The business of Bigfoot: Sasquatch tourism brings cryptid-curious to Colorado

For $650 a head, Jim Myers leads cryptid-curious of us from all over the world into the wilderness of Colorado’s Park County for a three-day tenting expedition seeking the elusive Bigfoot.

Myers’s enterprise, Rabbit Gap Adventures, gives tents, meals, guides, first help kits and satellite tv for pc telephones as a part of the search. He additionally brings night-vision binoculars, thermal imagers and cameras.

To deal with the trek on horseback, Myers costs $1,400 an individual. For a Sasquatch search simpler on the pockets, the lifelong Bigfoot devotee hosts $125 night time hikes with the hopes of catching a glimpse of the furry creature. On expeditions he’s deemed profitable, Myers stated trekkers have witnessed a pair of uniquely glowing eyes by means of the timber or massive, expertly woven branches forming a Sasquatch nest as proof the legendary forest-dweller walks amongst us.

“Bigfoot is much more mainstream than it was,” Myers stated “The variety of folks brazenly within the matter versus not wanting folks to know they’re for concern of being thought of a nutcase has undoubtedly elevated. America is infatuated with Bigfoot.”

Bigfoot can imply large enterprise for Colorado’s rural and mountain cities. The Nationwide Paranormal Community hosts annual Bigfoot Journey Weekends in Colorado to assemble Sasquatch lovers to seek for the creature, an exercise sometimes called Squatchin’. Bigfoot-hunting professionals host personal forest excursions to indicate off their Sasquatch know-how and sighting spots. And companies throughout the state hire out shuttles, vehicles or bikes for Bigfoot hunts.

Myers has been a Bigfoot aficionado since he was a child after laying eyes on the famed Patterson-Gimlin movie, footage captured in 1967 depicting a big, furry creature strolling on two legs by means of a Northern California forest.

The cryptid consumed Myers’ life so wholly that when he and his spouse have been rebuilding a 150-year-old grocery retailer in Bailey in 2012, they ditched the groceries and devoted the shop to Bigfoot as an alternative.

Now the Sasquatch Outpost — a memento store and museum devoted to all issues Bigfoot —  is without doubt one of the extra well-visited sights in Bailey, Myers stated.

“For just a little city like Bailey, it’s a very talked-about vacation spot,” Myers stated. “We ship folks to the native eating places, the reward shops and issues simply because as soon as they’re in Bailey, then they need to do different issues. We attempt to assist all people else alongside, as effectively.

Bigfoot travellers

It’s not simple to gauge Sasquatch’s financial footprint in Colorado. Consider it or not, the state doesn’t monitor the monetary affect of Bigfoot tourism.

The Denver Submit emailed the state tourism workplace requesting an interview to debate the affect that uncommon vacationer sights have on smaller, rural communities. The message was forwarded to an out of doors public relations agency, which declined to arrange an interview.

“I really have no idea that a lot about Bigfoot tourism in Colorado,” a consultant of Handlebar Public Relations conceded.

However Kevin McDonald, the particular occasions coordinator for the city Estes Park, was recreation for a cryptid dialog.

The Larimer County city that serves because the gateway to Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park has hosted the Bigfoot Days Competition since 2019, luring Sasquatch fanatics from close to and much.

“We rejoice all issues Squatchy,” McDonald stated.

About 5,000 folks attend the competition, which options Bigfoot-themed distributors, Sasquatch celebrities from actuality tv exhibits like “Discovering Bigfoot,” reside music by the likes of Denver-based band That Rattling Sasquatch, a contest to see who can do one of the best Bigfoot name and extra.

The night time earlier than the occasion — Estes Park already Squatched it up in 2024, however the 2025 competition is about for April 26 — is the Bigfoot BBQ, the place 150 folks buy tickets for an intimate eating expertise with their favourite Sasquatch celebrities. This 12 months, the dinner attracted folks from eight states, McDonald stated.

“It’s a really engaged crowd, and folks do journey for his or her Bigfoot,” he stated.

Practically 75% of surveyed competition attendees stated they got here to Estes Park particularly for Bigfoot Days, McDonald stated, in keeping with a 2024 financial improvement survey of the occasion. Greater than 72% of individuals surveyed stated they stayed in Estes Park and 88.2% stated they spent the night time in industrial lodging for a median of two nights.

In accordance with the newest state tourism report, guests who stayed in a Colorado resort, motel, or short-term trip rental spent a mixed $17.3 billion in 2022. Journey spending in Colorado elevated 25.2% from $22.1 billion in 2021 to $27.7 billion in 2022, the state tourism report discovered.

Estes Park and its surrounding forests are ripe with Bigfoot lore.

That’s why Andy Hitch, proprietor of Estes Park ATV and Jeep rental store Spine Adventures, stated he wrote a weblog submit promoting an ATV journey information for recognizing Bigfoot.

Initially, Hitch was reticent to share his personal Sasquatch encounters, having grown up within the mountains round Estes Park.

“I’m not big into it,” he informed The Submit, admitting there was “a rumor mill” about recognizing the creature.

Later, Hitch admitted to an expertise of his personal whereas dirt-biking by means of the mountains 14 years in the past.

“One thing ran in entrance of me,” he stated. “It was tall and had dark-colored hair. I can’t say precisely what it was, however I don’t get riled about something, and this made the hair on the again of my neck rise up. I’m not saying I noticed one thing, however I’m not saying I didn’t.”

Hitch figured others may be seeking to have an analogous encounter. He was proper.

Since writing his submit, of us come to his enterprise in search of an ATV or Jeep to get additional again into the forest, he stated, within the hopes of spying Bigfoot.

“Get on the market and preserve your eyes open,” Hitch stated. “Who is aware of what you’re going to see on the market? You may discover antlers. You may simply see Bigfoot.”

“The surprise and thriller of what we don’t know”

The Bigfoot searching expeditions don’t generate sufficient revenue for Myers to make a dwelling. His bread and butter is the Sasquatch Outpost retailer and museum, whereas the expeditions are extra of a interest to proceed fueling his ardour, he stated.

What retains Myers and different Squatchers hooked?

“It’s the magic of the entire paranormal cryptid world,” Myers stated. “Bigfoot is simply one of many many unidentified, uncategorized species on the planet. If Bigfoot are actual — and they’re — what else may very well be actual? Are fairies actual? Dogmen? Mothmen? It’s the surprise and thriller of what we don’t know and perceive.”

Final 12 months, a Bigfoot sighting in southwest Colorado went viral after pictures and video taken from the Durango & Silverton Slim Gauge Railroad confirmed a Bigfoot-esque creature traipsing by means of nature. Debates ensued about whether or not the sighting was a advertising marketing campaign or prank.