Massive Bigfoot Reported Near Lake City, Colorado: The Slumgullion Pass 2026 Encounter
A Daylight Encounter on Highway 149
On the afternoon of 28 July 2026, Colorado resident Lori Bowling reported seeing what she believed to be a large, unknown bipedal creature while travelling along Highway 149 near Lake City, Colorado.
The encounter occurred approximately ten miles southeast of Lake City, near the top of Slumgullion Pass in Hinsdale County.
According to Bowling’s report submitted to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO), she and her husband Bill were travelling north toward Lake City in their truck and fifth-wheel RV when she noticed movement near the edge of the forest.
Bowling had been watching the surrounding slopes for deer and moose when a large, dark-haired figure emerged from the edge of the woods.
She reported that the creature turned and began walking uphill along the forest boundary.
Unlike many fleeting Bigfoot reports, Bowling stated that she had a sustained view of the figure and insisted that it was “not a glimpse.”
She estimated that the creature stood approximately 7–9 feet tall, had dark blackish-brown hair, unusually long hairy arms, and a head that appeared to blend into its shoulders.
The creature reportedly took several large, unusual steps before disappearing from view as the road curved.
The case was subsequently published by the BFRO as Report #81439 and classified as a Class A sighting.
Sighting Details
Location: Highway 149 near Slumgullion Pass, Hinsdale County, Colorado, USA
Date: 28 July 2026
Time: Approximately 3:41 p.m.
Creature: Bigfoot / Sasquatch
Event Type: Eyewitness Sighting
Status: Unexplained Report
BFRO Classification: Class A
BFRO Report: #81439
Sighting Location
The reported encounter took place on Highway 149, approximately one-quarter mile from the top of Slumgullion Pass, near the turnoff for County Road 50.
The sighting location lies in the rugged San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, in an area characterised by steep mountain terrain, coniferous forest, open slopes and extensive wilderness.
The creature was reportedly approximately 200 feet downhill from the highway, at the edge of the woods.
The area had previously experienced extensive beetle-kill tree removal, leaving a cleared strip approximately 200 feet wide along sections of the highway. According to the witness’s husband, the largest new spruce saplings in the cleared area were only around four to five feet tall.
This vegetation provided the witnesses with a useful visual reference when estimating the creature’s height.
Approximate GPS coordinates recorded by the BFRO investigator: 37.986879, -107.216009
The coordinates above are the GPS location recorded in the BFRO investigation report.
The Witness Description
Lori Bowling described the creature as:
- Approximately 7–9 feet tall
- Covered in dark blackish-brown hair
- Possessing long, very hairy arms
- Having a head that appeared to be moulded into the shoulders
- Walking upright
- Moving with an unusual gliding gait
- Taking approximately 4–5 large steps before disappearing from view
Bowling estimated the creature’s height partly by comparing it with the small spruce trees growing around the sighting location.
She later told investigators that she had never previously considered herself a Bigfoot believer.
Her initial reaction was reportedly one of shock.
According to her husband Bill, Bowling attempted to tell him to stop the vehicle but was temporarily unable to get the words out.
She eventually told him:
“I just saw Bigfoot, stop the truck.”
The couple subsequently turned around and returned to the location.
The Search for Tracks
The case becomes particularly interesting because the witnesses returned to the area shortly after the encounter to look for physical evidence.
After dropping off their RV, Lori and Bill returned to the location and searched the roadside and surrounding terrain.
Bill reported finding one apparent barefoot impression in the area where the creature had reportedly been seen.
He photographed the impression alongside a 4¼-inch knife to provide a size reference.
The track contained what appeared to be small plant stems embedded within it. According to Bill, the presence of the stems and recent rainfall made him believe the impression could have been relatively fresh.
The following day, the couple returned to continue searching and reported finding another possible footprint.
The second track was described as not substantially larger than the first.
However, a storm accompanied by lightning forced them to leave the area before they could complete their search.
The BFRO report notes that the weather may subsequently have destroyed additional potential evidence.
Importantly, the footprints were not independently verified as belonging to an unknown primate. The BFRO report records them as observations associated with the witness investigation.
The Witness’s Husband
Lori’s husband, Bill Bowling, also provided a detailed statement to investigators.
Although Bill did not see the creature himself, he described Lori’s immediate reaction as highly unusual.
He said that she appeared amazed, speechless, excited and frightened, and stated that he had never seen her react in such a manner.
Bill also explained that the couple had lived in the Lake City area for approximately twelve years and had extensive familiarity with the surrounding countryside through travelling, camping, hunting and fishing.
According to his statement, neither he nor members of his family had previously reported seeing a Bigfoot in the area.
The encounter therefore represented something entirely unexpected for both of them.
A Remote Colorado Mountain Environment
The sighting occurred in a particularly rugged environment.
Highway 149 crosses the San Juan Mountains and passes through high-elevation terrain around Slumgullion Pass.
The location described in the BFRO report included beetle-killed spruce, recently cleared areas, dense woodland and steep mountain slopes.
The witness stated that the creature was approximately 200 feet from the road, meaning that the encounter was not simply a distant observation across a valley.
The reported time was approximately 3:41 p.m., providing substantially more daylight than the many Bigfoot reports that occur at night.
Weather conditions were described as overcast, with storms in the surrounding area.
The couple had also recently travelled through a mild thunderstorm before reaching the sighting location.
BFRO Investigation
The encounter was submitted to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization on 29 July 2026, one day after the sighting.
The BFRO subsequently published the case as Report #81439 and classified it as a Class A report.
The case includes a follow-up investigation report attributed to BFRO investigator Matthew Moneymaker.
The BFRO recorded the precise sighting coordinates as:
37.986879, -107.216009
The investigation documentation also records the locations of the two reported footprint impressions.
The first was recorded at approximately 11,467 feet elevation, while the second, found the following day, was recorded at approximately 11,282 feet.
An Unusual 2026 Bigfoot Report
Several aspects of the Lake City encounter make it notable among recent Bigfoot reports.
The sighting occurred:
✔ In broad daylight
✔ From a moving vehicle
✔ In a specific, documented location
✔ With the witness providing a detailed physical description
✔ With an immediate return to the location
✔ With two reported footprint impressions
✔ With a second witness able to document the witness’s immediate reaction
✔ With GPS coordinates recorded by the BFRO
✔ With the case classified as Class A
There is nevertheless an important distinction between a Class A BFRO report and scientific confirmation.
The classification represents the BFRO’s assessment of the circumstances of the eyewitness report. It does not establish that the creature was an unknown species.
The reported footprints have also not been independently established as belonging to an unknown primate.
Cryptid Legends Analysis
The July 2026 Lake City report is one of the more intriguing recent Bigfoot sightings because of the combination of a daylight observation, a relatively detailed description, a precisely documented location and a subsequent search for physical evidence.
The witness did not report merely seeing something briefly in poor conditions.
Instead, she described watching the figure move uphill for several steps and provided estimates of its height, colouring, proportions and movement.
The reported tracks add another interesting element to the case, although they remain unverified.
There is also no photograph or video of the creature itself.
As with all Bigfoot reports, alternative explanations remain possible. A misidentified person, unusual wildlife observation or perceptual error cannot be completely eliminated from the available evidence.
At present, the Lake City encounter remains an unexplained eyewitness report rather than proof of an unknown species.
What makes it particularly noteworthy is that the case was reported to the BFRO almost immediately after the encounter and subsequently classified as Class A, making it one of the more significant newly published Bigfoot reports of summer 2026.
Sources
Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization — Report #81439
Coast to Coast AM — Colorado Motorist Reports Sasquatch Sighting
Coast to Coast AM / iHeart — Colorado Motorist Reports Sasquatch Sighting
