New Art of America's Lesser-Known Mythical Creatures
If you’ve ever been out walking in a national park or wilderness space in America’s great outdoors and you felt like you were being watched, there’s a chance you were in the presence of a mystical creature or mythological monster. How do we know? Because we’ve felt this sensation more times than we can count…
The award-winning artists of Anderson Design Group have spent decades documenting the wilderness and wonder of America’s national parks, monuments, recreation areas, wilderness refuges, seashores, lakeshores, rivers, and wide open spaces where plants and animals dominate the landscape and human habitation is sparse and spread out.
Pictured below: ADG Founder and Creative Director Joel Anderson exploring Arches National Park.
Our team has explored, photographed, sketched, and then come back to the studio to render posters and write books about the nation’s most cherished public lands. During our research and adventures in the parks, we’ve also run across some pretty exciting legends. We’ve heard horror stories about strange creatures that others have seen, heard, or felt.
Between our in-house artists and our collaborating artists, we’ve visited every national park and nearly every U.S. state. Over the years, we’ve uncovered tall tales of unexplainable events, ancient myths, and local stories passed down by Indigenous Peoples, colonial settlers, and park visitors.
Pictured below: ADG staff writer Ren Brabenec exploring Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (photographed by Kenneth Crane).
We documented so many interesting stories about myths, legends, cryptids, mythical beings, mythological monsters, ghosts, apparitions, spirits, and other spooky phenomena that we decided to create the Legends of the National Parks and Mythical Creatures Around the World collection.
This collection of legendary creature art is sure to have you on the edge of your seat, both excited and fearful for your next national park adventure.
And more recently, we invited collaborating artist Arden von Haeger to contribute to the collection. He has taken a particular interest in the lesser-known yet no less spooky mythical creatures of the national parks.
Arden’s Artist Bio
Arden von Haeger is an accomplished illustrator with a career spanning both education and freelance practice. Currently known for his award-winning National Parks series, Arden’s work blends stylized realism with dynamic color, lighting, and atmospheric effects, often celebrating nature and conservation. Arden's classic hand-rendered illustration style conveys grandeur, romance, and nuance. His inventive use of color and his unique Art Deco styling conjure a bygone elegance as he celebrates some of America's most iconic destinations.
Arden’s National Park illustrations, in partnership with Anderson Design Group, have earned over 30 illustration awards, including recognition in professional publications and competitions such as Communication Arts, The Society of Illustrators, 3×3 Illustration Annual, and American Illustration. Read more about Arden’s awards in his interviews with Anderson Design Group staff writer Ren Brabenec here and here.
Arden’s themes often highlight the beauty of the natural world, from mountain streams at sunrise to folklore-inspired creatures such as the Wendigo and Bigfoot. Now focusing on expanding his freelance footprint, Arden uses his art as a vehicle for visual storytelling, inspiring both clients and the next generation of illustrators.
Check out Arden’s dedicated poster art collection here, and see more of his works at his portfolio site.
Seven Cryptids, Spooky Legends, and Folklore Wonders Depicted by Arden von Haeger and Anderson Design Group
More recently, Arden and ADG began working on a whole new collection, Arden’s contribution to the Legends of the National Parks collection. He started with the better-known and more widely understood cryptids, like Wendigo and Bigfoot.
But then he moved on to the lesser-known, sometimes even spookier beasts, mythical legends, and mythological monsters of the national parks…
The following are seven new posters by Arden von Haeger and Joel Anderson, each featuring a description written by Arden of the creature he has depicted.
Mothman, The Creature of West Virginia and New River Gorge National Park:
“Some legends are born from the shadows. Deep in the heart of West Virginia, where the New River cuts through ancient stone, something watches from the treetops. Witnesses speak of red eyes glowing in the night. Wings that span wider than reason. A presence that defies explanation. Is it a creature? A warning? Or something far older than we can understand? The gorge keeps its secrets. And some are never meant to be found.”
Boojum, An Elusive Treasure-Hunter Creature in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
“Hidden deep within the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina lives the Boojum, a creature rarely seen and never fully understood. Those who claim to have encountered it speak of glowing eyes in the darkness, strange lights among the trees, and the unsettling feeling that they are not alone. Part cryptid and part guardian spirit, the Boojum represents our enduring fascination with the unknown and reminds us that some mysteries still linger in the wild places of the world. As the fog settles and daylight fades, one question remains: What secrets lie hidden beyond the next bend in the trail?”
Walking Sam, a Horrifying Apparition at Wind Cave National Park
“Lurking along lonely trails and winding riverbanks, Walking Sam is one of South Dakota’s most haunting modern legends. Described as a tall, shadowy figure with piercing eyes, a black coat, and an unsettling grin, he is said to appear at dusk, silently watching from the edge of the wilderness. According to folklore, his presence is often preceded by a faint whistle drifting through the darkness, a warning that Walking Sam is near and searching for his next victim. Those who hear the whistle are said to risk far more than fear, for legend claims he steals the souls of those who follow his call.”
Extraterrestrial, An Alien Presence at White Sands National Park
“For generations, stories of unexplained lights, strange encounters, and visitors from beyond the stars have fueled our imagination. Whether myth, mystery, or undiscovered truth, these tales remind us that the universe is far larger, and perhaps far stranger, than we can comprehend. In the silence of White Sands, where the landscape already feels like another planet, one cannot help but wonder: What if someone is wondering about us, too?”
Jackalope, The Scampering Mystery Critter of Yellowstone National Park
“Set within the vast, golden expanse of the American West, this piece explores the space where folklore and landscape meet, capturing a fleeting moment of motion, mystery, and possibility. Through light, perspective, and storytelling, I wanted to create a sense that something extraordinary may exist just beyond what we expect to see. Because in these wide open places, even the impossible can feel real.”
Swamp Ape, The Elusive Bigfoot-Like Cryptid of Florida’s Everglades National Park
“Hidden within the ancient waterways of the Florida Everglades, where cypress trees rise from the mist and Spanish moss drapes the forest like forgotten memories, a legend still walks. Swamp Ape is one of America’s most enduring cryptids. Part folklore, part mystery, and part wilderness spirit, the Swamp Ape represents our fascination with the unexplained and the wild places that continue to guard their secrets.”
Unicorn, A Medieval Legend Come Alive in America’s Southwest at Petrified Forest National Park
“What if the Unicorn was not depicted as a creature of medieval Europe, but an American cryptid, a majestic Appaloosa, standing beneath a brilliant desert moon among the ancient petrified logs and painted badlands of Petrified Forest National Park? The Southwest seems like the perfect home for a legend rooted in grace, mystery, and imagination. Imagining the Unicorn roaming the iconic landscapes of Petrified Forest National Park invites one to wonder what extraordinary creatures might still roam the wild places of our world. Every illustration is another story told through art, celebrating the beauty of nature and the enduring power of imagination.”
Products Featuring Mythical Monsters of the National Parks
Arden and Joel will continue creating art of mythical creatures in America and around the world. Every hand-rendered original illustration can be ordered as a print, canvas, or metal sign in a variety of sizes. Each design is also available as a set of notecards or postcards.
Pictured below: ADG's best-selling Legends of the National Parks Guide Book.
If you’re a fan of mythical monster art and mystical creature posters, you will also love the line of products we put together featuring these original designs. From postcards to blankets, games to stickers, coloring books, puzzles, pillows, calendars, and travel guides, this collection of art-themed gifts, frames, toys, and decor items is perfect for holiday gift-giving and birthday celebrations.
Commemorate Your Journey with the Art of Adventure
“Our fans use our art to tell their stories. When they display our prints, they ‘Decorate With Adventure.' So I guess you could say we are all about The Art Of Adventure!”
That’s ADG Founder and Creative Director, Joel Anderson, in an interview about the artists and ethos of Anderson Design Group. In addition to creating the art of adventure, Joel and ADG have doubled down on human-made art and products and on the importance of leveraging human talent and creativity. That means artificial intelligence is never used in anything Anderson Design Group creates, ever.
Pictured below: Joel Anderson and collaborating artist Kenneth Crane on a hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
At our last count, ADG had produced over 3,000 original poster designs, plus dozens of products including books, calendars, games, puzzles, stickers, playing cards, apparel, pillows, blankets, and more.
Stay tuned for more art, gifts, and souvenirs to come!
-Ren Brabenec
Anderson Design Group Staff Writer