If you’ve lived here a while, you may have heard of most of these New Mexico urban legends. They roam the state, haunt our dreams, and play tricks on our imaginations – especially when we are alone on those dark, dark nights! So, here are some creepy things in New Mexico that might just surprise you someday:

1. Aliens
AndieGirl5/TripAdvisor
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?
2. Big Foot
JD Hancock/Flickr
Everyone is moving to New Mexico, even Big Foot. 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.
3. Chupacabra
Wilson Hui/Flickr
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.
4. La Llorona
Denise Rowlands/Flickr
Most people in New Mexico have heard of La Llorona, the Weeping Woman. Some have even seen her! This white-clad spirit (formerly a human mother who tragically lost her children) perpetually haunts rivers and streams throughout the Southwest, looking to lure children to their death.

Related Stories

This Speakeasy Hidden Down An Alley In New Mexico Is Perfect For A Date Night

This Speakeasy Hidden Down An Alley In New Mexico Is Perfect For A Date Night

 This Charming Casita In New Mexico Is The Perfect Place For A Relaxing Getaway

This Charming Casita In New Mexico Is The Perfect Place For A Relaxing Getaway

 Discover 7 Of New Mexico's Most Iconic Views On This Epic 14-Hour Road Trip

Discover 7 Of New Mexico's Most Iconic Views On This Epic 14-Hour Road Trip
5. Skinwalkers
Fred Jackson/Flickr
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.
6. Thunderbirds
Travis/Flickr
It is said that these great creatures once ruled the skies. It's the stuff of story but mixed with a bit of 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.
7. T.J. Wright
St. James Hotel, 617 S Collison Ave, Cimarron, NM 87714, USA
Randy O./TripAdvisor
Room 18 of the St. James Hotel in Cimarron New Mexico is so haunted that the room is locked and guests are forbidden to enter, lest they upset the room's lingering disembodied guest, Thomas James (TJ) Wright. According to the story, in 1881, Wright was playing poker at the St. James. He bet against the hotel owner and won the hotel. However, as Wright was about to enter his room for the evening, he was shot in the back. He managed to crawl into his room (number 18), but he bled out and died. Needless to say, Wright was angry – and remains angry. Whenever someone was allowed to stay in the room, bad things happened at the hotel.
8. Vinegaroons
Richard Wasserman/Flickr
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 urban legends? Which of them scares you the most? Talk to us in the comments!

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

New Mexico Urban Legends

Tori Jane | June 17, 2022

What are some creepy or weird New Mexico animals? 

New Mexico is a beautiful state with lots to do and see, but a lot of it is wilderness – and with wilderness typically comes some creepy crawlies. Some of the more infamously weird New Mexico animals (and insects) include ones we can hardly see unless we’re looking for them, like the tiny-but-weird Socorro isopod. In the mountains near Socorro, New Mexico is a natural warm spring that houses some of the rarest animals in the world. These little fellas are a species of tiny freshwater crustaceans that kind of look like “roly-poly” or “pill” bugs. In 1988, the springs dried up and the isopods died. Not to be allowed to go extinct, scientists at the University of New Mexico repopulated the spring with captive specimens to ensure the future of this tiny, weird animal in New Mexico.  

Are there any mythical creatures in New Mexico? 

Well, they’re “mythical” for a reason, right? Sure, you won’t find any unicorns here (bummer), but you will find some other creepy critters that might as well be mythical – or ones that are currently mythical but thought to exist anyway by many people and cultures, like Bigfoot or the Chupacabra. So, what about mythical creatures in New Mexico? Here, it’s said that the Navajo spirit witch known as Skinwalkers may roam (along with the rest of the desert southwest). Another mythical creature – or spirit – said to roam the deserts of New Mexico includes the Mexican banshee known as La Llorona, and then there’s El Coco, a boogeyman-type of character said to abduct children at night. New Mexico, you’re creepy.  

What kinds of eerie New Mexico cryptids are there?  

With lots of local lore come lots of potential cryptid sightings, and honestly, we’re here for it. Other than the above-mentioned New Mexico cryptids, beings, or paranormal sightings, there are far more. New Mexico is a place of legend and spirit, and its cryptid population is said to embody exactly that. One of our favorite New Mexico cryptids isn’t really a cryptid at all so much as a Native American legend known as the Thunderbird. Thunderbirds exist in many cultures and myths, and sometimes, New Mexico natives swear they still see this supposedly extinct creature from time to time in the Doña Ana Mountains near Las Cruces.  

Related Articles