Exploring Cryptids and Monsters in the Appalachians: Wendigo, Skin Walkers, and More

Title: A Journey Through the Haunting Landscapes of North America's Appalachian Mountains: Part 2 Hello, fellow Bigfoot enthusiasts! Today, we're diving back into the mysterious world of the Appalachian Mountains, a place steeped in ancient tales and folklore that's home to some of the world's most legendary creatures. If you missed Part 1, we highly recommend you catch up. Let's continue our exploration into the Smokies, where we'll uncover the beings behind the stories told by men of old for thousands of years. First, let's talk about the Wendigo. A skeletal figure trapped in a perpetual state of decay, its rotting flesh releases a stench so foul it can be sensed long before the creature is seen. Once human, now twisted into a beast of insatiable hunger and gluttony, it's condemned to this half-life because it consumed the flesh of men. Able to mimic human voices, it lures victims off the path deeper beneath the forest canopy, hidden in shadow, it strikes and feeds, safe from the sun that would otherwise burn its decaying skin. Next, we have the skin walkers. Variations of skin walker-like beings can be found across multiple indigenous cultures throughout North America. Skin walkers were human once too, but they fell prey to greed. Power-hungry shamans who wanted to fast-track the trials and training that would have awarded them powers fairly would instead be damned to an existence of malevolent shape-shifters that take the form of animals at will with the ability to mimic human voices, usually to entice them deeper into the wilderness. Now, we can't ignore the Appalachian Bigfoot. Though the legends have existed of the hairy wild man that shakes trees, throws rocks at campers, and steals livestock for as long as the Americas have been inhabited by humans, the first official sightings didn't happen until the 1950s when loggers reported unnatural large footprints around their campsites and instances of their food supplies being ransacked. Since then, the reports, mostly surrounding the state of Georgia, have never stopped. In 2023, hikers recounted a 9-ft tall airy beast watching them from the woods. Others speak of heavy footfalls, thunderous thumps of some enormous creature circling their tents in the dead of night. But the Appalachian Bigfoot comes with a twist. This one comes with demonic hounds that heed its command. Referred to as the Appalachian Chupacabra, they have very little in common with their semi-retilian South American counterparts, outside of draining the blood of livestock. Their bodies resemble that of an emaciated canine with wide shoulders that weave through the thick growth like lightning. But the general shape to their bodies is where their parallels to dogs end, I'm afraid. Their jaws are fanged with impossibly long teeth. The muzzles end in squashed swine snouts. The backs are lined with wicked spines. The legs end in three talon claws. The Appalachian Chupacabra has one more distinct characteristic. They don't operate alone. Instead, they hunt in small packs of half a dozen or so. They aren't afraid of moving into human spaces either, seen in many populated places, from golf courses to the shores of popular lakeside residences. Another creature we can't ignore is the notad deer. At first glance, this creature resembles a typical white-tailed deer. But the closer it gets, the more apparent it becomes that this thing is no benign deer. It has forward-facing predator-like eyes that hold people's gazes with an eerie intelligence. It has disjointed, oddly formed limbs that give it a jerky, ungainly gate. These traits make it distinctly not a deer, hence the name. And if you were so unlucky that it holds your gaze for a long enough time, its disjointed limbs will disengage, and it'll stand upright on its two hind legs. Some believe it's a skin walker, but others insist the notad is something entirely different. An entity not born of shape-shifting magic, but something far older, maybe even far more alien. Lastly, we have the white Thang. And yes, it's pronounced "thank" with that telltale twang that all the Appalachian old-timers seem to have. The white Thang is not another variant of the Bigfoot, despite its resemblance to its larger, more aggressive counterpart. As the name might imply, it is covered in stark white fur, unnaturally white and clean for a thing that lives in the wilderness. It does not growl or howl or bark. Instead, it unleashes a piercing otherworldly shriek that makes the blood run cold, bringing with its sound a fear so deep, so primal that those who hear it are frozen by the terror that echoes into their very souls. The few who have seen it speak of a man-shaped being that's 7 ft tall that treks through the thick brush of the forest like a phantom. The white thing does not want to be seen. It does not seek to interact with humans. And because of its elusive nature, it resides in the deepest, most secluded caves and crevices of these ancient and mysterious mountains. There are many more tales that will remind you not to wander too far into the wilderness where you're never truly alone. If you're interested in learning more about these creatures and the Appalachian Mountains, we highly recommend checking out the video from DGND NEWS LIVE. Don't forget to subscribe to their channel for more fascinating stories about the world's most legendary cryptids. Stay safe out there, fellow Bigfoot believers!