Minnesota Legend or Lie: The Hairy Man of the Vergas Trail

Just in time for Halloween, The Hairy Man of the Vergas Trail. One of the scariest stories from Minnesota's history. But...is it just an urban legend?

I was today years old when I found a reference to the haunted Vergas Trail. The people I contacted spoke of reports of glowing headstones sending teenage lovers running for their life and child ghosts chasing and leaving evidence of their haunting on cars.

But, they said, the scariest example was the Hairy Man of The Vergas Trail. So I started reading up.

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According to the Perham Focus

"There are numerous eyewitness accounts of what has become known as the Hairy Man of Vergas Trails. This newspaper has been in contact with about a dozen people from around the area who reported run-ins with the Hairy Man."

Most stories on the internet machine describe a big-foot-like creature and an aroma that you will never forget (but at the same time most can't describe, I imaging rotten eggs and pumpkin spice).

Some think it odd Hairy Man is barefoot, but when did you ever see Bigfoot wear shoes. The whole scary vibe would be lost if they wore a pair of Chucks.

"What is not known is when the first reported sighting of the Hairy Man occurred, or for that matter, when the legend began. The earliest talk of the Hairy Man can be traced back to the late 1960s, but no one has an answer to why it started." (Perham Focus)

This works for me. It's important a legend of a scary beast has a murky past (just like Domino, the mysterious stranger who blew into town, is great a fixing darn near anything with a motor, and an eye for the Mayor's daughter in every Lifetime movie).

But I'm joking, most people aren't when it comes to Hairy. Like for Cheryl Hanson, who, in 1972, was snowmobiling with family

"We were snowmobiling around and around this old cabin we found, and all of a sudden, a beast-like creature popped out of the cabin holding a huge stick," Cheryl Hanson said. "It had very broad shoulders and I was trying to rationalize what it was, but what really stood out to me, is it was barefoot in the snow.

"We took off fast and went back to tell the adults." (Perham Focus)

Read many more accounts of The Hairy Man of the Vergas Trail.

Is It Legend Or Lie?

You'll have to decide for yourself. I think it's a bunch of hooey...but I still won't walk that trail at night. Not because of Hairy...because it's dark. Yeah, that's it. That's the ticket. It's dark.

You Could Trick or Treat as The Hairy Man of The Vergas Trail!

And here's where you'll find the best treats!