10 Mythical Creatures for Spooky Season
According to a YouGov poll, about 14% of Americans say October is their favorite month, making it the top-ranked month in the nation by far. Only December comes close (11%), with the summer months coming in at 10%.
Spooky Season is more than just a catchy phrase. It’s a cultural phenomenon, a time of year when a confluence of factors (cooler weather, fall colors, shorter days, Halloween, Day of the Dead, etc.) combine to create a special time for many.
At Anderson Design Group, we have created a range of products that celebrate this special time of year, including posters, prints, metal signs, notecards, postcards, wall calendars, pillows, blankets, and guidebooks.
Before we get into our ten favorite mythical creatures, check out this reel we made introducing our spooky 2026 wall calendars:
Spooky Mythical Animals like the Keelut Roam Alaska
While park rangers and visitors have explored much of Denali National Park, a darker, more mysterious element remains: entire regions where no humans venture, yet where a mythical creature from the Indigenous Athabaskan legend is said to haunt the landscape, the Keelut creature.
A beast spoken of by various Athabaskan tribes, ranging from Alaska to Baffin Island in Canada, the Keelut (also called “Qiqirn”) is a monster that resembles a huge, hairless black dog. According to Inuit stories, the Keelut can access the spirit world and the physical world. In addition to being endowed with magic and a fierce physical form, the Keelut is said to prey on lonely travelers and unfortunate souls who wander off the beaten path. Learn more about the Keelut at this website, called the Puzzle Box of Horror.
Mythical Beasts can be Found on Islands Too, Like Hawaii’s Mo’o Water Guardian
This is one water guardian you would not want to make angry! Indigenous Hawaiians believed Mo’o Water Guardians were protectors of the islands. These beautiful, huge lizard spirits took the shape of massive geckos and kept watch over the plants and animals of Hawaii.
Some eyewitness accounts of the Mo’o Water Guardians describe them as shapeshifters, able to take the form of geckos, dragons, humans, or even bodies of water. It is believed that when a Mo’o dies, its petrified body becomes part of the landscape, which is why many Indigenous Hawaiians believe that certain stone-like structures scattered across the islands are the petrified remains of sacred Mo’o, or Water Guardians. Learn more about them at this Hawaiian resource.
Famous Legends aren’t Just in the U.S., Enter the Loch Ness Monster!
Easily one of the most famous mythical creatures of all time, the Loch Ness Monster is said to inhabit Scotland, specifically in a lake called Loch Ness, located in the Scottish Highlands. The beast is often described as having a long neck and one or more humps protruding from the water. Some witnesses describe it as having a relatively small head but a long, serrated mouth.
Popular interest in the creature has fluctuated since it was brought to worldwide attention in the early 20th century, largely due to the widespread popularization of film photography; however, sightings of the beast date back to the 6th century AD. Evidence of the Loch Ness Monster is almost entirely anecdotal, with several disputed photographs and sonar readings mixed in. However, the beast is speculative enough to earn it a place in the Smithsonian!
Some Mystical Monsters are Truly Spooky, Like South Dakota’s Walking Sam
Some mythical monsters are downright terrifying, not just in their appearance, but also in their stated purpose. For example, Walking Sam is a South Dakota folk story about a ghost-like bogeyman said to reside in the caverns of Wind Cave National Park, but who emerges at night to “haunt” people in nearby communities.
In fact, sightings of Walking Sam have occurred all across the Dakota region. He is said to be a 7-foot-tall specter whose job it is to collect the souls of the dead, especially those who have committed suicide. Walking Sam saunters along behind depressed persons, ready to take them away when their lives come to an end. You can learn more about him here.
Mothman Art Celebrates West Virginia’s Most Famous Legend
The entire city of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, is obsessed with Mothman, and who can blame them? Mothman allegedly terrorized their town for several decades. Part-man, part-moth, this humanoid creature with insect-like wings and a moth-like head was the source of years-long investigations and research, stakeouts, law enforcement examinations, and inquiries.
The Mothman of Point Pleasant first appeared in 1966, with dozens of eyewitnesses coming forward over the following year claiming they’d seen the beast. Some believe that the abrupt drop in Mothman sightings was because the creature had left Point Pleasant, West Virginia, perhaps going into hiding in nearby New River Gorge National Park. Learn more at All That is Interesting.
Fictional Monsters From Around the World Deserve a Shoutout, Like the European Golem
Fictional monsters and cryptids come in all shapes and sizes and from all over the globe, including in Europe. Golems have appeared in numerous mythological stories over the years, but most legends trace the creature back to Jewish folklore.
According to those stories, the golem is an animated, anthropomorphic being created entirely of inanimate matter, often clay, mud, rocks, or sand. Accounts vary, but many historians agree that the most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century rabbi of Prague, in the Czech Republic. The site My Jewish Learning has more info about the origin of golems.
Mythical Monsters Live in Urban Areas Too, Like the Lake Worth Monster in Fort Worth!
Just when you thought you’d be safe from mythical monsters in America if only you could avoid going to national parks, think again! There are also several stories of mythical monsters living in urban areas, such as the Lake Worth Monster.
The Lake Worth Monster is a legendary creature said to inhabit Lake Worth and Greer Island at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, just outside the bustling metropolis of Fort Worth! Eyewitnesses describe the creature as part man and part goat, with fur, scales, and clawed fingers. Read more about this creepy being in the Dallas Morning News.
Decorate with the Most Popular Legends, Like Bigfoot
He is the cryptid who needs no introduction, the one everyone recognizes instantly, Bigfoot. Sightings have been reported all across the country, literally to the tune of thousands of sightings spanning every U.S. state.
Within the cryptid realm, Bigfoot is undoubtedly special. For example, even the most rigorous cryptid skeptics say Bigfoot is the one popular legend they may believe actually does exist (emphasis on the word "may"). Sometimes referred to as Sasquatch, the Bigfoot beastie is depicted in several original illustrations by Anderson Design Group.
Out of All the Legends of the National Parks, the Wendigo is One of the Spookiest
The Wendigo is both the spookiest and one of the most well-known cryptids in the continental United States. As the legend has it, the Wendigo was once a man, a hunter, roaming the forest looking for deer.
But driven mad by his hunger, the hunter resorted to cannibalism, which turned him into a gruesome beast that looked like a cross between a haunted, emaciated deer and a tortured, rage-filled man. Indigenous writer Basil H. Johnston has conducted extensive research and written extensively about this legendary beast.
American Urban Legends are Out There Too, Like the Jersey Devil
A cryptid… in Jersey?? Yes, you read that correctly. Also referred to as the Leeds Devil, this beast is a legendary creature said to inhabit the Pine Barrens in South Jersey. (The Pine Barrens are the largest remaining example of an Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecosystem, stretching across more than seven counties of New Jersey).
This unique beast is said to have the face of a horse or a goat, the head shape of a dog, bat-like wings, goat-like horns, and a serpentine tail. Read more about it at the Pinelands Alliance.
Three Ways to Decorate for Spooky Season with Art of Mythical Creatures
If you’re looking for new decor to celebrate America’s favorite season, you’ve come to the right place. Anderson Design Group has created:
91 original illustrations depicting mythical creatures in the national parks, across America, and around the world. Each of these original designs is available as a poster, print, metal sign, notecard, or postcard.
2026 wall calendars with two different design options, one featuring mythical creatures around the world and the other depicting legends of the national parks.
A best-selling guidebook called Legends of the National Parks, a pocket-sized guide measuring 5” wide x 7” tall that can easily be added to the packing list for one’s upcoming trip to the national parks.
Enjoy decorating for and celebrating Spooky Season!
-Ren Brabenec
Anderson Design Group Staff Writer
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