Did you know a legend once made its way from campfire stories into actual county law? In Washington’s Skamania County, Bigfoot is not only a tale told in the woods.
Since 1969, it has been illegal to kill the creature, with penalties that once carried the weight of a felony. What began as local sightings and fear of reckless hunters soon turned into one of the most unusual ordinances ever passed in America.
It may sound unbelievable, but the law remains part of the Skamania County identity, blending myth with legal code.
In the sections ahead, we will walk through how the ordinance came to be, how it changed, and why Bigfoot still holds legal protection today.
Key Points of The Law
- It defined Bigfoot as “any such creature commonly described as Sasquatch, Bigfoot, or ape-like creature.”
- Killing Bigfoot was labeled a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
- The law declared all of Skamania County to be a refuge for Bigfoot, meaning protection extended across the entire county.
The ordinance was partly about safety. Officials worried hunters might shoot at anything that moved in the forest. By criminalizing the act, they reduced the risk of reckless behavior. At the same time, the law gave cultural recognition to Skamania County and even improved tourism in the place.
The 1984 Amendment that Reshaped the Law
Fifteen years later, Skamania County revisited the ordinance.
By then, critics argued the penalties were too severe, and officials wanted the law to be more practical.
Ordinance 1984-2 Changes
- Killing Bigfoot with malice aforethought became a gross misdemeanor instead of a felony.
- The penalty was shifted to one year in county jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
- If someone killed Bigfoot without malice, it became a simple misdemeanor, carrying up to six months in jail and a $500 fine.
- The amendment reaffirmed Skamania County as a Bigfoot refuge and even designated Sasquatch as an endangered species within the county.
- If a coroner determined the body was human, normal homicide laws would apply instead.
Skamania County Today
We all feel it the moment we step into Skamania County. The Bigfoot law is not buried in some dusty binder. It lives in the way people talk, in the carved figures standing guard by storefronts, and in the easy grins when locals tell you that yes, Bigfoot really is protected here.
We see it in the souvenirs, the roadside stops, and the quiet pride of a community that turned a legend into part of daily life. The ordinance may never drag anyone into a courtroom, but it keeps the story alive.
Other Places that Protect Bigfoot
In 1991, Whatcom County passed a resolution declaring itself a Bigfoot refuge. Unlike Skamania’s ordinance, it was symbolic, but it reinforced the creature’s cultural importance in the state.
Other communities across the United States have passed tongue-in-cheek laws or resolutions honoring Bigfoot, though Skamania County remains the first and most serious jurisdiction to create a true ordinance with jail penalties.
Final Thoughts
Skamania County has maintained its Bigfoot law for over fifty years, and it has become an integral part of the county’s character. What began as a way to stop reckless hunters grew into a story that locals embrace and visitors carry home.
The ordinance stands today as both a curiosity and a marker of identity. It shows how a community can take its folklore seriously enough to write it into law, and in doing so, create something people will always remember.
If you think the Bigfoot law is strange, wait until you hear about the old laws still standing in Virginia.