Just outside the Sequoia National Forest, as the Sierra Nevadas slope down to California’s Central Valley, Tule River Reservation is home to the Yokut tribe. Near the river is Painted Rock, so named because of the pictographs that ancient peoples left there. The pictographs are estimated to be anywhere from 800-2,000 years old.

A docent from the tribe explained the red, yellow, white, and black drawings feature local animals such as a coyote, bear, eagle, condor, lizard, and frog. Most notably, they include three hominid shapes known as “Mayak Data Sunsunut,” or Bigfoot the Hairy Man. The images include a male, female, and baby Bigfoot. The drawing of the male Bigfoot is over eight feet tall, with arms that span six feet wide. The drawings of the mother and child Bigfoot are proportionally smaller.

Even though some consider the creatures demonic, in Yokut tradition, Bigfoot is seen as a shy but benevolent neighbor. Its presence kept away dangerous predators like coyotes, grizzly bears, and mountain lions. In some stories, he contributed to the creation of humans by insisting that they walk on two legs, like himself, and ensured this gift by outwitting the trickster Coyote in a race.

Please note that access to this site is restricted, and requires written permission from the Tribal Chairman.