On May 7, 2017, a visitor identified as Mark was walking through Stout Memorial Grove in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park when unexplained screams and a towering black figure abruptly changed his plans. Mark managed to take two cell phone photographs before leaving the area, but he did not fully recognize the figure’s unusual canine characteristics until he examined the images later.

WEREWOLVES: DO THEY EXIST?

CASE FILE:

Date: May 7, 2017

Time: Approximately 6:40 PM

Location: Stout Memorial Grove, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte County, Northern California

Setting: Old-growth redwood forest trail near the Smith River

Witness: Mark, last name not provided

Reported By: The eyewitness

Phenomenon: Upright canine-like humanoid, possible Dogman or werewolf-like cryptid

Environmental Conditions: Late-day sunlight, dense redwood canopy, strong backlighting, and partial obstruction from a tree branch

WITNESS REPORT

Mark was visiting Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park for the day and walking through Stout Memorial Grove when the encounter occurred. He carried a newer-model Samsung Galaxy phone and reportedly took two photographs of the figure.

Although the subject appears distant in the photograph, Mark emphasized that smartphone camera perspective made the figure appear farther away than it actually was.

“I was walking through Stout Memorial Grove in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. I estimated that the trail was approximately one mile around.

“I was going to turn left and circle around, but two young guys started walking off the trail toward a large tree, so I decided to go to the right.

“At first, I thought the two guys were messing around, but I did not hear any laughter afterward. The hair on my arms stood up after I heard the screams.”

The Figure on the Trail

“I immediately turned around to leave because it was getting late. It was approximately 6:40 PM, and the sun was beginning to set behind the trees.

“After walking about 20 feet back down the trail, I noticed a black figure standing approximately 120 feet from where the two young men had been earlier.

“At first, I thought it might be a bear standing upright. It appeared to be approximately seven feet tall and was heavily backlit by the sun. A branch partially obscured its face, and I was too far away to detect any odor.”

The Photographs

“I took two quick photographs and left the area.

“I did not realize exactly what I had photographed until later, when I reviewed the pictures. I sent the one that details the creature best.”

The Entity’s Appearance

In a later statement, Mark provided a more detailed description of the figure:

“The creature was a striking, all-black animal standing approximately seven feet tall on its hind legs.

“I estimated that it weighed between 250 and 400 pounds. Its body looked muscular, almost like a bodybuilder.

“It had a long muzzle and long, pointed ears with tufts on them. It also had extremely long arms, a large chest, and a smaller waist. A branch covered part of its face.

“It was approximately 30 yards away from me. This was not a bear. It looked like a werewolf.”

COMMENTARY

Several aspects of this account are consistent with modern upright canine or Dogman reports. The witness described a bipedal figure with a long muzzle, pointed ears, a broad chest, a narrow waist, and unusually long arms. These features differ significantly from most traditional Sasquatch descriptions, which rarely include prominent canine ears or a pronounced muzzle.

A black bear remains the most immediate conventional possibility. Black bears inhabit the Redwood National and State Parks region and can temporarily stand on their hind legs. Mark initially considered this explanation himself. However, he later rejected it because of the figure’s pointed ears, long muzzle, narrow waist, extended arms, and distinctly muscular upper body.

The photographic conditions create several investigative problems. The figure was strongly backlit, its face was partially covered by a branch, and the observation was brief. Heavy contrast between sunlight and the shaded forest floor can distort proportions, obscure anatomical details, and produce a silhouette that appears more unusual than the actual subject.

The reported time also deserves consideration. At approximately 6:40 PM in early May, the sun would not yet have reached the official horizon. However, the height and density of the old-growth redwoods could have placed portions of the trail in deep shadow while low-angle sunlight filtered through the trees. Mark’s reference to sunset may therefore describe the rapid loss of light beneath the canopy rather than the actual astronomical sunset.

There are also two distance estimates within the account. Mark initially said the figure was standing approximately 120 feet from where the two young men had previously been. In his later description, he estimated that the creature was approximately 30 yards, or 90 feet, from his position. These statements are not necessarily incompatible because they refer to different reference points, but an exact reconstruction would require a trail map and the original photograph locations.

The greatest evidentiary value would come from examining both original, full-resolution photographs. The original files could contain metadata indicating the precise time, phone model, resolution, orientation, and whether the images were subsequently edited or compressed. Without those files, the case remains an intriguing but unverified photographic encounter.

CASE NOTES

• The encounter reportedly occurred on May 7, 2017, at approximately 6:40 PM.

• The location was Stout Memorial Grove in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.

• The witness heard unexplained screams before seeing the figure.

• Two young men had left the established trail shortly before the incident.

• The figure was described as approximately seven feet tall and weighing between 250 and 400 pounds.

• The witness described an all-black body with prominent musculature.

• Reported features included a long muzzle, tall pointed ears with tufts, long arms, a broad chest, and a narrow waist.

• A branch partially obscured the figure’s face.

• Strong backlighting reduced the amount of visible facial and surface detail.

• The witness initially considered the possibility of a standing black bear.

• He later rejected the bear explanation because of the figure’s canine head, ears, proportions, and muscular build.

• The witness took two photographs with a Samsung Galaxy phone before leaving.

• The original full-resolution images and photographic metadata were not provided with the report.

• No tracks, hair, biological material, odor, or additional physical evidence were reported.

• The witness estimated the grove trail at approximately one mile, although the official Stout Memorial Grove loop is listed as approximately one-half mile.

• The reported distances vary between approximately 90 and 120 feet, depending on the witness’s reference point.

Readers interested in this Northern California upright canine encounter should explore other Phantoms & Monsters reports involving Dogman sightings, werewolf-like humanoids, unexplained creatures photographed in national and state parks, and strange encounters within the remote forests of the Pacific Northwest. Similar cases often involve muscular bipedal figures, pointed ears, canine muzzles, sudden vocalizations, and intense instinctive fear experienced by witnesses. Lon

SOURCE NOTES

The National Park Service identifies Stout Memorial Grove as a 44-acre old-growth redwood grove on the edge of the Smith River. It lists the loop trail as approximately 0.5 mile long, rather than the witness’s estimated one-mile circumference.

Official park information describes Stout Grove as a flat loop surrounded by enormous redwoods, sword ferns, river-deposited soil, and access to the Smith River. These conditions support the possibility of heavy shade, strong backlighting, and obstructed sightlines.

The National Park Service lists black bears among the large mammals present in Redwood National and State Parks. This establishes a conventional animal candidate, although it does not resolve the witness’s reported canine morphology.

California State Parks places Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park approximately nine miles east of Crescent City and describes it as a densely forested old-growth redwood environment with the Smith River and about 20 miles of park trails.

FAQ

Where did the upright canine encounter occur?

The sighting reportedly occurred along the Stout Memorial Grove trail in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, near Crescent City in Northern California.

What did the witness initially believe the figure was?

Mark initially thought the figure might be a black bear standing on its hind legs. He later rejected that explanation after reviewing its pointed ears, long muzzle, narrow waist, extended arms, and muscular torso.

How tall was the creature?

The witness estimated that the figure was approximately seven feet tall.

Were photographs taken?

Mark reportedly took two photographs with a Samsung Galaxy cell phone. The original full-resolution files and metadata were not included with the account provided.

Has the photograph been authenticated?

No independent photographic authentication, metadata examination, or on-site reconstruction was provided. The case should therefore be considered unverified.