Sasquatch Chronicles Blog

The Puyallup Screamer is a Washington-state cryptid known not for its appearance, but for its voice—a series of piercing, humanlike screams that reverberate through the forests around Puyallup, roughly 35 miles south of Seattle. These chilling vocalizations are most often reported in the dense woodlands along the Puyallup River, across South Hill, and throughout the foothills that lead into the Cascade Mountains.

For nearly five decades, an unidentified source has produced these intense, unmistakably human-sounding cries. Witnesses have ranged from homeowners and hikers to hunters, loggers, and even responding law enforcement officers.

Yet despite numerous investigations and attempted wildlife identifications, the true origin of the Puyallup Screamer’s haunting calls remains entirely unknown.

Many witnesses said “It’s nothing like an animal I’ve ever heard living around here”

The sounds became so frequent that law enforcement occasionally investigated, assuming they were human distress calls, only to find nothing.

Classification: Unidentified Vocalizing Entity
Region: Puyallup River Valley, South Hill, McMillin, Orting, WA

From late summer into early winter, witnesses have reported a noticeable uptick in activity, including:

• Deep, heavy footfalls heard in wooded areas

• Occasional sightings of a tall, dark figure lingering at the edge of tree lines

• Unusual agitation among livestock, noted across multiple accounts

CASE PS-01: The River Valley Series (1979–1981)

Location: Rural properties near Puyallup River (exact addresses withheld)
Witnesses: Multiple residents; sheriff’s patrol
Summary: A series of nighttime screams lasting several minutes occurred intermittently over two years. Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched repeatedly, believing a person might be in distress. No injured individuals or animal remains were located.
Deputies confirmed screams were “too loud for any local wildlife.” Residents described windows vibrating during the longest scream events.
This was the first officially logged Screamer reports.

CASE PS-02: The McCallum Recording (1981)

Location: South Hill outskirts
Witness: Adult homeowner (name withheld), neighbors
Summary: Witness captured audio of prolonged screams outside property line at approx. 01:30 hrs. Audio later circulated through Northwest Bigfoot and wildlife research groups.
Notable Data: Wildlife biologists consulted ruled out cougar, fox, and elk.
Acoustic analysis suggested lung capacity beyond typical animal norms in region.
No visual confirmation.
Status: Most frequently referenced Screamer data evidence.

CASE PS-03: Orting Night Encounter (1982)

Location: Orting–Puyallup corridor
Witnesses: Four teenagers
Summary: While driving, witnesses heard a sequence of three screams coming from dense forest. One witness reported a large, dark silhouette crossing between trees.
Notable Data:
Scream described as “loud enough to drown out the car radio.”
Emotional state of witnesses consistent with shock and fear per deputy report.
Status: Partial visual corroboration; no follow-up evidence.

CASE PS-06: Carbonado Logging Crew (2004)

Location: Carbonado foothills, near logging access roads
Witnesses: Six loggers, two sawyers
Summary: Workers heard two distinct scream types alternately calling across a ravine: one deep, resonant call; one higher-pitched, almost childlike.
Notable Data: Witnesses familiar with wildlife ruled out cougar, elk, and fox.
Equipment vibrations noted during the deepest calls (reported but not instrumented).
Status: Multi-source vocal event; suggests more than one individual.

CASE PS-08: Riverwalk Trail Incident (2015)

Location: Puyallup Riverwalk Trail
Witnesses: Two joggers
Summary: Repeated single screams spaced 30–60 seconds apart. Witnesses reported the sound as “massive… it felt like the air was being pushed.”
Notable Data: Echo pattern indicated source was approx. 400–600 meters upriver.
No footpaths nearby; terrain thick with blackberry, alder, and steep embankments.
Status: Strong directional audio, no visual confirmation.

CASE PS-10: Alderton Dusk Event (2023)

Location: Near Alderton agricultural corridor
Witness: Adult fisherman
Summary: Two screams at dawn, separated by approx. 15 seconds. Witness describes them as “far too loud to be a human and too deep to be a cougar.”
Notable Data: Witness observed birds flushing in a 100–150 ft radius after second scream.
River fog conditions ideal for sound travel, though volume still unusually high.
Status: Recent but consistent with legacy Screamer vocal patterns.

90% of reports occur within 7–12 miles of the Puyallup River corridor, suggesting a habitat preference or travel route.