The accepted term is “Cryptid”; that is, those legendary monsters that can’t be scientifically proven to exist, but people continue to report seeing them. The two most famous of these have to be the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot.
From the popular chupacabra to the lesser-known Loveland Frogman, cryptids have stoked our imaginations for years. Kentucky alone has 12 or more legendary cryptids, with the most famous (and deadly) Pope Lick Monster or the Goatman.
To be clear, this post does not want to diminish the pain and loss of the families who have lost someone who was trying to find the Goatman; nor does it encourage people to go hunting for it. STAY OFF the train trestle.
The 2026 Goatman Fest happened this weekend. In its fourth year, it gives visitors the opportunity to meet experts, attend seminars and take special tours, shop vendors, enjoy live music, go on a haunted trail, and more. The four-day festival took place at Pope Lick Park, near the Pope Lick Trestle where the legend occurs.
Unlike many cryptids, there are two very strong candidates for the origin of the story, and a third interesting one. One legend tells of a circus train that derailed in the area, and that the Goatman was part of the circus’s freak show: half-man, half-goat that escaped and has haunted the area since.
Another story tells of Charles “Ches” McCartney, who traveled the country in a cart pulled by goats. He was a fire-and-brimstone preacher who travelled the country. Known for goat-skin clothing and a pungent smell, his path has multiple Goatman cryptid legends, and he has been to Pope Lick multiple times.
Then there was a farm near Pope Lick that was thought to hold Satanic worship, including goat sacrifices.
Allegedly, the Pope Lick Monster uses hypnosis and voice mimicry to lure people onto the 100-foot-tall Norfolk & Southern train trestle over Pope Lick Creek. People would go hunting the monster, climb up on the train trestle, not hear a train coming, and fall off the bridge when a train passes. The trestle is very narrow, and there is no safe route if you get caught.
The festival brings people from all around the country to learn about different cryptids and have some fun.