The Oregon Bigfoot Highway
Copyright © 2015 by Joe Beelart and Cliff Olson
ISBN 979-0-69238-081-9
Willamette City Press, LLC
331 numbered pages, 15 additional pages
Available from Amazon.com $19.99
See also Oregonbigfoothighway.com for more information, including an interactive map.
I met Joe Beelart at the Beachfoot 2017 Conference in July, and was warmly treated by him and his wife, Sharon. Later he sent me his latest book, The Oregon Bigfoot Highway, which I devoured in short order. I have never read a more detailed and precisely written book on how to, what to, where to, and why to find bigfoot. The authors have graciously shared experiences so that others may have some too, in refreshing contrast to many bigfoot researchers who conceal their details in hopes of being "the first."
The book covers a 70 mile stretch of the Oregon Scenic Byway No. 5, from Estacada to Detroit (OR), plus numerous intersecting side roads and forest roads where the action takes place. The journey follows OR 224 (The Clackamas Rd.) along the Clackamas River out of Estacada, and then finishes on NFD 46 (Breitenbush Rd.) along the Breitenbush River to Detroit. Organized into six areas, the journey describes 31 sightings going back to 1924, 43 quality track finds going back to 1911, and 69 probable bigfoot-related incidents (such as calls, rock throwing, and shelters), all individually numbered, cross referenced, and indexed. You will not find a comparably complete and well documented account of real experiences, including many of the authors’ own, plus well researched media reports and personal interviews.
The book is well illustrated with 118 pictures (most by Joe and Sharon) and 13 custom maps, the latter thanks to Sharon Beelart. GPS coordinates are also given for points of interest. You are easily led to the “hot spots.”
Interspersed throughout the book are safety warnings, conservation ethics, fishing hole descriptions, useful tips (e.g. what to bring, where to park safely), and other, often humorous, little tidbits. The Clackamas is a National Scenic River, a steelhead fishery, and a cherished place to visit, without or without bigfoot. I plan to do so at the first opportunity, clutching this great book in my hands.
