| The waves splashed gently upon the shore and the full | | | | Thomas Sleight and John Collings of Paris, Idaho, and |
| moon shone brightly upon Bear Lake, making the | | | | Allen and M.C. Davis of St. Charles were taking six girls |
| water shimmer. A deep foreboding was in the air and | | | | home from a party in Fish Haven when they stopped |
| the fawn, sipping from the lake, could sense it. His ears | | | | off at the lake. Some unusually large waves got their |
| perked up and he stood still while his eyes searched | | | | attention. They noticed four brown lumps and six |
| the area. Only the sounds of nature could be heard, | | | | smaller ones that were heading southward. They |
| crickets sang and an owl hooted, but the deer sensed | | | | swam with incredible speed, about a mile a minute, until |
| that he was in danger and quickly darted away. With | | | | they were out of sight. |
| great speed, he sprinted gracefully, as if in mid air, | | | | One summer day in 1868, S. M. Johnson was riding his |
| toward safety. | | | | horse alongside the shoreline when he saw an object |
| A few feet from shore, the water abruptly parted and | | | | floating in the water. At first glance, it looked like a |
| exposed a gigantic brown lump about 90-feet long. | | | | man's body. He was shocked and thought that |
| Water was trickling down its sides as it floated in the | | | | someone had drowned so he trotted his horse closer |
| stillness of the night. At first glance it looked like an | | | | and watched the object but it didn't move. When the |
| enormous log that had floated to the surface. After a | | | | water didn't wash the body ashore, he figured it must |
| couple seconds, it slowly moved toward shore. A howl | | | | have been a tree that was anchored to the bottom of |
| of a wolf was heard in the distance but it was instantly | | | | the lake with its roots still in tact. As he watched this |
| cut off when a thunderous noise, like the roaring of an | | | | so-called tree, he said it opened a gigantic mouth that |
| angry bull, pierced the night and was heard from the | | | | was large enough to swallow a man and it blew water |
| shores of Bear Lake and beyond. Immediately, the | | | | from its mouth and nose. Johnson said that it had a |
| sounds of nature became silent and an eerie sense of | | | | skinny head, huge pointed ears, and three small legs |
| foreboding remained in the atmosphere. | | | | that rose up from the water as it approached the |
| The mystery of the Bear Lake Monster has been an | | | | shore. |
| exciting part of Idaho history ever since the early | | | | Some time later, a group of twenty people spotted the |
| pioneers arrived in 1863. Prominent leaders of the area | | | | monster and among these were prominent men of the |
| encouraged the Indian legend because no one had a | | | | community. Two outstanding leaders who reported the |
| desire to move to the cold Bear Lake country. The | | | | sighting were Wilford Woodruff and George Q. |
| valley was located at the tops of the Rocky | | | | Cannon. No one doubted what they saw. These men |
| Mountains in southern Idaho and the winters were | | | | had integrity and were trustworthy. |
| harsh. | | | | The interesting thing is that all the reports have pretty |
| The legend of the Bear Lake Monster made life a little | | | | much the same description. The monster's eyes were |
| more exciting for the pioneers. Some people claimed | | | | flaming red and its ears stuck out from the sides of its |
| to have seen it and gave descriptions of it. Throughout | | | | skinny head. Its body was long, resembling a gigantic |
| the years, no one has ever disproved the Bear Lake | | | | alligator, and it could swim faster than a galloping horse. |
| Monster. A bunch of scientists tried to discredit the | | | | It had small legs and a huge mouth, big enough to eat a |
| monster and said it was a huge codfish that was | | | | man. |
| shipped in from the East. Does the Bear Lake Monster | | | | Is the Bear Lake Monster fact or fiction, legend or |
| exist? Is it fact or fiction, legend or myth? | | | | myth? Whatever conclusion is drawn, the legend still |
| The legend of the Bear Lake Monster began with the | | | | lives on and brings a great deal of mystery and |
| Natives who inhabited this valley. When the settlers | | | | excitement to the community. Remember, when |
| arrived in 1863, the Indians told them all about the Great | | | | visiting Idaho, never doubt the Bear Lake Monster or |
| Bear Lake Monster. It had captured and carried off | | | | you'll be frowned upon. No one makes fun of the great |
| two of their braves while swimming. The legend came | | | | legend of Bear Lake Valley! |
| alive when people began reporting its existence. | | | | |