Waves gently lapped the shore and the full moon shone brightly over Bear Lake, making the water sparkle. A deep foreboding was in the air and the fawn, drinking water from the lake, could feel it. His ears perked up and he stood still as his eyes searched the area. Only the sounds of nature could be heard, crickets chirping and an owl hooting, but the deer sensed that it was in danger and quickly moved away. With great speed, he ran gracefully, as if on air, to safety.
A few feet from shore, the water parted abruptly, exposing a gigantic brown bulge about 90 feet long. Water trickled down her sides as she floated in the stillness of the night. At first glance it looked like a huge log that had floated to the surface. After a couple of seconds, he slowly moved towards the shore. The howling of a wolf was heard in the distance, but was instantly cut short as a thunderous noise, like the roar of an angry bull, pierced the night and was heard from the shores of Bear Lake and beyond. Immediately, the sounds of nature fell silent and a strange sense of foreboding lingered in the atmosphere.
The mystery of the Bear Lake Monster has been an exciting part of Idaho history since the first pioneers arrived in 1863. Prominent area leaders encouraged the Indian legend because no one had the desire to move to the cold Bear Lake country. The valley was located at the top of the Rocky Mountains in southern Idaho and the winters were harsh.
The legend of the Bear Lake Monster made life a little more exciting for the pioneers. Some people claimed to have seen it and gave descriptions of it. Over the years, no one has disproved the Bear Lake Monster. A group of scientists tried to discredit the monster and said that it was a huge cod that was shipped from the East. Does the Bear Lake Monster exist? Is it fact or fiction, legend or myth?
The legend of the Bear Lake Monster began with the natives who inhabited this valley. When settlers arrived in 1863, the Indians told them all about the Great Bear Lake Monster. He had captured and carried two of his bravos as they swam. The legend came to life when people began to report its existence.
Thomas Sleight and John Collings of Paris, Idaho, and Allen and MC Davis of St. Charles were driving six girls home from a party in Fish Haven when they stopped at the lake. Some unusually large waves caught his attention. They noticed four brown lumps and six smaller ones heading south. They swam at an incredible speed, about a mile a minute, until they were out of sight.
One summer day in 1868, SM Johnson was riding his horse along the shoreline when he saw an object floating in the water. At first glance, it looked like the body of a man. He was shocked and thought someone had drowned, so he trotted his horse up and looked at the object, but it didn’t move. When the water did not carry the body to land, he thought it must be a tree that was anchored to the bottom of the lake with its roots still intact. While he was looking at this supposed tree, he said that he opened a gigantic mouth that was big enough to swallow a man and blew water out of his mouth and nose. Johnson said he had a skinny head, huge pointed ears and three little legs that rose out of the water as he approached the shore.
Some time later, a group of twenty people saw the monster and among them were leading men of the community. Two prominent leaders who reported the sighting were Wilford Woodruff and George Q. Cannon. No one doubted what they saw. These men had integrity and were trustworthy.
The interesting thing is that all the reports have more or less the same description. The monster’s eyes were a fiery red, and its ears protruded from the sides of its spindly head. Its body was long, similar to a giant alligator, and it could swim faster than a galloping horse. It had small legs and a huge mouth, big enough to eat a man.
Is the Bear Lake Monster fact or fiction, legend or myth? Whatever conclusion is reached, the legend lives on and brings a great deal of mystery and excitement to the community. Remember, when visiting Idaho, never doubt the Bear Lake Monster or you’ll be frowned upon. No one makes fun of the great legend of Bear Lake Valley!
