American folktales, legends, and mythology all involve creatures with supernatural appearances and powers. Some American mythical creatures are thousands of years old.
Some of the most famous and enduring mythical creatures of America are sacred characters in Native American religion and mythology. These creatures are powerful beings who have the ability to help or hurt humans.
Other American creatures are based in more modern folklore and legend. Also called cryptids, the existence of these creatures has not been proven.
The creatures of American myth and legend come in all forms: winged, finned, furry, and more. We have divided our list of creatures into two categories based on their origins.
We look at creatures from Native American mythology first, and then dive into the mystery of American cryptids.
Many of America's most famous creatures derive from Native American folk stories and mythology. The creatures listed in this category have significance to Native American religion and culture.
These are powerful creatures respected and feared by Native peoples. Their appearances and powers have endured for generations and some aspects of these creatures are safely guarded by storytellers within Native groups.
The Thunderbird is a supernatural bird that represents strength and power for many Native peoples across America. The Thunderbird has significance in the stories of Southwestern, Northwestern, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Eastern tribes.
Although a widespread symbol of power, the Thunderbird's characteristics and purpose vary between people groups. For example, Algonquian stories depict the Thunderbird as controlling the Upper World.
According to the Ojibwe, the Thunderbird was created to fight underwater spirits.
The Piasa Bird, or Piasa, is another powerful Native American creature. Murals of the Piasa were discovered by Jacques Marquette as he traveled down the Mississippi River with Native guides. The guides feared the murals because of the Piasa's dangerous powers.
The original murals are gone, but have been replaced by the one shown above. The Piasa is depicted as a panther-like creature with antlers and wings. Its long tail resembles that of a fish or serpent.
The elements that make up the Piasa Bird's appearance symbolize its connection to the Under, Upper and Present worlds of Native American mythology.
The Skin-walker is a witch and shapeshifter of Navajo mythology. The creature shapeshifts and possesses the spirits of different animals, with the sneaky coyote being a preferred option.
The main purpose of the Skin-walker in Navajo stories is to represent the antithesis of Navajo values and culture. The witchcraft of Skin-walkers represents a perversion of the sacred work of medicine men.
This creature is evil and harmful in Navajo stories. Not much else is known about the Skin-walker. The Navajo people have expressed their desire to keep the stories of the Skin-walker to themselves to best preserve their culture.
The Urayuli, or "hairy men," are ten foot tall shaggy men that allegedly live in southwestern Alaska. According to the legends of the Yup'ik people, Urayuli were once children who got lost in the woods.
These large and hairy human-like creatures have luminescent eyes and the cry of a loon. They are peaceful beings.
The Wendigo is a scary creature or evil spirit that appears in the mythology of Plains and Great Lakes Native Americans. The Wendigo has an emaciated appearance and gray skin. It emits an odor of decay.
Some stories depict the Wendigo as being much larger than humans. The creature represents greed, famine, and cold weather conditions.
Wendigos have the power to possess humans and drive them to do evils like cannibalism. The Wendigo is a powerful creature that can only be killed by shamans.
Spearfinger is a shapeshifter of Cherokee folklore. She appears as an old woman to deceive humans and then cuts her victims with her sharp index finger.
According to legend, Spearfinger roams the woods of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina to find her next victims. She is made of stone and is therefore impossible to kill with traditional weapons.
Spearfinger's deceptive nature sometimes made the Cherokee wary of newcomers to their camps. Her story serves as a warning against trusting loners and unusual visitors.
The Pukwudgies are small men from the folklore of the Wampanoag, Abenaki, and other eastern Native groups. These little creatures are described as being two to three feet tall.
Their powers and intentions vary. According to the tribes of New England, Pukwudgies are dangerous creatures who were once allied with humans but then turned against them.
The Wampanoag and others believed the Pukwudgies should be avoided due to their ability to lure people to their deaths, attack, and kill people outright.
Pukwudgies are depicted as basically good or neutral characters in the stories of other tribes.
They have the power to disappear, shapeshift, perform magic, and create fire.
While many of the creatures in this section also derive from Native American folklore, they have taken on characteristics over the years that depart from traditional mythology.
Most of these creatures have more recent histories dating to the 19th and 20th centuries. Many were first allegedly spotted in the 1950s and 60s.
Unlike the Native American creatures listed above, these cryptids and monsters have local and regional significance without a religious component.
The Flathead Lake Monster is named for its alleged home in Montana's Flathead Lake. The story of the monster has its roots in a Kutenai legend.
The first recorded sighting of the Flathead Lake Monster by a settler was in 1889. The creature was described as having a whale-like body.
Others describe the Flathead Lake Monster has having a giant eel-like body measuring 20 t0 40 feet long.
An average of one to two Flathead Lake Monster sightings are recorded each year.
The Bear Lake Monster resides in Bear Lake on the Utah-Idaho border. The first sighting occurred in the 19th century, with the most recent sighting in 2002.
Despite a lack of sightings in recent years, the Bear Lake Monster continues to be an important local legend. The creature is said to have a serpent's body with legs. The cream colored monster measures more than 50 feet long.
Mothman is a popular character in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. This cryptid is described as a bipedal human-moth hybrid with glowing eyes.
He was first spotted in 1966 and is said to have come from hell or outer space. He is a mischievous character who chases cars and steals dogs.
Mothman has become such an enduring legend in West Virginia that he has his own Mothman Museum and an annual festival.
Thousands of visitors flock to the small town of Point Pleasant area each year to learn more about the Mothman legend.
The Flatwoods Monster is another creepy character spotted in West Virginia. The first sighting of this alien-like creature occurred in 1952.
The monster is described as being ten feet tall with metal clothes, clawed hands, and glowing eyes. According to those who have seen the Flatwoods Monster, the creature also has the ability to levitate.
The Wampus Cat is a creature of Appalachian folklore that takes on many different forms. This half-cat half-dog creature is said to drive its victims to insanity.
The cat is sometimes depicted with six legs (shown above). Although people have differing ideas about what the Wampus cat looks like and is capable of, the creature endures as a one of the most popular legends of the Appalachian region.
Altamaha-ha is a water-dwelling creature that is said to swim the streams near the mouth of the Altamaha-ha River in Georgia.
This creature looks like the Loch Ness Monster and other lake monsters. It's existence derives from Muskogee legends.
While many believe in its existence, others have logical explanations for what the Altamaha-ha might actually be. Many believe alligator gar have been mistaken for a river monster. This type of fish is indeed large and fearsome.
The Ozark Howler is another creature said to roam the American South. This bear-like creature has been spotted in Arkansas and is part of the state's rich Ozark history and folklore.
People who have spotted the Ozark Howler describe it as a gray and shaggy creature with horns. It has a high pitched cry.
This creature may derive from the legends of Irish, Scottish, and Welsh immigrants who settled in Arkansas. The Ozark Howler shares traits with the mythical Cù Sìth of Irish and Welsh folklore.
The Pope Lick Monster is part man, goat, and sheep. This creature is said to live under the trestle bridge of Pope Lick Creek in Louisville, Kentucky.
According to legend, the Pope Lick Monster uses hypnosis to lure trespassers onto the trestle in the hopes that they will be killed by an oncoming train.
Tragically, many deaths have occurred on the trestle bridge as those seeking the Pope Lick Monster have gotten trapped on the active train trestle.
Locals and visitors are warned against climbing the trestle bridge because of its dangerous height and the fact that trains cross the bridge daily.
The Honey Island Swamp is one of the most pristine marshlands in America. This protected site is allegedly home to a huge swamp monster.
The monster is described as having the body of an alligator and chimpanzee. It has yellow eyes and stands seven feet tall.
The legend of the Honey Island Swamp Monster has its roots in Native American and Cajun folklore, but the first "official" sighting of the beast occurred in 1963.
Champ is a lake monster who dwells in Lake Champlain on the borders of Vermont, New York, and Quebec. Early versions of the monster are rooted in legends of the Iroquois.
Europeans spotted Champ in 1609 and there have been more than 300 alleged sightings of Champ ever since. The creature has the appearance of the Loch Ness Monster and is said to be 20 feet long.
While explanations for the creature include gar or sturgeon, Champ is an important local symbol and mascot in the Lake Champlain area.
The Jersey Devil is a creature said to live in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. It is a flying creature that looks like a horse with bat wings.
This creature derives from Native American myths but the version known today was first seen by English settlers. The Jersey Devil is such an iconic character that the state's New Jersey Devils professional hockey team is named after the creature.
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