Posted: 06 Jul 2022 11:03 AM PDT

A group of friends decide to go camping near the Mongollon Rim, Arizona. Later that night, after hiking to the Rim, they encounter a roaring Bigfoot that is throwing rocks and branches at them.

The following account was forwarded to me:

“This incident occurred when I went to school in Arizona. A group of my friends wanted to take me out exploring. I’m born and raised in the Bay Area of California. City-life in other words. I have never been camping. I mean, the one time I saw snow was on the mountain tops about 50 miles from my house.

Anyway, here we are, six of us, heading to the Mongollon Rim from Tempe, Arizona. We had left Tempe at 5 am. This wasn’t a day trip, these guys had packed tents, food, water, and everything you can think of for our excursion. I brought my .45 Desert Eagle, with enough ammo for a “just in case” situation.

About 5 hours later we arrive, and I am in awe. The smells of fresh air and view of mountains was amazing. Two of my buddies were setting up camp. I decided to look at our surroundings. One of the guys told me not to wonder off too far. I agreed. I had my .45 and just walked through the woods. I must have walked about a good half-hour. I saw a few critters, but nothing to write home about. I got to a stream. I sat on this rock and was about to feel the water when in the corner of my eye, something flashed. I saw a black flash. Like something was there, but when I looked up, it was gone. No noise. I was like, hmmm, I’d better get back. I must be tired from the drive up.

I got back to camp and relaxed for a few minutes. At about midnight, we all decided to go to the rim. We grabbed canteens and took off. One of the guys mentioned something about the Mongollon Beast. Here we go, I thought. Then another guy asked, ‘What’s that?’ The guy says it’s a Bigfoot-type creature. We laughed. I said, ‘Well, I’m protected.’ One guy said that my .45 wasn’t strong enough to stop it. I said, ‘Well, if he (Bigfoot) was charging, it’ll make him stop!’ We all laughed and continued our trek.

About 3 hours later we arrive. Everyone is tired from the hike, including myself. I needed to relieve myself, so I find some trees to handle my business. A pebble, about 2 inches around, hits my knee. My1st thought is that these guys are playing with me. I laugh it off. I zip up and walk back to the group. I picked up a few pebbles on the way back to the group and start pegging the guys. “You want to play games?” I said. They all looked at me confused. I said while I was urinating someone threw a pebble at my leg. They we’re all about 50’ from me. For them to reach me they’d have had to chuck it, but the pebble that hit me wasn’t thrown hard. And no one else was near me, everyone was at the rim. My 2nd thought is WTF?

I suggested we go back to camp because I was getting hungry. That’s when all hell broke. As soon as everyone got up, a roar came from the forest to the right. It was a lion roar from like a zoo. It was one of those guttural deep T-Rex roars from ‘Jurassic Park!’ I pulled my .45 and began walking a bit faster. A rock measuring about the size of a basketball flew a foot away from my buddy’s head. Then 4-5 branches, about 6’ long and about 2” thick, were thrown at us from behind a bluff. All the guys started running. I was behind, I let of 5 rounds and took off running.

We got to camp and started packing up our stuff. They asked me what I was shooting at. I said the air, to scare off anything. They must have packed the whole camp in 15 minutes! As we were piling into the Jeep, I looked back. And standing in the forest line was 8’ tall black colored Bigfoot. It just stood there, watching the guys pile into the Jeep like scared ants. I stood by the back door watching this beast. It just stood there. Half of my brain wanted to shoot. The other half wanted to talk to it. I felt as if I was in a trance. I was just fixated on it. I was about 30’ away from it. I saw it as if it was just, it & I. My friends were yelling, but I heard faint muffling in the background. I remember wanting to say something to it, like hey, I’m sorry for shooting and scaring you. My trance was broken when one of my friends grabbed me and pushed me into the Jeep. I heard him say, “There is the Bigfoot, let’s go”! I looked back out the rear window and it was gone.

This was in 1992. I never went back to the Mongollon Rim. I never went into the woods. Even now in my late forties, I know what I saw. It was a man. A tall, hairy man. With gentle eyes.” GA

NOTE: Did these friends encounter the ‘Mongollon Monster’ or another Bigfoot? Lon

Phantoms & Monsters