The large, ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the forests of North America’s Pacific Northwest is Bigfoot.
Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is described in folklore as a tall, hairy, bipedal creature with human-like and ape-like features. Stories place it especially in the forests and mountains of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and neighboring regions, although reports have spread across much of North America.
The modern English name became prominent after large footprints were reported near a logging site in Humboldt County, California, in 1958. Newspaper coverage helped turn “Bigfoot” into a national name. “Sasquatch” is older in widespread English usage and is associated with Indigenous and regional traditions of hairy wild people.
Bigfoot is a cryptid, meaning an animal claimed to exist without scientific confirmation. Alleged evidence includes footprints, photographs, recordings, and eyewitness accounts, but scientists generally explain the claims through folklore, misidentification, or hoaxes. The famous Patterson–Gimlin film, recorded in 1967, remains one of the best-known pieces of claimed evidence.