YEAR: 2025

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: December

DATE: 16

STATE: Florida

COUNTY: Levy County

LOCATION DETAILS: (29.2238527, -82.6229553)

Investigator (MM) Notes:
The GPS coordinates above were provided by the witness. The coordinates points to the Big Cypress Boardwalk Trail in Goethe State Forest. The road that leads to it is Cow Creek Road (dirt road).

NEAREST TOWN: Dunnellon, Florida

NEAREST ROAD: State Road 121

OBSERVED: Date: 12/16/25
Time: between 12 and 12:15
Location: Goethe state park in Florida near big cypress boardwalk trail (29.2238527, -82.6229553)
Weather: sunny, maybe 60s, possibly a slight breeze

Im driving out to the trail and it’s clear to me that a Bigfoot could easily live out here, pretty dense forest with very sparse roads (dirt paths through underbrush) through the forest. It took me maybe 20-25 minutes driving on this path from a paved road to get to there trail. Granted I was going a bit slower because there was a lot of potholes but still.

So I go out to on the Big Cypress Trail and at first I’m thrown off because there’s no birds chirping at all… I heard maybe one caw and a cheep cheep but other than that just some bugs which is weird because when I looked up the park it said there’s good birding there, known for woodpeckers.

Anyways I go out on the trail and make it to the end and I’m kinda disappointed by it, the trail is pretty short, the “big cypress” doesn’t seem that special, and it’s all either paved or a boardwalk with railing so it doesn’t feel as nature-y as I’d want a state park to feel. As I’m walking back I see a little clearing maybe 30-40 yards off the path and I’m like yea let me go through there and make driving out here worth it. As soon as I step off the pavement I’m thinking” the pavement was safety and I am no longer safe” but in my head I say to myself “you’re just worried about not finding the path again but it’s clear line of sight back I’ll be fine, just go” so I walk maybe 10 yards and I hear a hum diagonally to the right of me, so not between me and the clearing and maybe 20-30 yards away, that lasts like 2 seconds. It starts low and goes up a note but it’s still deep. It’s not really gravely and there’s no breathyness or snort, it sounds like if you bother someone who is sleeping and they groan if that makes sense.

At the same time I hear an acorn or something behind me and to the left crash through some leaves and fall to the ground, at that point I’m petrified I’m like this could be a bear but I’m frozen… after maybe another 2 or 3 seconds I slowly back up to the path and head out keeping my head on a swivel in case it is a bear but I don’t hear anything else
I’m walking back though and I pass some signs on the trail and I’m like “this is to populated for anything, it’s literally paved I’m being silly and I’m just afraid because I’m alone” so I get back some confidence and turn around and keep walking determined to go back to the clearing.
I make it maybe halfway back to where the clearing was and at this point I’m taking a lot more pictures to document the area around me and all of the sudden I hear 1 crisp knock, no mistaking it, nothing else made any sort of similar sounds the whole time I was out there. It sounded like wood on wood.
I turned and ran, I was way to afraid to test it or wait around and hear another I just wanted out of there as fast as possible

All happened between 12:01 when I last texted my girlfriend and 12:14 when I looked at the time when I was in my car and started writing what I experienced.
I’m aware it sounds stupid now but having driven all the way out there, hearing almost nothing, knowing there was no one around I was a little spooked then immediately after stepping off the path I was afraid and after the knock I was terrified
No smells

ALSO NOTICED: No birds calling

OTHER WITNESSES: No I was alone

OTHER STORIES: No

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 12-12:15 noon
Sunny, maybe 60’s with a slight breeze

ENVIRONMENT: Dense cypress forest, very flat land

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Matthew Moneymaker:

To see the other bigfoot reports from this general vicinity, please refer to the page showing all the reports from Levy County, Florida.

About BFRO Investigator Matthew Moneymaker:

Matthew Moneymaker is originally from the Los Feliz District of Los Angeles, California.

- Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

- Juris Doctorate (Law degree) from University of Akron School of Law

- Founder of the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization,1995.

- Writer and co-producer of the Discovery Channel documentary "Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science", 2001.

- Co-producer of the TV Series "Mysterious Encounters" for the Outdoor Life Network (OLN Channel), 2002.

- Producer of the "2003 International Bigfoot Symposium" (Willow Creek Symposium) DVD set, 2004.

- Co-host of "Finding Bigfoot" on Animal Planet Channel, 2010 - 2017.

- Current Director of the BFRO

- Available for private bigfoot expeditions and conferences. To inquire please email ContactUS@BFRO.net