November 9, 2026 | New Gretna, New Jersey
The latest Bigfoot story making headlines involves a New Jersey family who claims they encountered an enormous, soaking-wet, hairy creature crossing a deserted highway in the middle of the night. What makes this account particularly interesting is that two adults reportedly witnessed the same creature, and the family was so frightened that they contacted law enforcement after returning home.
The encounter reportedly happened on October 11, 2026, along Route 542 near Batsto Village in New Jersey’s famous Pine Barrens. The area is known for its dense forests, winding roads, isolated stretches of wilderness, and longstanding folklore surrounding mysterious creatures.
According to the report, Keyara Klawitter was driving with her husband, Jason, and their children at approximately 10 p.m. The family was traveling along the rural highway when they approached the intersection where Loveland Lane meets Route 542. As they rounded a bend, their headlights illuminated something massive emerging from the woods.
At first, the family had no idea what they were looking at.
The woman described the creature as approximately eight feet tall, with an enormous, bulky frame covered in black hair. She specifically remembered that its fur appeared to be completely soaked, almost as though it had just emerged from a lake or creek. Its arms were unusually long, and its hands looked remarkably human.
The creature reportedly moved across the road with surprisingly few steps. Despite its enormous size, it seemed to move naturally and effortlessly. Keyara was terrified. She slowed the vehicle as the creature crossed in front of them, trying to process what she was seeing.
Her husband, Jason, also witnessed the encounter. Afterward, the couple compared what they had seen and realized their descriptions were remarkably similar. Neither could offer an ordinary explanation for the enormous figure that had just crossed their path.
Keyara later explained that she had known very little about Bigfoot before the incident. She wasn’t someone who spent her time researching Sasquatch sightings or looking for mysterious creatures in the woods. Nevertheless, she was convinced that what she encountered was something extraordinary.
The family didn’t simply dismiss the experience and continue home.
After arriving home, they contacted the New Jersey State Park Police and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Neither agency handled this type of report, so they were eventually directed toward the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO), an organization that investigates alleged Sasquatch encounters.
BFRO investigator Jacob Korbel subsequently interviewed the couple and visited the location with them. During the investigation, the witnesses showed him precisely where they first spotted the creature and where it disappeared into the surrounding forest.
Korbel noted that there were established wildlife trails on both sides of the highway. Investigators also discovered several broken branches and a few unusual impressions in the ground. Unfortunately, none of these findings could be confidently connected to the reported encounter.
The investigator nevertheless considered the witnesses’ reactions noteworthy. During the site visit, the couple reportedly appeared uncomfortable, frequently looking toward the surrounding woods and remaining reluctant to separate from the group.
Their behavior suggested that the experience had genuinely affected them.
The location itself adds another interesting dimension to the story. New Jersey’s Pine Barrens cover a vast region of forest, wetlands, rivers, and relatively isolated wilderness. The area has a long history of unusual folklore, including the legendary Jersey Devil. While the region is not typically associated with the same volume of Bigfoot reports as the Pacific Northwest, its extensive woodland habitat certainly provides plenty of places for wildlife and unexplained encounters.
Could the family have encountered an unusually large bear, a person wearing some kind of costume, or an optical illusion created by darkness and headlights? Those possibilities cannot be eliminated.
There is currently no independently verified physical evidence establishing that the creature was Bigfoot. No DNA evidence, clear photographs, or confirmed footprints have emerged from the investigation.
Still, the encounter has added another intriguing chapter to America’s ongoing Sasquatch mystery.
For Keyara and Jason, however, the question probably isn’t whether Bigfoot exists. They believe they already have their answer.
And somewhere in the dark, heavily wooded Pine Barrens, whatever crossed that highway disappeared without leaving a convincing explanation behind.
Sources:
- FemaleFirst – Terrified driver calls police after spotting giant, soaking-wet Bigfoot
- 97.3 ESPN – Husband and Wife Claim to Have Seen Bigfoot on Route 542
Support the search for Bigfoot by getting your hoodie here: Sasquatch Expedition | Pullover Hoodie