These Arizona cryptids are also a few other state cryptids as well so, if you have heard of them being in other states, I wouldn’t be too surprised. Just like how Bigfoot is seen in multiple states, I don’t expect all the cryptids to only reside in one state.
Anyways, Let’s get into these Arizona Cryptids:
Skinwalkers
This creature comes from legends of the Pueblo people, Navajo, Apache, Hopi, Ute, ect. For the Pueblo people witchcraft is a very normal thing, but there is good and evil witchcraft. A Skinwalker is from the evil side of witchcraft. Though, sometimes they don’t start out that way. Skinwalkers were, at times, a respectable healer who later chooses to use their powers for evil. In order for someone to become one it is said that it requires the evilest of deeds, which is killing a close family member. Once they have completed the task they then acquire supernatural powers this gives them the ability to shape-shift into animals. Usually they are said to be seen in the form of coyotes, wolves, foxes, cougars, dogs, and bears.
They can take the shape of any animal and they will wear the skins of the animals they transform into. They are also said to be able to take possession of the bodies of a human victim if the person locks eyes with them. A way for someone to tell if someone is a Skinwalker is to look at their eyes. Once they have shape-shifted their eyes look different from what the real animal’s eyes would look like, and once they change back to human their eyes look more like an animal’s eyes.
Though they don’t have just the two powers, it is said that they can also control creatures of the night, some can call upon the dead to reanimate corpses, run faster than a car, the ability to jump high cliffs, and are fast and agile as well. Usually a Skinwalker kills out of greed, andger, envy, spite, or revenge. They live by continuing to kill victims or they will perish themselves.
You can kill a Skinwalker, but it is extremely hard and usually requires the assistance of a powerful shaman who can turn the Skinwalkser’s evil on itself. Another way is to shoot the creature with bullets that have been dipped into white ash and you must hit its head or neck. If you would like more information and a few stories that people have of them this website has a few stories as well as some more information on them.
The Thunderbird
This creature is said to be an enormous bird. It is called the Thunderbird because when it flapped its wings it would make the sound of thunder and lightning would shoot out of its eyes. The Thunderbird could be good or bad as it brought rain and storms. It is good if the land needed rain, but bad if it came with strong winds, floods, and fires from the lighting. It is said to be so large that it can pick up a whale in its talons.
The Thunderbird is said to live in the clouds and it is said to have bright colorful feathers, sharp teeth and claws. Different tribes have different traditions about the Thunderbirds, but they all highly respect and fear it. In some tribes the Thunderbird is said to protect the people from the horned serpent that wants to overrun the earth and devour mankind. Some tribes say that the Thunderbird is responsible for punishing humans who break moral rules. If you would like to read more of the different variations of the legend of the Thunderbird this website has a few.
The Rake
This cryptid is said to roam in the deep caverns of the Grand Canyon and near Peach Springs, AZ. It is said to stand at a 9 ft tall humanoid figure with claws as long as a human’s finger. It also is described as having black hollowed eyes with gray discolored skin. The Rake is also said to let out a high pitch scream. It is said that it will torment you mentally. It is also rumored to cause black outs.
1961 a man contributed his suicide to the Rakes tormenting behaviors. In his note he describes the horror of waking up and seeing it even when it tortured his dreams and turning them into nightmares. In Peach Springs a bar owner was said to have seen the Rake rummaging through the trash and he described the encounter as a brush with something that was definitely not human. The Rake has also been rumored to be wandering Peach Springs’s cemetery at night.
The Chupacabra
It was said to kill and drain animals of their blood. Supposedly they started with goats and then moved on to chickens, sheep, rabbits, cats, and dogs. Many farm animals were found dead with no blood all from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and in the south west United States. All the animals had telltale puncture wounds on their necks with no other tearing or evidence of a struggle/attack. The puncture marks were almost large enough to fit a human finger. Because of this wide range, there are many different depictions of the Chupacabra.
Some say that they resembled a large reptilian kangaroo with red eyes and stood upright. Another type was smaller and stood on four feet and looked more like a canine, but hairless. Though originally people thought the Chupacabra to be half human and half vampire. The most popular description is described as being the size of a small bear, sometimes with a tail, usually covered in scaly skin with a row of spines down its back. Many people who have seen it have described it smelling like sulfur, but some say that it has no smell. To read more about the Chupacabra this website has some great information as well as a link to a video about the Chupacabra
The Mogollon Monster
This cryptid originated on the Mogollon Rim in Arizona which is where its name comes from. It is said to be over 7 feet tall with incredible strength and large eyes that some say are red. It is covered with long black or reddish brown hair, except the chest, face, hands and feet. Some say that it has a strong odor that has been described as a dead fish, skunk with bad body odor, decaying peat moss, and the musk of a snapping turtle.
The Mogollon Monster is said to be omnivorous and nocturnal. It has also been described as being very violent. The footprints measure 22in in length. It does make a sound similar to other bigfoot adjacent cryptids which is a scream that sounds like a woman in distress, but the Mogollon Monster is also said to produce a whistle sound. It is also believed that it consumes deer and other wildlife by decapitating them. There have been many sightings of it with the oldest sighting was in 1903 by I.W. Stevens.
He claimed to say that he discovered the Mogollon Monster drinking the blood of two cougars and it threatened him with a club and screamed at him. Stevens described the scream as “the wildest, most unearthly screech.” There have been many other reports that span the Mogollon Rim from Prescott, AZ as far north to Williams, AZ as east as Alpine, AZ and as far south as Clifton, AZ. If you would like to read more about some of the other sightings this website has a few interesting stories.
Thank You for reading!
How did you like these Arizona Cryptids? Are there any that you would’ve liked to see instead? Have you ever encountered any of these Arizona cryptids? Let me know in the comments. Some of these were a little hard to research on and to find good information on so, if you have some more information on them let me know in the comments. If you still can’t get enough of Arizona, check out 5 Haunted Places of Arizona. If these Arizona cryptids caught your eye, check out the cryptids page!