Washington’s Wild Side: Bigfoot, Dragons, and Buried Gold

Washington’s Wild Side: Bigfoot, Dragons, and Buried Gold 

Washington State is known for many things: global corporate giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Starbucks, and Costco. Beloved food brands like CrunchPak, Liberty Orchards, Krusteaz, and Jones Soda. 

And weirdness. Lots and lots of weirdness. 

From Sasquatch to Mel’s Hole, giant octopi to hidden treasure—whether you're a true believer or a doubting Thomas—I submit for your consideration some of the finest strangeness the Evergreen State has to offer. 

 Bigfoot 

We’re not telling you anything you don’t already know here: big, hairy, reclusive, and possibly with a sweet tooth (donuts?) or a taste for venison. 

The legendary Sasquatch is said to roam the forests of the Pacific Northwest and holds a prominent place in the lore of regional Native tribes. To find out if—and let's face it, when—Bigfoot was last spotted near you, check out the Bigfoot Mapping Project at bigfootmap.com. 

Get our free mobile app

The Lake Chelan Dragon 

Tales of a lake monster in Lake Chelan began circulating in the early 19th century. Witnesses described a beast with the body and legs of an alligator, the head and eyes of a serpent, a long scaly tail, razor-sharp teeth, and even bat-like wings. 

Some have compared it to Scotland’s Nessie. And why not? A giant, serpentine creature hiding in the depths of a deep, dark lake—it’s practically a genre. 

 The Tacoma Narrows Octopus 

When you hear “giant octopus,” your mind might jump to tales of Krakens and storm-wracked ships. But in the waters beneath the Tacoma Narrows—especially the remains of the collapsed "Galloping Gertie" bridge—lives the legend of King Octopus. 

While the mythical version may be exaggerated, the giant Pacific octopus is real—and it’s the largest octopus species in the world. Divers in Puget Sound regularly encounter these massive creatures, and their eerie beauty fuels the legend.

Caddy the Sea Monster 

If you remember Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, you might be picturing a goofy, tentacled puppet. But "Caddy" is (allegedly) the real deal. 

Named after Cadboro Bay in British Columbia, this sea serpent has reportedly been spotted all the way from Alaska to San Francisco. Caddy has many names among Indigenous tribes of the Pacific Northwest, and there have been more than 300 reported sightings in the last two centuries. 

Mel’s Hole 

If you ever tuned into Coast to Coast AM with Art Bell, you might remember the mysterious tale of Mel’s Hole. 

A caller claimed to have discovered a bottomless pit near Ellensburg. Strange things happened to anything lowered into it—like a goat that (allegedly) came back... different. Think inside-out, scorched, and very much not alive. 

Investigations couldn’t confirm the caller’s identity or the hole’s existence. But as urban legends go, it’s a gem: a bottomless pit, mysterious transformations, and questionable witnesses. What’s not to love? 

The Lost Treasure of Old Blewett 

In the 1890s, a Scottish immigrant named Thomas Douglas—rumored to be the son of nobility—settled in the mining town of Blewett, hidden away on the mountain pass that bares it name. 

Though he didn’t appear to do much actual mining, he always had cash and would vanish by train for days, only to return with more. Douglas was seen with a wooden chest full of $5, $10, and $25 gold pieces, which he occasionally used as poker chips. 

One neighbor reportedly saw him bury the chest just before a major rainstorm, which was followed by heavy snow. Douglas died soon after, and the exact burial spot was lost to time and weather. His cabin eventually decayed into the earth, and the chest—if it ever existed—has never been found. 

But some locals still believe that treasure is hidden somewhere in the hills near Old Blewett, waiting to be unearthed. 

Weird Washington may not have all the answers—but it certainly has the stories.