Travel Channel unleashes the new series In Search of Monsters on Wednesday, April 3. In the debut episode we take a closer look at the world’s most famous cryptid: Bigfoot.

A combination of terrifying eyewitness accounts, recently uncovered anthropological evidence, and a possible government cover-up of a Bigfoot being held in captivity prove that we still have a lot to learn about this mysterious creature. These new findings lead to a hunt for the legendary primate using the most cutting-edge science available, which produces shocking DNA evidence of its existence.

This is the Bigfoot story as it’s never been told before.

And now, for the first time ever, Travel Channel reveals the eight best places to catch a glimpse of Bigfoot using never-before-released data from the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO). This exclusive tracking information comes from BFRO’s Follow-up Log and Tracking System (FLATS)– the world’s ultimate sasquatch database of compiled sightings and testimonies.

After analyzing the 23,000 sightings across the country, Travel Channel has determined the eight states with the highest likelihood of having your own Bigfoot encounter:

WASHINGTON - 2,032 Sightings

For the absolute best chance of spotting Bigfoot, head to Washington state. With a whopping 2,032 sightings and counting, this is the world’s most active region. The most popular places to catch a glimpse include the Blue Mountains, Okanogan County - or better yet, Ape Canyon - the locale of one of the most aggressive Bigfoot encounters ever recorded. In 1924, a group of miners reported being attacked by multiple sasquatch, which allegedly threw rocks at their cabin and tried to break in. Years after the notorious attacks, an experienced skier vanished near the very same locale. Making these events even more intriguing is the fact that native legend has long told of a species of ape-men living on nearby Mount St. Helens.

CALIFORNIA - 1,697 Sightings

California has long been home to the hairy cryptid. In fact, it was here, in 1958, when a construction worker named Jerry Crew stumbled upon massive footprints in a dirt road. He made casts using some of his construction equipment, and eventually the story reached the media. The newspapers named this new creature Bigfoot.

PENNSYLVANIA - 1,340 Sightings

Not surprisingly, the Appalachian range has a high number of Bigfoot sightings. With hundreds of miles of connected forestlands, it’s a prime space for a large animal to go undetected. One of Pennsylvania’s most interesting cases involves a mountain biker who, while taking a rest, thought he was watching the back-end of a bear as it rummaged through a downed-tree. The biker’s curiosity turned to shock when the animal stood up. What he thought was a bear was actually a giant 7-foot bipedal creature covered in black hair.

MICHIGAN - 1,131 Sightings

Michigan may be more famous for the legend of the “Dogman,” but the state also has a high number of Bigfoot sightings. Some of the highest amounts of Bigfoot activity is near the Seney National Wildlife Refuge in Michigan’s rugged Upper Peninsula. One eerie report comes from a mother who was driving with her young infant. She pulled over for the night in a picnic area, only to be awoken by a foul smell. When she opened her eyes, she saw a large hairy creature staring at her child through the windshield.

NEW YORK - 1,068 Sightings

Whitehall, New York, near Lake George, has long been known as the Bigfoot capital of the east coast. In fact, the area has so many Bigfoot sightings that they named Bigfoot the official town animal. It all began one night in 1976 on rural Abair Road. A few teenagers saw a giant hairy creature that they claim charged towards them. They ran back to town to get help from police officers, who upon investigation, also saw the creature. Because of the sheer number of sightings that night, it lends credibility to the legendary Abair Road incident.

OHIO - 1,042 Sightings

The Eastern-half of Ohio is teeming with Bigfoot sightings. Numerous accounts have been reported of what locals call “the grassman” - a large ape-like creature that has been seen roaming the hills and forests of Ohio’s Appalachian plateau. The state is also home to the famous “Ohio Howl,” a hair-raising recording of a deep voice screaming and howling into the night, believed to be the call of a sasquatch. Even creepier, years after the initial recording, the howls were heard again.

OREGON - 1,009 Sightings

Being in the Pacific Northwest, it’s no surprise that Oregon is one of America’s Bigfoot hotspots. One of the most convincing accounts from Oregon comes from a psychiatrist who was vacationing with his family at Oregon Caves National Monument. As they left the caves, they began hearing strange howls coming from the forest, and soon after, watched a sasquatch running through the trees. The sighting is documented with meticulous detail, making it both fascinating and chilling.

TEXAS - 806 Sightings

East Texas, especially the areas that border Oklahoma and Louisiana, is the site of countless Bigfoot reports each year. One of the most horrifying encounters comes from a hunter in Panola County. The witness claims that while he was hog hunting, he watched a sasquatch leap out of the woods, grabbing one of the hogs. The report states that the Bigfoot began making loud whooping noises, which were met with more howls from somewhere off in the distance. Before walking back into the woods, the creature stared directly at the hunter and growled.

Tune in to the premiere of “In Search of Monsters” on Travel Channel on Wednesday, April 3 at 9:00pm ET/PT.