Only in Your State | New Mexico |Brandie Erisman

If you’ve lived here awhile, you may have heard of most of these New Mexico monsters. They roam the state, haunt our dreams, and play tricks on our imaginations – especially when we are alone on those dark, dark nights.

Aliens

Sometimes there seems to be so much talk, that at least some of it must be true. Such is the case with alien reports in New Mexico, be it the legendary Roswell UFO crash, UFO sightings in Aztec, or the rumors of a secret alien base in Dulce. With so much chatter on the topic, there must be aliens among us, right?

Bigfoot

Everyone is moving to New Mexico, even Bigfoot.

This ape-like monster, frequently sighted in the Pacific Northwest, and elsewhere across the U.S., is rumored to be hanging out in the Valles Caldera. True or not, Mr. Big did get his own festival and BBQ day in Jemez Springs.

Chupacabra

Ah, the goat sucker.

You will find stories about these beasts all around the world. However, Spanish-speaking areas seem to see more goat-sucking action. Descriptions of the monster vary and range from some sort of wild dog-like animal to a hunched, walking reptile. Whatever it looks like, if you ever find livestock with odd punctures and drained of blood, you can add the chupacabra to your list of suspects.

La Llorona

Most people in New Mexico have heard of La Llorona, the Weeping Woman. Some have even seen her!

This white-clad sprectre (formerly a human mother who tragically lost her children) perpetually haunts rivers and streams throughout the Southwest, looking to lure children to their death.

Skinwalkers

These evil creatures of Navajo lore are said to be powerful witches who can secretly assume the shape of animals, like coyotes, crows, foxes, owls, and wolves.

Some appear as half-human, half-animal, or can even steal a face to look like a friend or family member. To get their powers, though, the shapeshifters must murder someone close to them.

Thunderbirds

It is said that these great creatures once ruled the skies. It’s the stuff of story but mixed with a bit a fact. Giant birds called teratorns (or wonder birds) once flew over New Mexico. Skeletal remains show that this relative of the vulture had a wingspan of more than 20 feet and weighed over 120 pounds — large enough to snatch a small child. The prehistoric bird is supposed to be extinct, but New Mexico reports from the 1800s say the bird may still exist.

More recently, extraordinarily large birds have been sighted in the Dona Ana Mountains.

Vinegaroons

No legend here. These eight-eyed arachnids are real!

Vinegaroons (also called whip scorpions) got their common name because of the vinegar-smelling acid they emit when attacked. While ugly and HUGE (and can bite), they mostly eat other bugs.

Their bite is non-venomous, but their spray can be caustic.

Have you run into any of these ghastly New Mexico monsters? Which of them scares you the most? Talk to us in the comments.