Stalked by Bigfoot: A U.S. Border Agent’s Terrifying Encounter in the Otay Mountains
Border Patrol Agent Rocky Elmore realized he was being hunted by something massive and unseen—something far larger than a man.
Case File: The Otay Mountain Bigfoot Encounter (Rocky Elmore) Case No.: 92CA-1995-OM
Classification: Cryptid Sighting and Paranormal Phenomena
Location: Otay Mountain and Lakes, Southern California, USA
Date of Incident: 1995
Filed by: Rocky Elmore, U.S. Border Patrol Agent
Status: Closed – Phenomena Documented, Explanation Inconclusive
Incident Summary
In the remote, mountainous terrain of Southern California, close to the Mexican border, lies Otay Mountain—a place characterized by its rugged landscape, dense foliage, and jagged ridges. In 1995, U.S. Border Patrol Agent Rocky Elmore was conducting routine night patrols along the isolated paths that wind through the Otay Mountain and its surrounding lakes. This particular area is known for its difficulty to traverse, the dense cover it provides, and the relative lack of human traffic beyond occasional smugglers and illegal border crossers. What started as an ordinary patrol would soon become one of the most documented and unsettling cryptid encounters of the region, as Elmore began to experience a series of bizarre events that many now associate with the legendary Bigfoot.
Elmore had been patrolling this stretch of the border for years and was familiar with the sounds and sights of the wilderness. On most nights, the chirping of insects and distant howls of coyotes provided the usual soundtrack to his patrols, but on one cold evening, everything fell silent. The sudden stillness of the forest was the first indication that something unusual was afoot.
As Elmore continued along the winding path, his radio crackled intermittently with static, an occurrence not entirely uncommon due to the remote area. However, the interference seemed to increase the further he went into the forest. At first, he dismissed this as environmental interference, but soon, he began hearing strange, heavy footsteps echoing through the darkness. These weren’t the typical sounds of a large animal—there was something unnervingly deliberate about them. The footsteps were heavy, like something with substantial weight, and they followed a distinct, bipedal pattern. Elmore stopped in his tracks, holding his breath as the sounds grew closer. He strained his ears to determine whether it could be a person, but the sheer volume of each footfall ruled out any human presence. His instincts as a seasoned Border Patrol agent told him something much larger was tracking him.
The First Encounter
Elmore’s first true encounter with the creature came late one night as he was patrolling near a secluded lake on the lower slopes of Otay Mountain. The terrain here was especially difficult, with steep ridges and thick brush obscuring visibility. As he reached a clearing near the water’s edge, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up—a primal sense of being watched washed over him. Elmore scanned the area with his flashlight, sweeping the beam from the tree line to the water. Suddenly, just beyond the reach of his light, he saw movement.
It was a shadow—large and moving swiftly between the trees. At first, Elmore thought it might be a bear, but bears weren’t known to be this far south, and none could move with the speed and grace of whatever he had just seen. The figure was upright, moving on two legs, and it was massive. Elmore estimated it to be at least seven feet tall, possibly taller. Its silhouette was vaguely humanoid, but its speed and size were unnatural. In a moment of adrenaline, he reached for his service weapon, but the creature had already vanished into the darkness.
Shaken, but determined to investigate further, Elmore moved cautiously toward the spot where he had seen the shadow. The underbrush was thick, but he found large, deep impressions in the soft ground near the water’s edge. Upon closer inspection, he realized these weren’t just random disturbances in the dirt—they were footprints, and they were enormous. Each footprint was approximately 16 inches long, with distinct toes visible in the mud. Whatever had made these prints was far larger than any human or known animal in the area.
Phenomena Overview
Elmore’s encounters weren’t isolated to just one night. Over the next several weeks, he continued to patrol the same area, determined to uncover the mystery of what he had seen. During this time, the strange phenomena persisted, and the sightings grew more frequent and unnerving.
Auditory Disturbances:
One of the most unsettling aspects of Elmore’s encounters was the sound. The rhythmic, bipedal footsteps followed him on several occasions. Always just out of sight, they seemed to shadow his movements, stopping when he stopped, and resuming when he moved. The deliberate nature of the footsteps suggested intelligence, or at the very least, awareness of his presence.
In addition to the footsteps, Elmore began hearing strange vocalizations late at night. The sounds were guttural, low-pitched, and far too deep to belong to any known animal in the region. These vocalizations ranged from deep growls to eerie howls that echoed through the forest, bouncing off the mountain ridges. They were unlike anything he had heard in his many years patrolling the wilderness. Elmore wasn’t the only one who heard these sounds. Other Border Patrol agents stationed near Otay Mountain began reporting similar auditory disturbances during their patrols, leading to increased suspicion that something strange was indeed lurking in the area.
Visual Sightings:
Elmore had several fleeting glimpses of the creature over the course of his patrols. Each time, the figure appeared only momentarily, moving swiftly between trees or along ridgelines before disappearing into the underbrush. Its sheer size and speed defied explanation. The creature moved silently when it wanted to, but on other occasions, it seemed to purposefully make its presence known. Elmore reported seeing the creature on the outskirts of his peripheral vision, always avoiding direct light but never straying too far. It was as if the creature was studying him, just as he was studying it.
Documented Footprints
One of the most compelling pieces of evidence from Elmore’s encounters was the discovery of large, human-like footprints scattered throughout the area. These footprints were consistently large—around 16 inches long and far deeper than any human could make in the soft ground. The stride length was also significant, suggesting a creature with an unusually long gait. Elmore made plaster casts of the footprints and shared them with cryptozoologists and wildlife experts, but no one could provide a definitive explanation for what had made them.
Wildlife experts were quick to point out that no known animal in Southern California could leave footprints like these, and the possibility of a hoax was ruled out due to the remoteness of the area. The depth of the prints indicated a creature of substantial weight, far beyond that of a human. Some skeptics suggested that the prints could have been made by someone using fake tracks to perpetuate a hoax, but the isolated location and the consistency of the sightings over such a long period made this theory unlikely.
Further Investigations and Surveillance
As Elmore’s reports of strange sightings and phenomena increased, other Border Patrol agents became involved in the investigation. Surveillance cameras were set up in key areas where the footprints and sightings were most frequent. These cameras were equipped with motion sensors and infrared technology to capture any movement during the night.
Despite weeks of surveillance, the cameras captured little more than fleeting shadows and indistinct movements in the distance. On one occasion, a camera picked up the faint outline of a large figure moving quickly through the trees, but the footage was too blurry to provide conclusive evidence. The creature seemed to avoid the cameras, moving just out of range or remaining in the dense foliage where it couldn’t be clearly seen.
Historical and Local Context
The area surrounding Otay Mountain has long been steeped in legend, particularly among the local Native American tribes, such as the Kumeyaay people. For centuries, the Kumeyaay have told stories of large, hairy creatures that roamed the mountains and forests of Southern California. These creatures, often described as “wild men” or “forest spirits,” were said to be protectors of the land, rarely seen by humans but capable of great strength and speed when encountered.
Elmore’s sightings reignited interest in these ancient legends, with some researchers suggesting that the creature he encountered was the same as the one described in Kumeyaay folklore. Cryptozoologists, who study unknown and mythical creatures, took a keen interest in Elmore’s story, drawing comparisons to Bigfoot sightings across the Pacific Northwest and other parts of the United States. The physical descriptions of the creature, combined with the large footprints and eerie vocalizations, matched the profile of Bigfoot, lending credence to the idea that these creatures could inhabit the more remote parts of California.
Press Coverage and Public Interest
As word of Elmore’s sightings spread, the media began to take notice. Local newspapers ran stories about the mysterious creature stalking Otay Mountain, often framing the events as part of the larger Bigfoot phenomenon. Cryptid researchers and enthusiasts flocked to the area, hoping to catch a glimpse of the creature or find further evidence of its existence.
Elmore himself became somewhat of a local legend, with many praising his bravery and others dismissing the sightings as overactive imagination. Nevertheless, his detailed reports and the physical evidence he collected—particularly the footprints—were difficult to ignore. Even skeptics had to admit that something strange was happening in Otay Mountain.
Investigation and Evidence
Elmore’s encounters continued for several months, and despite the increasing attention from both the public and fellow agents, no definitive proof of the creature was ever captured. The Border Patrol eventually scaled back their surveillance efforts as the sightings became less frequent, and no further large footprints were found after several weeks of searching.
However, the plaster casts of the footprints and the audio recordings of the strange vocalizations remain some of the most compelling pieces of evidence to emerge from the case. These artifacts were examined by experts in wildlife biology, anthropology, and cryptozoology, but no one was able to provide a conclusive explanation for what Elmore encountered. The footprints, in particular, were analyzed by several independent researchers, who confirmed their size and depth were consistent with a large, bipedal creature.
Case Status
By the end of 1995, the Otay Mountain Bigfoot case was officially closed by the U.S. Border Patrol. While the phenomena documented by Elmore were classified as “unexplained,” there was not enough evidence to warrant further investigation. The case was archived, and no formal explanation was ever provided for the strange occurrences.
Despite the case being closed, the Otay Mountain Bigfoot encounter remains one of the most credible and well-documented cryptid sightings in Southern California. To this day, it is often cited by Bigfoot enthusiasts and researchers as one of the strongest pieces of evidence supporting the existence of the elusive creature.
The Story
The story of the Otay Mountain Bigfoot began like many other cryptid encounters—with a seemingly ordinary night in an unremarkable place, slowly unfolding into something much stranger. For Rocky Elmore, a U.S. Border Patrol agent stationed in the rugged and remote region of Otay Mountain, the border patrol was just another day on the job. Otay Mountain itself, with its steep ridges, thick chaparral, and narrow, winding trails, posed an imposing but familiar challenge to the agents assigned to it. The mountain, often shrouded in mist, had long been a place where only the brave or the desperate ventured, whether it was border crossers, smugglers, or those seeking isolation.
Elmore had always been confident in his knowledge of the terrain and the wildlife of the area. He knew the sounds of every bird and animal that called Otay Mountain home. As an experienced outdoorsman and tracker, he had been in many unsettling situations during his years of service, but nothing had prepared him for what he was about to encounter during his 1995 patrols.
One moonless night, while making his way down a rocky trail near the lakes at the base of the mountain, Elmore noticed the familiar cacophony of night sounds—chirping crickets, the distant howl of coyotes—suddenly faded into an eerie silence. For anyone familiar with wilderness, silence of this kind often signals the presence of a predator or some disruption in the natural order. Elmore, ever vigilant, paused in his patrol to scan his surroundings. The air felt heavier, colder even, though the summer night should have been warm. His flashlight illuminated the trail ahead of him, the beam cutting through the darkness, but revealing nothing out of the ordinary.
As Elmore resumed walking, he became acutely aware of the sound of footsteps. But these weren’t the footsteps of a human or any of the small animals common to the area. They were slow, deliberate, and heavy—too heavy for any person, and too rhythmic to be an animal walking on four legs. The sound of snapping branches followed, as if something large was moving through the underbrush, yet it remained just out of sight.
The footsteps continued, keeping pace with Elmore as he walked, stopping when he stopped, and resuming when he moved. This pattern played out for several minutes, each footfall echoing through the night, unnervingly distinct in the stillness. Elmore’s pulse quickened. He knew the mountains well and was sure that whatever was tracking him was no human or animal that belonged there.
Suddenly, to his left, a shadow moved between the trees. It was quick—so quick that Elmore almost doubted he’d seen anything at all. But there it was, a large, upright figure darting behind the thick trunks of the trees that bordered the trail. His breath caught in his throat as he caught a second glimpse—this time more clearly—a massive, humanoid figure, far taller than any person, its broad, dark form blending into the night. He instinctively reached for his weapon but held back from drawing it. A gun wouldn’t help against something that could disappear into the trees like that.
Elmore felt a cold sweat on his skin, his body on high alert as his mind tried to make sense of what he had seen. The rational part of him wanted to dismiss it—perhaps it was a trick of the light, an overactive imagination brought on by exhaustion from long shifts. But the deeper, more primal part of him—the part that had spent years honing its instincts in the wilderness—knew that this was real. Something was out there.
He continued walking, this time quicker, more purposeful, but the shadow remained. It followed him, occasionally darting across his peripheral vision, always staying just beyond the reach of his flashlight. It was as if the creature was toying with him, letting him know it was there but not giving him a clear view. Every so often, Elmore would stop in his tracks, listening to the forest, trying to catch any sign of movement, but the creature was eerily silent when it wanted to be. It moved with a fluidity that was disconcerting for something of its size. He had never seen anything like it.
The most disturbing aspect of these encounters was the feeling Elmore couldn’t shake—the overwhelming sensation of being watched. It wasn’t just the feeling of being followed, but of being observed, scrutinized. The creature seemed to possess an intelligence, a deliberate awareness of its surroundings, and of Elmore himself. This wasn’t the mindless pursuit of a predator; this was something far more unnerving.
As Elmore ventured further into the mountain over the course of the next few weeks, the strange events escalated. One night, while patrolling near a stream in a secluded valley, Elmore discovered something that chilled him to his core. There, in the mud near the water’s edge, were massive footprints. These weren’t ordinary tracks—they were far too large and too deep. Measuring over 16 inches long, with distinct toes imprinted in the mud, the tracks stretched for several feet along the bank, leading into the dense forest. Elmore crouched down to examine them, his breath visible in the suddenly frigid air. The sheer size of the prints indicated that whatever made them was enormous, far larger than any human and certainly not a known animal in the region.
He followed the trail for as long as he could, but the footprints eventually disappeared into a thicket of brush. Elmore cast the prints, taking plaster molds of the tracks, which he later showed to his fellow agents and to wildlife experts. No one could explain what had made the tracks, though many were quick to suggest hoaxes or natural causes. Yet, the remote location and the consistency of the tracks made these explanations unlikely.
The following nights were marked by more strange occurrences. On several occasions, Elmore heard a series of deep, guttural growls echoing from the forest. These growls were unlike anything he had ever heard, neither human nor animal. The sounds reverberated through the trees, bouncing off the rocky cliffs and creating an eerie chorus that seemed to come from multiple directions at once. The growls were often followed by strange howls—long, mournful cries that sent shivers down his spine. Other Border Patrol agents, patrolling nearby, reported hearing similar sounds, and the area soon became a hotbed for rumors and speculation.
Despite the eerie sounds and fleeting glimpses of the creature, it remained elusive, never allowing itself to be fully seen. Elmore tried to capture the creature on his patrol camera, but it seemed to have an uncanny ability to avoid being filmed. Even when motion-activated cameras were set up in the area, they captured little more than blurry images and shadows, as though the creature knew how to evade detection.
As weeks turned into months, the intensity of the encounters began to fade. The footsteps became less frequent, the howls and growls more distant. Elmore continued to patrol the mountain, but the shadowy figure no longer followed him so closely. It was as if the creature had made its point, whatever that point might have been, and had chosen to retreat further into the wilderness.
Elmore couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever was out there had let him off easy, that it had been sizing him up during those long nights on the mountain. Whether it was simply curious or whether it was something more sinister, he couldn’t say. All he knew was that the presence of the creature—whatever it was—had left a lasting impact on him.
Years later, Elmore would reflect on his time patrolling Otay Mountain with a mixture of awe and unease. He had never encountered the creature again, but the memories of those nights—the heavy footsteps, the massive shadows, the eerie silence—stayed with him. The plaster casts of the footprints remained one of the few tangible pieces of evidence from his encounters, a haunting reminder of what had stalked him in the darkness.
Even today, the Otay Mountain Bigfoot encounter remains one of the most enduring and puzzling cases in cryptid lore. For Elmore, it was a brush with the unknown that defied explanation, a reminder that the world is full of mysteries that science has yet to fully understand. The question that lingers, both for Elmore and for those who study such phenomena, is whether the creature was truly a member of the legendary Bigfoot species or whether it was something else entirely—a creature of the wilderness, born from the shadows and forever destined to remain in the periphery of human understanding.
Now that you have read the casefile, I highly recommend you check out Rocky’s book. His accounts are truely eye opening, and very unsettling. 👇
Out on Foot: Nightly Patrols and Ghostly Tales of a U.S. Border Patrol Agent
This is so fascinating! I will definitely give his book a read!