Felton, California: Bigfoot Discovery Museum

Owner Michael Rugg opened this small-but-packed museum in 2004. A map with pins in it notes 150 local sightings. Rugg has a piece of Bigfoot's tooth.

During a lull in news about the pandemic, wildfires, and Presidential election results, San Francisco's media rushed to cover a crime at the Bigfoot Discovery Museum in Felton. On Nov. 11th, a carved Bigfoot statue was stolen in broad daylight from the museum's entrance. Weighing 150-200 lbs., the wood-carved figure, nicknamed "Danny DeVito" (because it was smaller than another carved Bigfoot in the parking lot), had disappeared. We checked our visit photos and tipster shots, where chains were always visible securing the sculpture, so it was not a crime of convenience, and took some planning.

By the next day, local police had recovered the statue, reported seen along a nearby highway. DeVito was returned to the museum and its owner Michael Rugg -- Bigfoot suffered from a heavy gouge wound above his right eye, along with other minor damage.

Best place I've ever visited! Michael was so knowledgeable and kept the museum open forty minutes past closing so we could discuss cryptozoology. Also, he let me take photos of his library collection to begin research myself! Best part of my trip to Felton, for sure. Please stop by!

This guy is the best! He busted out some of his doctorate publications on Bigfoot for us to look. Great guy, fun place!

Sadly, the Bigfoot Museum has been closed on every single trip we've made over the hill to Henry Cowell Redwoods SP. We love hiking here and keep thinking eventually we will catch the Bigfoot Museum open. Proprietor seems to be as elusive as the squatches.