Yes, sir. Also, you're in an area where, from what I've gotten so far, your GPS doesn't work, and you don't have cellular service, right? No. Yep, there's none. Gotcha. And you're an adult that is in charge of, you say, a few nine-year-olds?

Yeah, I have my son who was nine, and he'd be brought. his friend, and he was, at that time, he was off online. They're 10 years old now, but. Wow. That's a lot. And I mean, what I'd be thinking is, okay, I don't know really where we are, and how are we going to get out of here? And then all of a sudden, you start to see something walking around the camp. Now, how far away from you guys was it when it was walking across the camp?

Less than 100 feet. Because we're, and I can't so, and I could tell you how I got there, because you brought up Esticata, and that, that rings a bell, because that's the way we went. We were coming from Vancouver, Washington, and we went, I didn't even know the names of the roads, but we drove through Estacada, because that's where the maps was telling me to go. And then we went through Estacatas, and I hit Mount Hood National Force, and then Bagby Springs, there's a sign there. I'm like, sweet. So I took a right. I took a right on that street, and then that's when the GPS said, a lot and I didn't have it downloaded on my map so we just kept trying to follow the signs and I must have missed a turn somewhere and I mean I had to it because we didn't make it to Bagby and the boys were tired like we're just going to stop in camp so I know I I know I couldn't have been less than 25 miles away from Packby based on what my maps was saying I'm just trying to figure that out that I'm a female so I'm not good at math

So, I just want to put in a little side thing for a minute to really urge people. This is what I do if I go anywhere is I have the, in Google Maps or whatever you use, you can download the Maps area to your phone. Yeah. In case you lose GPS, you can still know where you are. I do it all the time. I didn't do that. I would, from here on out, you'll probably be doing it when you go out.

Because a lot of these areas, I mean, you're so far out. Like, you guys are really lucky that you were able to even get back to where you had gone out of, you know? And I absolutely agree. And that's actually a whole other story because that next morning, I mean, it wasn't right when the sun came up. So six or seven o'clock in the morning, we left. I mean, I packed every, I had everything in the car because I was, I wasn't scared that something was going to hurt us because I figured whatever we saw, if it was going to hurt us, it would have happened. I, but I didn't know. And I, yeah, I had two children with me.

And we packed up and we left. And so the funny part to the after story is, is getting lost on the way home. Before we get out of the campsite area, maybe ask you a little bit more. So 100 feet is about the land. of a basketball court. Does that sound accurate? Yes. Okay. Yes. So were you able to see any details that you remember about what you were looking at? Look like a bear standing and running on its legs, on its high lakes. It wasn't running on all fours.

It was, that was my first thought that's a bear. But then, you know, your rational, you have to battle the rational side of that. because I know bears don't run on their hind legs like that. And it was at least, I mean, I don't, I have an ex-husband who's six foot five. So that's how I'm going to judge this, okay? But this was taller than him. And he's running. And it's running. And my son saw it.

The other cow, he was sleeping, but my son saw it and we just held hands and we ran right back into our tent. And we're just both things, like, what the frick was that? What is going on? and he fell back to sleep, but I mean, I didn't. I mean, there's no way. I did, but I didn't, if that makes sense. Yeah, I was going to ask. Yeah.

Yeah, I mean, I couldn't fall back to sleep. Because sometimes, it kind of goes either way. Sometimes witnesses, if they go back in their tent, just they go to sleep immediately. But then the other times, the other times you're just so amped up. And it sounded like, so were you up for hours then, trying to. to go to sleep or how did that work? Yeah, I was making sure that my son got back to sleep. I was rubbing his back and I'm like, it was fine.

I'm sure it was just a bearer. And then we're both trying, we're bouncing thoughts off each other. Like, well, what was that? I got him back to sleep. He didn't sleep well. But I tried. I mean, I tried to go back to sleep. But no, I didn't.

I was just thinking how quick I could pack up the campground and what time I could do it at. That was my plan. is how am I going to get us out of here? Because I don't know where I'm at. I just knew that if we were in the car, we'd be okay. Yeah, exactly. So now, for me, for me, I wasn't one of those people that was able to just fall asleep because, yeah, that didn't happen.

I was just trying to plan our escape. We didn't even eat breakfast that morning. I packed us up and we left and I'll never go back. Something helped me that we're not supposed to be there. Yeah. So based on what you had seen, was it a certain? color that you could tell or was it covered in hair or could you see skin any details like that? I could, to me, now that's the tricky part because I don't know if my mind's playing tricks on me.

So it was definitely hairy because my first instinct when I saw it was that's a bear and then the rational thought comes in now. It's not a bear because bears don't run on their high legs that far. I mean, in 100 feet, to me it's not that far. So there was a main street. And I don't remember the name of the road. But I pulled over on this main street, and he was on the other side. You know, so I would think, right, yeah, like you said, like a basketball court,

it had to be about 100 yards for me, 100 feet for me. But to me, it looked like a tan color brown. And this is based off it, because it was pitch dark, but I got the fire going. So the fire, you know, you have the illumination from the fire and the shadows from that, but then there was the moonlight. And it was a perfectly clear light. We saw all the stars. So to me, that's why I'm guessing the color.

And I had hair because I thought it was a bear. Exactly. So you were in an actual campground then. No. I mean, no. It was, I call it because it was our campground. Like, we made our own campground. We just pulled over on the side of the road so that it wasn't a designated campground.

But we built our rocks and, you know, around, you know, made our fire. It was our campground. So that's, I'm calling it a campground. But no, there was, yeah, it was just off the side of a road for I happened to get lost on. And I wish I could picture the name of the road. I can't. But I do know I came from FECADA and there's all these signs for Bagby.

And we just missed it somehow. And just stopped. So you're just on the side of a forest road, it sounds like. Yes. Oh, wow. Okay. in the middle of the forest. It was beautiful.

When you had turned onto that road for Bagby, do you remember if there was like a fork in the road and you had to take a certain direction on that fork? It's actually funny you say that because, yes. So the person who told me about Bagby, explain this to me. He's like, you're going to probably lose GPS, and I don't download your math. And I didn't do that.

I should have. that he's like there's a fork in the road. And he told me to take the right to the fork in the road. And I believe that's what I took. But that's where I got lost. We even ran, that's where the story goes later that next day, we ran into a park ranger. And the park ranger is the one who's telling me,

oh, you missed your turn. But either way of like, we're going home. Okay, got it, got it. He got us back to Esticata, yeah. Okay. I'm thinking that, because I'm trying to follow along on the map at the same time. It looks like you, there's a, there's a fork in the road where then you take that right

and you go down to Bagby, you keep taking the 46 road, and it actually goes through a few campgrounds on the way, but I'm guessing that's probably where you were headed down, because if you go to the left, then that takes you around down to Detroit eventually. So that's my guess. Okay, yeah. I mean, I know I took a right at the fork in the road. road. And then I think if I remember to get to Bagby, once you take that right at the fork, you have to make a left somewhere to get to Bagby. We just kept going. And when you said the

46, that is, that's the road that we were on. Now that you said that, I mean, that's where we were at. Because I remember the signs when we were leaving. Gotcha. So when you were watching the, we're saying it was a big foot running across your campsite, how far did you see it run for? It was probably less than 10 seconds. And so I know how this sounds. That's why I don't tell the story. And to add on to that distance-wise, what would you estimate that it was able to run in 10 seconds? It was faster than a cheetah.

I mean, it was that quick. I mean, that's still, to this day, it's been a year and I still battle of what I actually saw. You know, because the mind plays tricks on you. But all I can go back is to that gut instinct. And it moved faster than a cheetah. I mean, it was gone. It was there, and then it was gone. And we both saw it.

I just wish, I just, I don't ever tell the story because it just sounds insane, but big foot through. So I totally get that. And I understand, you know, you tell the story and it makes you feel a little weird. But the crazy thing is, is that when you do something like I do, where I've talked to people for like four or five years, it's like you hear stuff like this every single day all across the world, which is wild.

Why don't feel so crazy anymore? It's wild, yeah. Something is definitely out there, and it is just outside the grip of us understanding what is going on. So here's another question for you. When you're in this makeshift campsite, did you and so you probably left really quick but I'm wondering did you notice anything out of the ordinary or or scuffle marks or what looked like footprints or you're just like I'm out of here as quick as I can

so and I'm going to be completely honest and this is going to sound crazy um first off no I didn't look we didn't look for any of that the other child who was with us I mean he didn't know about it but Michael my son Michael and he And I were like, we're gone. We're leaving. And so I'm packing up in the morning. But what was, and I know this, I know how this sounds. But the cooler was open. And I've camped.

I mean, I'm from Colorado. I've camped. I mean, I know the etiquette of camping. You keep your cooler clothes. You keep food away. You clean up. There's no trace, right, that you've ever been there. But the cooler was open.

And we had apples in the cooler. And the apples are gone. And I know how this sounds. And this is where I feel like I'm actually going crazy because the apples were there because the boys didn't want to eat them. On this episode of plant killers, we'll explore one nation's most notorious fruit and vegetable killer,

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This is a job for Indeed's sponsored jobs. And I'm like, well, we'll just make it for breakfast. And what I like to do when I camp is I roast the apples over fire and then we melt peanut butter on it. And that's kind of like her breakfast treat. The apples were gone. So when we got home, I'm researching everything about trying to understand. that I saw, and then I read some article where Bigfoot likes apples. So, again, I know how this sounds. But the apples were gone, and I'm not crazy. I wasn't drinking. I mean, everything was, it was a

normal night camping with two young kids, but the apples were gone. And there's nobody that will ever convince me that I'm wrong on that. I feel crazy even saying this to you. I think that's one of the most important details that you could have given, because as you found in your research, like so many research researchers out there or habitulators, people that have big foot on their property, they're putting apples out, and that's like the common food that they are able to take, right? Yeah, exactly. And what else was in the cooler?

I have a steak in the cooler and I had eggs and then we have string cheese and then ice, of course. And everything else is in place, but we have three apples. Now, so to be fair to this conversation, so we have three apples, because that's what's going to make the boys for breakfast. You know, they've never had my apple peanut butter, you know, campfire a thing. But there was still one apple in there, but there was two gone. And that's, I just, I'm about ready to cry right now because I know how insane that sounds. It sounds like you're trying to pitch a story, and I'm not, like, this happens.

No, that, I mean, so, okay, a few things. So I want to say a few things based on just that, which are really important. If it was a bear, there's no way that bear would have not left the steak and just taken apples. Exactly. And left one of the apples, right? I mean, that's huge. Yes. And then the other thing is that, I mean, you hear of that happening in other things where it's like they're leaving one for you guys.

You know, there's kind of like a sharing type thing there. I've heard that before. So this is an incredible account. That's interesting. That's intriguing. And it was real. And I just, I'm nervous right now,

and I talk fast and I apologize to you and your listeners. But thank you so much for hearing my story, because this was real. Like, it was freaking insane. Sure. Absolutely. Because I know what I saw,

and I know what was missing, and I just couldn't wait to get out of there. However, I have to say this again and again. I never felt threatened. I never felt like we were in danger and like something was going to hurt us. I was scared because I didn't know what I saw.

I couldn't make sense of what I saw. 100%. I can't imagine. I've never gone through anything specifically like that where there's a visual or something. That's got to be incredible. Was there any video or audio recorded at all during this time when you were in the campsite?

No. Gotcha. No, yeah. No, I can't. I kicked myself from that and everybody, and they asked me, oh, prove it. Well, why didn't you record it? But everything happens so quick that at 1.30 in the morning when your child's going to the bathroom in the middle of nowhere and I'm trying to restart the fire, that's the last thing in my mind is, where's my phone? I got to record it.

I wasn't even thinking about that. And honestly, I'm glad I didn't record it because I don't know how to explain it, but my memories is because it was real. To me, it was real to my son. And we don't need a recording. I mean, we'll always have this embedded in our heads. Yeah, 100%. You never have to feel like you have to prove this to anyone. You're going to, unfortunately, you're going to run into that.

You didn't ask to be there in that situation. You know, you didn't ask to be there and deal with this. I mean, you are a person who survived this with your family. and now you have to, it's in your mind probably daily going over it. Yeah. Especially moving to Lincoln City. And I tell my mother this. My mother's like, well, because there's deer on the beach here, and that blows my mind.

And my mother, she won't, because, again, I'm from Colorado. So the abominable snowman, I mean, whatever. I mean, I've done all this research that's from Colorado. And I've seen one of your TikTok clips that was talking. about fairies and all that living in the forest. And that's how I describe Oregon to my mom. But it's real. I'm like Oregon is that's where the fairies live.

That's where Bigfoot lives. It's where the gnomes live. You know, but Colorado, that's, that's mountain woods. You know, it's to me, there's mountains and then there's forests. And Oregon in Washington, that's forest. And there's things out there that I can't explain. And I don't even know why I'm doing this with you right now because I feel like I'm talking crazy. But it was real. Like, it was real. It happened.

Lincoln City is such an intense area. I have a map on my website, which is Bigfoot Society podcast.com, and it shows the people I've talked to out there. And there are just the wildest things that have been reported in places like Rose Lodge and Otis and Lincoln City itself. I mean, it's some crazy country out there. But, yeah, my neighbor swear. all of the neighbors. I just moved here in November, and I'll never leave. I mean,

I love it here, but my neighbors swear, Bigfoot's real. Yeah, he's real. He just, and he likes the apples. That's what they tell me. I'm like, okay.

Oh, yeah, you got to pass on my story. So I'm just, it's just nuts. That night in that morning, are there any other details that are in your mind where you're like,

it would feel really crazy for me to share. that experience, or is the apple, the apple, pretty much the wildest detail, do you think? Yeah, the apples are by far the wildest detail. And I get, I got, I'm trying not to cry right now because I know how I sound. Because that's just insane. Like, who goes through a, who goes through a cooler? Like, and there's so many plausible explanations for that, I probably left it open, right? I mean, and that's what goes through my head. I mean, daily it goes through my head.

I probably left the cooler open, but there's the steak there, the eggs are there. And if it's a bear, if the bear's going to go for the steak, you know, I mean, that's what they're going to get. And it's not like big foot,

I'm trying not to cry because I just sound crazy. Because in my sense, if big foot's real, it's not like they're just going to run through a camp, and still two apples. But there's two apples gone. And there's thousands of explanations for that. There's two kids I have, right?

I'm in charge of two kids and they could have messed with it and they were playing with fire and, you know, being boys. So there's thousands of different things that can make this plausible, but I'm not crazy, right? I'm not crazy. No, not at all. And that's what keeps going through my head. Not at all. Yeah. So, but there's two apples gone and there's one left.

So it's interesting to me that you're telling me, well, Bigfoot will leave an offering. I mean, I don't know how you just said it, but you said it. So maybe he left this one. I mean, I don't know. All I know is that I didn't hear anything to the campgrounds. I know that my son and I were there and he had to go to the bathroom. And I think it was about one or one three in the morning because I did look at my phone. The phone was in the tent and I went out there.

I'm like, I'm going to get the fire back going, right, because it was cold. And he goes to the bathroom and then both of us. I mean, we hear these knocks. What is that? My son, what is that? Like, it's got to be a woodpecker, but it's echoing through the forest. And so at that point, I'm trying to decide if it's an echo or if it's knocking through the force. Like at this point in my life, I have no idea any knowledge with Bigfoot.

Like there's no, I mean, I've heard of him. I've seen Harry and Henderson's. And Harry and Henderson's was a great movie. But I don't understand what all of this means. Oh, exactly. And I think that's part of why, I mean, I'm talking for myself, why I am so drawn to it. One of the reasons is because we don't. don't we don't understand it and there's no easy way to get all the info you have to put it together

ourselves um so the next day you're wanting to get out of there but then it sounds like you have quite a time to even get back to civilization Vanessa are you there I lost you I'm sorry hey that's all right I know the cellular service is crazy out there and we're about to have a crazy lunar eclipse so um But, uh, so. I know, the blood moon and excited. It is wild. So I'm going to, what I was asking you was, um, so the next day you're like, let's get out of here.

You pack up. But it sounds like you have quite the time trying to even get back to civilization. Correct. Yes. Correct. Because we didn't know where we were. So are you asking me to pick up from there? Yeah, absolutely.

Okay. So we left. and we're packing up with the morning and the friends like, what's going on? Like, we're leaving. And then Michael, my son, he's telling his friend all about what we saw and then they're going, you know, they're being boys

and talk about it. I didn't even pack up the tent right. Like, I literally just pulled gravel in the tent and throwing it in the car and like figured out. You guys have to situate yourself. I had a car. I don't have a truck.

So I have a little Saturn. And that's how quick I packed that like we're going home. But then we saw the, we're leaving, and you said the 46, so I know I went out and I took a left on the street and that's the 46. So we're going left on the 46. And I'm just driving. I'm trying to just find something where I can grasp, you know, get cell phone service,

just grasp where I'm at. And then we saw sign for Bagby. I'm like, we're going to go to that, sorry, we're going to go to fucking Bagby. Like, we're going. Like, we're going to see these waterfalls. And then that was like to dissemination. and I was crazy mama mo's at that point because like this is what we're doing. But then we still got lost because they had a bunch of roads closed.

And we ran into, actually he's sitting right here. I have to say this, Michael, do you remember the Australian couple? He's nodding, yes. And they were so nice. There was this Australian couple who were, they pulled us over like, hey, do you know where bad be organ is? I'm like, no. But we're trying to find it too.

So we start, it's really funny because we're following these people. And then we ran into some park rangers. And they kept telling us the roads are closed. You can't go there. You have to go all back through Esticata. And they were giving us directions. And then when he said Esticata, I'm like, that's the town. That's the town that we drove through.

And so he gave us other directions to go back through Bagby. But we hit Esticated and we left. I mean, I brought us back home at that time again. I was in Vancouver, Washington. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You're good. I, as I said before, I edit everything.

And I would kind of be the same way. I'd be like, hey, I got us down here. Yeah, it was. Figure it out. But once, and we were following this Australian couple, you know, because they were so excited to see Bagby and we're like, we're just going to follow them because they were determined to go.

And we just kind of followed them on the way out. And we stopped the gas station, that's Decatur. And then I drove home to Vancouver, because by that time I had self-service and yeah, I have my maps. And I will never, I tell you, I'll never go camping again without downloading my maps. I wish I haven't downloaded because when I can give you an exact location, but it was real. I'm just, there's nobody you can take that experience for me. Yeah, that area that you're in is so intense.

And I mean, I've interviewed the guy who has spent Joe Beeler, who spent years and years researching Bigfoot on that area and he's like man if you're gonna go in this area you need to have a full tank of gas every time you gotta have extra tire with you

the maps like you gotta be prepared for the worst when you go into these areas in Oregon or Washington in case something happens and I mean thankful you guys got out of it yeah exactly

yeah and you know what like here's my take on all of it I mean I don't know if this is the closing or not but my take and this is because it's a year. My take on all of this is that if Bigfoot's real or not, nobody can ever convince me I didn't see what I saw, and nobody can ever convince my son that he didn't see what he saw. However, I don't think that Bigfoot's out to hurt anybody. If he sold a couple apples, fine.

I just, if he was out to hurt somebody, we wouldn't have been here to tell the story. and I just try and not to cry, I'm sorry. But because it was real, like it was real. And nobody will ever convince me otherwise. And I sound crazy. So I feel ridiculous right now talking to with you about it. And you're going to share this with other people who listen. And I just feel insane that I'm not.

You are not. I'd say, I can tell you 100% you are not crazy. You are just a person that needs to be heard. And this is the right area. where people can be heard and where people can share and not have to worry about being made fun of. And thank you so much, Vanessa, for coming to this show and trusting us enough with your story to share what you guys experienced. And I hope that you are able to continue to find more answers as you go along. Yeah.

Yeah, I hope I am too. And if not, then I'm, honestly, I mean this. I'm okay with that. I will never go back to Mount Hood National Forest. And it's not because I'm scared of something is going to hurt me. It's because I'm scared of what I don't understand. And I truly believe that there's a part of this world, I mean, no different than the deep oceans, right?

There's things that we are just not supposed to know. And maybe that's what Bigfoot is, but it's real. Like, it's real. I saw him. I don't care how quick it was. Other people tell me, like, we saw him. And I'm spending a year and, like, this and it doesn't matter. I guess it just doesn't matter because we walked out okay.

Wow. And it's just a story to tell, but this is the first time I've ever been able to tell the story with just with a little bit more ease. I'm a little emotional myself. I don't know what's going on, but this is a wild one. But Vanessa, thank you so much. I think this is a great place to end our conversation. But if there's, thank you for coming on. If there's anything that you ever have questions about, feel free to reach out. And I will try to help the best I can with that as well. Thank you.

Yes, sir. Well, thank you for having me on. And I hope you have a fantastic afternoon. Have you ever heard all the accounts of Bigfoot activity around Oak Ridge, Oregon? And you think to yourself, man, I would love to get out in those woods and experience it for myself. Well, guess what? This year, you can. this is interesting to you, stay tuned because it's pretty cool.

Sasquatch Summerfest is coming up July 10th through the 11th, 2026. It's going to be even better than the previous year's reason number one. I'll be one of the speakers. It's going to be wild. I'll probably, I'll say this. There may be stuff you haven't heard anywhere else because let's just say sometimes it's, uh, you just got to be there. We'll leave it that.

More about looking for Bigfoot in the Oak Ridge Woods. Now check this out. You may know Jason Kenzie from his documentary series searching for Sasquatch. Well, this year, you can not only go to the festival, but you can also sign up for a trek deep in the wild forest outside of Oak Ridge with Jason Kenzie to the Bigfoot spots. to look for Bigfoot, there's only eight spots to sign up for this, and yes,

this will also be filmed for the next chapter in his documentary series, which is searching for Sasquatch. This is a once-in-lifetime deal. It's just, trust me, it's going to be a wild, wild experience. To get a ticket,

head on over to Sasquatch Summerfest.com, and listeners can use the code B-S-P, like Bigfoot Society podcast. in order to get a two-day pass for the price of a one-day pass. So thanks to Priscilla for giving me that code so that you guys can get a little help with the cost there. Appreciate that, Priscilla.

I hope to see you at the booth in Oak Ridge this year. We can talk about your encounter. I was able to talk to so many people last year and the year before. it is an incredible time. You're not going to want to miss it, and I'll see you there. Before we wrap this episode, I want to say something directly to a very specific group of listeners. If you're in the military, any branch, or forces, and if you've seen something that no one can explain,

or if you're a National Park Ranger or Forestry worker who's been told to stay quiet, if you're a pilot who's seen something strange down on the ground, or if you're with the FBI, a federal agency, or working intelligence, and you stumbled upon something you're not allowed to talk about. And if you're a firefighter, paramedic, or search and rescue responder who's heard screams or found tracks that didn't make sense, if you're in the logging industry on a remote oil field or trucker with government contracts, and you've had something happen that you've never told a soul, and if you're a biologist, a wildlife specialist, or a field researcher under contract, who has found evidence you're not allowed to report,

if you're a pastor, a missionary, or someone on a spiritual retreat, and you saw something that shook your faith, or if you work in the shadows, CIA, NSA, or anything with clearance, and you've seen what the public hasn't, then I want to talk to you. Even if it's anonymous, you can reach me at bigfoot society at gmail.com the world needs to hear what you've been forced to carry alone and you're not alone you've got the story we've got the mic see you in the woods

thank you for listening to this episode of the bigfoot society podcast every encounter we share reminds us that the world is bigger and stranger than we think and that the truth is often hiding just beyond the tree line. If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe to the channel on YouTube, hit the bell so you don't miss the next episode, and share this with a friend who's into mysteries, monsters, or the unexplained. And if you're listening to us on Spotify or Apple Podcast, please follow the show there and leave us a five-star positive review because all that helps more people discover the show. And remember, if you or someone you know has had a Bigfoot sighting, please, I'd love to hear from you. So email me at Bigfoot.

Foot Society at gmail.com and let's start the conversation. If you haven't gotten a chance yet, check out our membership community over at www. www.bigfootsocietypodcast.com. And that's where you can hear tomorrow's episode today, early and ad-free, and members-only episodes every week. Also, it's a place to connect with other people that are into the Bigfoot subject as much as you are. Thanks again for following along with the Bigfoot Society.

Until next time, keep your eyes open, trust your gut, and never stop asking. what else might be out there and see you in the woods. On this episode of plant killers, we'll explore one nation's most notorious fruit and vegetable killer, bad dirt. What makes bad dirt so bad? The answer? The ingredients. But fear not true crime enthusiasts.

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