Spooky season is upon us, and while most folks are busy carving pumpkins and planning costumes, Texans know there’s another way to celebrate: swapping eerie legends under the big Texas sky. From borderland ghost stories to East Texas cryptids, these tales are more than just spooky – they’re stitched into our culture, told for generations around campfires, riverbanks, and small-town porches. 

Here are some of the Lone Star State’s most famous (and bone-chilling) folklore tales: 

La Llorona – The Weeping Woman 

A legend with deep roots in Mexican folklore, La Llorona is said to wander riversides and lakes at night, crying out for the children she drowned in a fit of grief. Her mournful wails echo through the darkness, warning children to stay away from dangerous waters. Along the Rio Grande and in San Antonio, generations of Texans grew up with this story, turning La Llorona into both a cautionary tale and a cultural mainstay. 

The Chupacabra – Goat-Sucker of South Texas 

First sightings in the 1990s caused a frenzy: farmers reported strange attacks on livestock, with goats drained of blood, and no clear culprit in sight. Was it a vampire-like reptilian creature, as some claimed, or simply coyotes with mange? While scientists lean toward the latter, the chupacabra has become a true Texas cryptid, earning a permanent place in campfire lore and even inspiring festivals and art. 

Bigfoot in the Piney Woods 

The dense forests of East Texas are prime territory for Bigfoot sightings. Hunters, hikers, and even park rangers have reported seeing towering, hairy figures and hearing bone-rattling howls echoing through the trees. Texas takes Bigfoot seriously, so much so that Jefferson, Texas, hosts the Texas Bigfoot Conference each fall, where believers and skeptics alike gather to swap stories, share evidence, and celebrate the legend of the “Wood Ape.” 

The Donkey Lady of San Antonio 

A mix of tragedy and urban legend, the Donkey Lady is said to haunt a bridge just south of San Antonio. The story goes that a woman, horribly burned in a fire, was left disfigured with an elongated face and hands that resembled hooves. Locals say if you stop on Donkey Lady Bridge at night, honk your horn, or call out to her you might just hear her shrieks or see glowing eyes staring back at you from the darkness. 

The Marfa Lights 

Out in far West Texas, near the small town of Marfa, strange glowing orbs have been spotted dancing along the horizon for over a century. The lights, sometimes red, blue, or white, appear without warning and move in ways that defy logic. Scientists chalk them up to atmospheric reflections, but locals know better. Whether ghostly lanterns, UFOs, or restless spirits, the Marfa Lights are one of Texas’ most enduring mysteries. 

The Ghost at Treaty Oak Distilling 

Even a good Texas bourbon has a ghost story. At Treaty Oak Distilling in Dripping Springs, employees and guests have reported eerie occurrences: footsteps in empty rooms, bottles mysteriously moving, and sudden chills in the barrel house. Some say it’s the spirit of an old ranch hand who once worked the land, others believe it’s tied to the Treaty Oak itself -an ancient tree in Austin linked to centuries of Texas history. Whatever the case, sipping whiskey here might come with a side of goosebumps. 

Why These Legends Stick Around 

Folklore isn’t just for scaring kids — it’s a way of passing down culture, blending history, caution, and imagination into stories that last. From La Llorona’s warning to Bigfoot’s mystery, Texas’ spooky tales reflect the land itself: vast, wild, and filled with wonder. 

So this October, grab a flashlight, pour yourself a drink, and lean in close. After all, everything’s bigger in Texas, even the ghost stories.