Water Canyon, Utah - Encounter Fall 2010

View Showing Switchbacks in Water Canyon

     I interviewed a man from East Carbon, Utah who in the fall of 2010, while hiking up Water Canyon, had a Bigfoot type creature cross the dirt road ahead of him. Water Canyon is located  approximately five miles north of Sunnyside, Utah in the Book Cliffs of Carbon County. To protect his identity, I will use the name Carl in place of his true name. This is his story as he related it to me :

     While hiking up the dirt road, from the parking area at the bottom of the canyon, Carl's destination was the site of an old asphalt mine located near the top of the canyon. This is a very easy hike to do, if a person stays on the dirt road. Its approximately two miles to the first switchback and approximately five hundred feet before reaching the first switchback, there was a large dark colored animal, walk across the road about one hundred feet in front of him. These canyons are very steep and difficult to climb, without using the road. At first, he thought maybe it could be a bear or possibly a deer crossing the road, but realizing that it was walking on only two legs. He quickly went up to where the animal crossed the road, began looking up the slope and saw it standing about fifty or so feet up the slope from the road, looking directly at him. The animal turned around and quickly walked up the slope to the next switchback. He then noticed large human looking footprints leading up the slope from the road. He also noticed the same prints coming from the bottom of the canyon, to the road. He thought by continuing on up the road to the first switchback, he might be able to see it again, but never did. He continued on up the road past the second and third switchback, not seeing the animal, but did find tracks where it had crossed the road two more times. He had no idea of how tall it stood and can only guess at its height, somewhere between seven and eight feet. He told me it had long dark reddish black hair, reminding him of what a gorilla looks like, but somewhat different. The tracks were considerably longer and wider than his own foot and showed having five toes.

Ron Johnson
Kevin Allridge