The Boggy Creek Monster is Fouke, Arkansas’s answer to bigfoot. The 8-foot-tall, 300-pound, hairy monster has been stalking the area since at least 1834 and had even inspired a series of horror films. Stop at Fouke Monster Mart on an Arkansas road trip to learn more about this local legend, pick up some souvenirs, and snap your picture with a Boggy Creek Monster photo op….and maybe even encounter the monster himself!
The Boggy Creek Monster (also known as the Fouke Monster or Swamp Stalker) is a big hairy cryptid creature that lurks among the a bottomlands of the Sulphur River in southwest Arkansas. The creature is said to stand around seven to eight feet tall and weigh about 300 pounds. With human-like qualities it stands on two feet but it covered in gnarls of thick dark hair across its chest, legs, and arms.
Sightings of this beast have been reported since 1834, but became more frequent in the 1900s, with popular cases sprouting up in the 1970s through the 1990s.
Its presence in the area has been immortalized with a series of films explaining the legend: The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972), Return to Boggy Creek (1977), Boggy Creek II: And The Legend Continues (1985), Boggy Creek: The Legend Is True (2010), The Legacy of Boggy Creek (2011), and Boggy Creek Monster (2016).
It was that first film, The Legend of Boggy Creek, that surged the popularity of this Arkansas folklore and put Fouke on the map.
Originally called Peavy’s Monster Mart the Fouke Monster Mart can be found on Highway 71, around 15 miles southeast of Texarkana (be sure to check out the state-straddling Texarkana welcome sign while you’re there). The roadside attraction, monster museum, souvenir shop, and convenience store is a family-owned business that is dedicated to preserving the history of the local monster.
There are plenty of photo-ops to stop for Instagram selfies with outside the Fouke Monster Mart. Look for:
- The giant monster head that peeks out over the top of the building
- A life-size Boggy Monster with his paws out ready to grab you from running away
- A Boggy Creek Monster Mural
- A face cut-out standup that lets you transform yourself into the monster
Inside the mart you’ll find a small museum where you can learn more about the Boggy Monster with exhibits, press clippings, drawings, and life-sized models. There’s also a convenience store to pick up your own bigfoot souvenirs (including t-shirts, mugs, postcards, and magnets), road trip snacks, or even a pizza.
The Fouke Monster Mart is definitely one of the best roadside attractions in Arkansas! But if you can’t get enough of this Arkansas creek monster, visit during the annual Fouke Monster Festival (also known as the Boggy Creek Festival or Monster Days) where fans of the Boggy Creek Monster gather for book signings, discussions, presentations, and events centered around the popular legend.
Boggy Creek Monster at Fouke Monster Mart
Address: 104 U. S. Hwy 71, Fouke, AR 71837
Cost: Free to See, souvenir and snack costs vary
Hours: 5am-9:30pm Monday-Friday; 6am-9:30pm Saturday, Closed Sunday
See the attraction’s official website for up-to-date hours and information.
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