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The Beast of Bray Road-Myths & Legends of Wisconsin

Updated: Mar 21

The roads of Wisconsin are long, dark, and winding—especially at night. If you ever find yourself driving through Elkhorn, be sure to keep your doors locked and your eyes on the road, because something is watching from the shadows. Something with glowing amber eyes, a hulking, fur-covered body, and claws sharp enough to tear through flesh.

Elkhorn, WI - Home to the Beast of Bray Road
Elkhorn, WI - Home to the Beast of Bray Road

Locals call it The Beast of Bray Road, a werewolf-like creature that has been sighted stalking the lonely stretch of pavement since the 1930s. Witnesses describe a towering, wolf-headed monster that walks on two legs, its breath visible in the cold night air as it lurks just beyond the tree line. Some say it charges at cars, leaving deep scratches along the doors, while others claim to have seen it crouched on the roadside, devouring roadkill with unsettling human-like hands. But what makes this legend truly terrifying is that the sightings never stopped.


Throughout the late 1980s and early ’90s, reports of the Beast surged, with residents of Elkhorn claiming to see a 7-foot-tall wolf-like creature with a muscular build and shaggy fur, running on two legs before dropping to all fours and disappearing into the dense woods. One of the most famous witnesses, Doris Gibson, recalled swerving her car in terror as the creature lunged at her vehicle, its glowing eyes locking onto hers before it vanished into the night. In her book The Beast of Bray Road: Tailing Wisconsin’s Werewolf, journalist and cryptid researcher Linda S. Godfrey documented Gibson’s chilling encounter, along with numerous other firsthand reports from terrified locals. Some have described hearing eerie growls, seeing massive clawed footprints in the dirt, and even experiencing an overwhelming feeling of being watched while driving down Bray Road at night.


For those brave enough to try and catch a glimpse of the Beast themselves, Bray Road remains the best-known hotspot for sightings. The rural road, stretching just outside of Elkhorn, cuts through open farmland and patches of dense woods—the perfect hiding place for a predator that doesn’t want to be seen. Some have also reported strange encounters along nearby roads like Bowers Road and Hospital Road, where dark figures dart across the pavement or linger in the misty fields just beyond the headlights.


The Beast of Bray Road is just one of many terrifying legends whispered about in the dead of night, and this post is just the beginning. This will be the first installment in our Spooky Myths & Legends series, where we explore eerie tales from all over the United States and around the world—stories that chill the spine, raise goosebumps on the skin, and make you question what’s lurking just beyond the edge of the light.


From the ghostly cries of La Llorona to the unsettling presence of The Black-Eyed Children, we’ll be uncovering the darkest folklore and urban legends that haunt people’s dreams. So lock your doors, dim the lights, and prepare to dive into the shadows—you never know what might be staring back.  Check back in a few days for another of Wisconsin’s spooky legends!


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