Summer 2025 American Travel Destinations, Legends, and Mythical Creatures
Summer 2025 is just around the corner, and our poster art fans and vintage wall art customers couldn’t be more excited about their travel plans. Before we jump into the American regions (and the mythical creatures we want to see in those places), the following is a video excerpt from ADG Social Media Guru and Customer Service Wiz Molly Mann’s adventures into America’s wilderness:
From the northern forests of Maine to the swamps of South Florida, the deserts of Arizona, the mountains of Washington, the tundra of Alaska, and the tropical rainforests of Hawai’i, all the incredible places in America have stories of mythological creatures associated with them.
Mythical creatures are a core part of American culture and folklore, some dating back to Indigenous stories, others more recent. Back in 2022, ADG Founder and Creative Director Joel Anderson couldn’t resist the temptation to explore the more mysterious, mythical, and mythological side of America’s natural lands.
“The artists of Anderson Design Group have spent years documenting the wilderness and wonder of America’s National Parks,” says Joel. “We’ve explored, rendered posters, written books, and photographed the nation’s most cherished public lands.”
But Joel says wildlife and wilderness weren’t all they found while exploring the great American landscape. “We’ve also encountered some pretty bizarre legends during our research and park adventures,” he said. “We’ve heard horror stories about strange creatures that others have seen, heard, or felt. We’ve uncovered tall tales of unexplainable events, ancient myths, and local stories passed down by Indigenous Peoples, colonial settlers, and park visitors.”
Joel spoke to the diverse background of the legendary creatures and how, no matter the culture, timeline, or geographic region, every place in the U.S. seemed to have a cryptid, ghost story, or spooky legend. “Many of the legends we’ve come across are based on Native American folklore, and to the best of our abilities, we’ve indicated which tribes were associated with each story, being careful to respect the sacred traditions of Indigenous beliefs,” Joel added. “As we continued to dig deeper, we realized that cultures from every continent on the globe have their own rich traditions of mythology that feature bizarre, creepy, and quirky legendary beings. So we began exploring and depicting magical, mystical monsters from all over the planet. We hope you enjoy our Legends Of The National Parks art and our Mythical Creatures from Around The World, too!”
The following sections explore some of the regions in the U.S. for which we’ve created legendary creature art, including some of the favorite travel destinations in those regions and the American travel art we’ve created to celebrate them.
The Northeast: Maine
Mythical creatures abound in the American travel destination of Maine. We’ve heard stories of the Specter Moose and the White Walker, which are described as follows:
The Specter Moose is believed to be able to appear and disappear, walk through solid objects, and wander between the spiritual and material worlds. It is a giant white moose with varying physical characteristics from eyewitness accounts. “The enormous moose that has been the wonder of the sportsmen in northern Maine since 1891 has again been seen!” So read an entry in the North Dakota Graphic from December 6, 1900. “It is generally believed that no moose ever killed in Maine, or, so far as is known, anywhere else, has approached in stature or weight, much less in spread of antlers, this specter moose of Lobster Lake.”
The White Walker is said to be at least 7ft tall, looking quite like Bigfoot of the Pacific Northwest but clad entirely in white fur. Indigenous legends from the Penobscot, Micmac, and Passamaquoddy tribes say that every White Walker was once a man (that’s right, there’s more than one White Walker!!) but that if the man committed a terrible crime, dark magic would possess the man and turn him into this hideous creature.
Maine has other popular travel destinations that we've created travel art for, like Acadia National Park, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, and popular cities like Portland, Bar Harbor, and Bangor. Katahdin is a particularly coveted American travel destination, as it offers much-needed protection for wilderness. However, it is a national monument, a specific designation that allows visitors to fish, hunt, and snowmobile in the park, activities that would be restricted in other types of national parks.
The Southeast: Florida
Florida is easily one of the most popular travel destinations in the U.S., and our award-winning poster artists have created dozens of original illustrations and vintage-styled poster art renditions depicting popular travel destinations in the Sunshine State, including a Coastal Collection reserved for those who want to bring the beach aesthetic indoors.
But Florida has a darker side, too, evidenced by the rumors of Gatorman and Swamp Ape!
Gatorman is said to live in Everglades National Park, and we can see why. Witnesses have said that Gatorman is an elusive creature, part man and alligator. Those who have claimed to witness Gatorman say the creature is 6 ft to 8 ft tall, has scaly alligator-like skin, dangerous teeth and claws, and thrashes around the swamp at night looking for anything edible.
The Everglades Swamp Ape is one of many mysteries that surround South Florida. He is an elusive creature resembling Bigfoot but believed to be much shorter and to have longer, lankier arms and legs. Those who have claimed to witness Swamp Ape say the creature is 5 ft to 7 ft tall and is completely covered in mottled, reddish-brown hair. The creature is also said to emit a foul odor, which is why some call it “Skunk Ape.”
Other popular travel destinations in Florida include Biscayne National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, Myakka River State Park, Key West, Destin, Miami, and St. Augustine.
The South: Texas
Texas is so massive (second only to Alaska) that the state is home to several distinct ecosystems and climates. One could go from a scorching desert to lush farmland to a coastal paradise to a mountain peak and STILL be in Texas! One of the most populous states in the nation and exceedingly popular as a travel destination, our art of Texas was inspired by the Lone Star State’s rich biodiversity and variety in climate and geography.
But Texas has some mysteries, too, including the Bruja of Big Bend National Park and the Lake Worth Monster!
The Bruja: A peaceful hike through the quiet solitude of Big Bend National Park may suddenly become so much more than that, should an unlucky traveler disturb the slumber of the Bruja Canyon ghosts! Throughout the years, hikers, park rangers, backpackers, and day visitors have reported hearing wailing sounds from the canyon, with some visitors even saying they could discern words within the screams. Some have even seen the blurred outlines of a spooky apparition within the canyon!
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.
Some of our other favorite travel destinations in Texas (of which we’ve celebrated with vintage poster art and original travel art) include Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Chamizal National Memorial, Cadillac Ranch, Waco, Padre Island National Seashore, and Big Thicket National Preserve.
The West: California
California takes the cake in so many ways. It is the third largest state after Alaska and Texas. It is the single most biodiverse state in the country. It is the most populous state. It has the largest economy of any state in the country. It has the most national parks. It has the most National Park Service sites. We could go on!
California also has some mythical legends and mythological creatures, including:
Yucca Man: For the residents of southern California, the infamous Yucca Man is almost as well-known as Bigfoot is to the Pacific Northwesterners. Yucca Man is tall, a looming 8-foot beast, covered in stringy, unkempt hair. And with a lumbering, shuffling gait, this fellow could easily be a cousin or distant relative of Bigfoot! Yucca Man has been spotted across southern California, from the suburbs of Lancaster to the runways of Edwards Air Force Base. However, the most recent Yucca Man sightings have occurred in Joshua Tree National Park.
Giant Mummy: Death Valley National Park has many spooky stories and mysteries, but perhaps the most mysterious story is of the Archaic Indians who once lived in the region. Most notably, this group of Indigenous Americans was said to be a clan of giants, Indigenous peoples who towered at least 8 ft to 9 ft tall! Two men discovered a cave network in Death Valley in the early 1930s, a cave system that they said contained ancient treasures, heirlooms, tribal artifacts, and the mummified remains of three gigantic humans. However, the two explorers who claimed to have found these caves could never prove their existence, and both men later disappeared mysteriously.
California also has a wealth of incredible sites managed by the National Park Service, including Alcatraz Island, Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail, Cabrillo National Monument, California National Historic Trail, Castle Mountains National Monument, César E. Chávez National Monument, Channel Islands National Park, Death Valley National Park, Devils Postpile National Monument, Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site, Fort Point National Historic Site, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, John Muir National Historic Site, and Joshua Tree National Park.
The Pacific Northwest: Washington
The Pacific Northwest features incredible natural environments like Olympic National Park’s rainforests, the Cascades’ peaks, and the Puget Sound’s unique ecosystems. However, the state also has some stories of spooky legends, cryptids, mythological beings, and mythical creatures lurking in the shadows:
Bigfoot: Did you know, Washington State has more Bigfoot sightings than any other state in the country? Bigfoot sightings are so common in Washington that nine out of every 100,000 Washington residents have claimed to have spotted Bigfoot!!
Sasquatch: Bigfoot goes by another name, though some argue this creature is an entirely different beastie. At almost seven feet tall, Sasquatch stands out in a crowd, but in the woods, this beast is particularly elusive, and though Sasquatch sightings number in the thousands, few have captured the creature on film. However, if there’s one place you may get a good look at Sasquatch, it’s in the national parks of Washington State.
Washington also has other iconic travel destinations we’ve created travel art and poster art of, including the Space Needle, Tacoma, the Olympic Peninsula, and Mount Saint Helens.
The Midwest: Minnesota
The Land of Ten-Thousand Lakes, it goes without saying that Minnesota has some beautiful travel destinations. Home to the eerie loon birds and their somber dusk cry, the lakes and streams of this northern paradise are best traveled by canoe, and don’t forget to bring your insect repellent!
Minnesota has one national park that is one of the more remote parks on the roster, and legend has it the park is home to a spooky beastie, the fearsome Wendigo.
Wendigo: A cannibalistic beast brought to life by Indigenous Algonquin and Ojibwa folklore, explorers to the northern forests of Minnesota and Voyageurs National Park have good reason to fear the Wendigo. 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 looks like a cross between a haunted, emaciated deer and a tortured, rage-filled man. Not only is the Wendigo thought by some to be a real creature that roams the forests of northern Minnesota, but it’s worth noting that Indigenous Americans only began talking about the Wendigo after their contact with European settlers.
Alaska and Hawai’i
U.S. states inspire some of the best travel art, especially from states in the far north and far west, i.e., Alaska and Hawai’i. They may be more challenging to get to, but the experience is worth the journey! And given their remote locations and massive tracts of untouched wilderness, both states are thought to be home to mythical beings and spooky mythological creatures:
Keelut: Located deep in the Alaskan Interior, Denali National Park is a stunning wilderness with the giant peak of Denali as its focal point. While much of the park has been explored by park rangers and visitors alike, there is a darker, more mysterious element: a mythical creature from Indigenous Athabascan legend that is said to haunt the more wild, unexplored areas of Denali. This is the Keelut creature. A beast spoken of by various Athabascan tribes ranging from Alaska to Baffin Island in Canada, the Keelut (also called “Qiqirn”) is a monster that resembles a huge, hairless black dog.
Kushtaka: It may hunt you while taking the form of a powerful sea otter, or it may take the shape of a man and convince you to follow it into the woods. No matter what, a face-to-face encounter with a Kushtaka seldom ends well. These mysterious beasts of Indigenous Alaskan Tlingit lore are said to look very similar to sea otters but to be especially cunning and mischievous. Kushtaka often travel in groups. While roaming the wilds of Alaska, they will attempt to lure passersby into the wilderness by making cries that sound like a distressed woman or child. Once an unlucky individual is caught in their trap, the Kushtaka will consume the souls of their victims, often turning their prey into Kushtaka in the process.
Green Lady: Visitors to Hawaii’s wild and beautiful rainforests should be extra cautious, for the Green Lady of Wahiawa may be nearby! Clad in leaves, moss, and grass, with green skin and seaweed in her hair, the legend is that the Green Lady is a woman who lost her children in the woods and has spent an eternity looking for them. Sadly, years spent alone have transformed the Green Lady into a desperate creature, and the stories say that she will grab any child she sees, even if the child is not hers.
Mo’o Water Guardian: 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 Hawai’i. The stories surrounding these creatures are many. Some even depict them as cunning, dragon-like beasts who would go to war with Indigenous Hawaiians and even battle with Pele, the volcano goddess.
Who Knows What Awaits During This Year’s Travels?
The U.S. boasts 3.81 million square miles of land, much of it public land awaiting your exploration. Our American Travel Collection features poster art renderings and vintage-styled illustrations featuring cherished American travel destinations. Launched in 2010 and now containing over 400 original poster designs, it is our largest collection to date!
And to help you watch for the mythical creatures said to live in national parks and other wilderness places across the United States, our Legends of the National Parks and Mythical Creatures Around the World collection has quickly become one of our most popular art collections.
Happy exploring!
-Ren Brabenec
Anderson Design Group Staff Writer
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