The Yosemite Legend of the Watts Valley Wolf Ape – Moon Mausoleum

In the Yosemite National Park in Fresno County, there is a legend about a creature known as Watts Valley Wolf Ape. What is this creature that the locals claim to have seen in the wild as well as close to the urban areas?

At the Sierra Nevada foothills, amidst the rugged terrain of Fresno County, whispers linger of a creature seen over the years—the Watts Valley Wolf Ape. The legend has also called it the Devil Ape or Devil Fang in the past and the legend has been around for at least a century. But according to this legend, it is said that this mysterious creature predates humans on the continent.

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Described as a bizarre amalgamation of ape and wolf, with humanoid features and an eerie countenance, the Watts Valley Wolf Ape prowls the shadows of Yosemite’s outskirts.

The Legend of Watts Valley Wolf Ape

The legend of the Watts Valley Wolf Ape finds its roots in the landscape surrounding the Watts Valley Cemetery especially, where sightings of this enigmatic creature have been reported for generations. Eyewitness accounts describe a creature with the body of a wolf, the face of an ape or baboon, and eerily human-like hands and feet. 

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According to the stories told about Watts Valley Wolf Ape, it looks unwell or with some kind of sickness. Its sickly demeanor and haunting presence have sparked fear and fascination among those who dare to venture into the wilderness. It is said that the Watts Valley Wolf Ape is always coughing and foaming from its mouth.

Native American Lore

But where is the Watts Valley Wolf Ape from? Many speculations exist, and some claim that the Wolf Ape used to co-exist with the Native Americans when they first crossed over to the continent by boat or via the Bering Strait around 30 000 years ago. This was at a time when giant animals still roamed the continent. 

The arrival of humans also marked what has been called a ‘catastrophic decline’ in now-extinct large animals, including camels, horses and mammoths. By the time the Europeans arrived, they found no Ape or large animals, only strange drawings of it. Or if we are to believe some of the witness accounts, some remained.

The Photographer’s Encounter with the Creature

Even esteemed photographer Ansel Adams, renowned for his breathtaking images of Yosemite’s natural beauty, found himself face to face with the Watts Valley Wolf Ape during his visits to the region. According to this story, it seems like there was not only a lonesome animal though, but a whole pack.

According to this story he had to hide in his tent as a pack of them came running. His encounters with packs of these mysterious creatures added fuel to the already blazing fires of speculation surrounding their existence.

Although a renowned photographer with a lot of media presence, this story has not come from the original source though, but through local blogs. So who know what Adams really saw out there?

The Watts Valley Wolf Ape Trashing a School 

One of the more unhinged legends about this creature is from that time the Watts Valley Wolf Ape was said to have broken into a school. This was way back in time when the school houses only had one room. It terrorized the students as well as the teacher. The children escaped by climbing onto their desks and into the rafters of the building. The teacher is said to have hidden in a closet.

The Watts Valley Wolf Ape is said to have trashed the school completely, destroying their stuff and eating their lunches before he disappeared into the wild once more. 

The Preacher and Satan’s Pet

Another strange story concerning the Wolf Ape comes from the 1950s. It is said that a preacher shot one that measured at least ten feet long. The preacher then hung it on the walls of his church and claimed that the creature was Satan’s pet. It was hanging there for many weeks until the stench of it became so unbearable he had to rid himself of it. 

He sold it to a traveling freak show and used the money he made to start his own church in San Francisco. His luck ran out fast though and was killed soon after he moved. People started to talk about that there might be a curse of the Wolf Ape as his body was so mutilated after he was killed that it took many months to identify his body.

Modern Sightings of the Watts Valley Wolf Ape

Even today, people keep reporting about seeing strange things lurking around Fresno County. It is usually in the area of Watts Valley and the cemetery there as well as even closer to the urban area. 

On a local Fresno radio station, a chilling tale emerged from two witnesses hunting near Watts Valley Cemetery. They encountered a Wolf Ape emerging from the bushes: a six-foot-long, gray-haired creature with a baboon-like face and uncanny human eyes. 

Its moans and strange cough sent them fleeing, chased relentlessly over hills and pastures. Seeking refuge in the cemetery, they hid behind tombstones as the creature closed in. In a stroke of luck, the uncle tossed cinnamon-flavored gum, distracting the beast long enough for a caretaker to offer them safety. From the sanctuary of the caretaker’s truck, they watched as the creature eventually faded into the night.

Skepticism about its Existence

Despite the allure of these tales, skeptics remain skeptical, dismissing the sightings as nothing more than folklore and superstition. As dusk settles over the foothills of Fresno County and the eerie silence of the wilderness descends, one can’t help but wonder: what secrets lie hidden within the depths of Yosemite’s forests? 

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