In October 1972, my husband, our 2 babies, my brother, and I left Leavenworh, KS in our 1968 VW van, on a camping trip to a recreational area in Arkansas called "Beaver Lake." When we finally got there, we found a fairly remote campsite at the far end of the park. We wanted to be alone as the babies woke often during the night and needed to feed. We didn't want to disturb any other campers.

 

Shortly, after pulling into our campsite, my brother pitched his tent next to the van. The rest of us were going to sleep in the van. The campsite was in an area with a horseshoe-shaped, rocky, terraced ledge, that rose from around 50 feet to around 100 feet as it curved around, behind the 4 campsites. Because of mature trees and thick brush, daylight had trouble poking into our spot.

 

Fast forward to that night. Some time around 3:30AM, I heard some animal sounds on the ridge that I though were being made by coyotes. The babies were asleep and all was quiet otherwise. I peered out the window, but couldn't see what was making the sounds, because it was so dark. Still hearing odd yips and howls, I laid back down on the back seat. Moments later, there was a huge, crashing, "BANG" on the van wall, right next to my head. My husband leapt up, out of a full sleep. My brother bolted out of his tent and jumped into the van with us. We were all in a panic, looking in every direction, trying to see what had hit the van like that. My brother finally yelled that he saw something moving behind the van. We all turned, just in time to see a large shadow moving about 20 feet behind the van, from left, to right.

 

After about 20 minutes had passed without any of us seeing movement out there, my husband and brother went out to inspect the van for damage, but found none. We then started hearing pounding steps, coming from the brush, about 50 feet behind us. The guys eased back into the front seat of the van. That's when my husband turned on the headlights and stepped on the brake pedal for rear light. Instantly, there was a huge commotion. He started the engine and that's when, in the glow from the headlights, we could see a hairy THING, 10 feet away and coming toward the van!

 

As it got closer, its silver-tipped hairs glistened in the light. It had a greyish streak from its shoulders down its back, to its buttocks. The creature was walking on 2 legs, was around 7 or 8 feet tall, had a barrel-chest, and skinny legs. It never gave us a good view of its eyes, so I can't tell you what they looked like. I COULD see that the face was not ape-like. It was dog-like. Its ears had tufts of fur on top of them and it was very human-like in its movements and general body structure.

 

It moved smoothly and quickly, around to the back of the van where it followed the base of the ridge, away from us. That's when it let out a menacing "Huff" and a low, rumbling growl, like a dog. Insanely, my husband and brother bolted from the van, trying to get a better look. That's when a shower of gravel came at us. My husband and brother tore back into the van and burned up the road getting us out of there! I kept looking out the back window and they looked in the rearview mirrors, but none of us ever saw it again.

 

It just didn't seem like a Sasquatch was what we had seen. It seemed too dog-like in its face and was too slim in its body. I still have P.T.S.D. like feelings to this day, due to that encounter!

 

Pam W