Strange & Scary Utah Stories of the Paranormal

Well-known for its picturesque landscapes, the great Salt Lake, and home to the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, Utah is also known as a hotbed of paranormal activity.  As a result, Salt Lake City and the surrounding communities along the Wasatch Front have no shortage of bizarre sightings and frightening hauntings. 

The Ghost of John Baptiste
One well-known ghost story refers to John Baptiste, one of Salt Lake City’s first known grave diggers during the 1800s.  Baptiste was known throughout town and lived comfortably in a modest two-room, though many locals thought perhaps he lived a little too comfortably.  In fact, after many years it was discovered that Baptiste had been stealing the clothing, jewelry, and other personal affects off the bodies he was tasked with burying. 

After Baptiste was tried and convicted, he was exiled to a remote island in the middle of the great Salt Lake. When officials later visited the island to check up on Baptiste, he had disappeared.  To this day, it’s unknown whether or not he perished or somehow escaped the island.  A number of locals have claimed to see ghost walking along the shores of the great lake, grasping a bundle of damp, rotting clothing. 

Promontory Point
Promontory Point, Utah is the spot where the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad were connected in 1869.  The two lines formed the famous Transcontinental Railroad which linked the eastern and western halves of the United States.  Since the massive project created numerous jobs, thousands of laborers from China came over to work.  One of the main workers’ camp that was located at Dove Creek is said to be haunted and a hotspot for paranormal activity.  There have been several reports of inexplicable lights, strange voices speaking in Chinese, and unexplainable footsteps.

The Bear Lake Monster
One of the strangest yet persistent “hauntings” of Utah is one that is allegedly located at Bear Lake.  This “Caribbean of the Rockies” located along the Utah-Idaho border is a popular outdoor recreation spot for boating, jet skiing, camping, and of course fishing.  But for nearly two hundred years, there have been a handful of reports of a strange creature that lurks beneath the surface.

The Shoshoni Indians that inhabited the area for centuries are said to be the first to have seen the creature – they describe it as serpent-like creature with short legs that would spurt water and occasionally crawl ashore. 

Such a legend would have surely been dismissed had it not been for the numerous other reports.  During the 1860s, a handful of highly regarded pioneer families claimed to have seen the creature, some while out fishing.  In 1874, another reputable pioneer, a wagon train captain, declared he saw the creature poke it’s head above the surface about 20 yards from shore.  A more recent sighting occurred in 1946 when a high-ranking Boy Scout executive gave such a detailed and substantial account of his encounter with the creature that it was difficult to dismiss.

Hauntworld Reviews Utah Haunted Houses

Welcome to our Utah Haunted House and Halloween Attraction page where you can find all sorts of haunted houses in Utah. Some of our favorite haunted houses in Utah are located on this page.  Listed below are some of the best haunts you can find in the state of Utah.  If you know of a haunted house, haunted hayride, ghost tour, real haunted house, haunted attraction, scary attraction, or Halloween attraction in Utah please refer those attractions to our site so they may create a FREE listing.  If you you would like to review one of the attractions we have listed please create an account.  Once you create a user account you may post your reviews and rate any haunted houses on our system.

Our favorite haunted house in Utah is Nightmare on13th in Salt Lake City, Utah is 36,000 square feet of sheer TERROR like you have never experienced before. Featured as one of the scariest haunted houses in America by The Travel Channel. Visit them online at www.nightmareon13th.com

Utah loves to scream so please be our guest and click on the profiles for Halloween attractions in Utah listed above.

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To find Corn Mazes and Pumpkin patches in Utah go to www.HalloweenAttractions.com