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Bear Lake monster legend traces to 1868 Deseret News report, remains part of local folklore and tourism
Summary
An 1868 Deseret News account first recorded reports of the Bear Lake Monster; folklorist Dr. Lynn McNeal says the story persists in local memory and contributes to tourism events such as Bear Lake Monster Winterfest.
Dr. Lynn McNeal, a professor of folklore at Utah State University, told listeners that the first documented report of the Bear Lake Monster appeared in 1868 when Joseph C. Rich, a correspondent for the Deseret News, published an account citing local sightings, including by members of the Shoshone community.
"Don't let these peaceful waters fool you," McNeal said, describing how stories of a creature “anywhere from 40 to 200 feet long, a dark brown color with big serpentine humps moving through the water and a giant head that some say looks like a crocodile or an alligator” have circulated around Bear Lake.
The original Deseret News reporter later admitted fabricating elements of his story, McNeal said, but she added that reports both before and after the article kept the legend alive. "Legends really exist best in ambiguity. It's not about belief... It's kind of the space in between the two," she said.
Beyond folklore, the Bear Lake Monster figure has been incorporated into local events. McNeal listed recreational options at Bear Lake — swimming, boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking and cycling — and highlighted the Bear Lake Monster Winterfest, which includes a polar plunge, a regatta and decorative boats fashioned to resemble the monster.
The interview framed the creature as part of regional cultural history rather than a confirmed biological entity: McNeal emphasized how stories, repeated sightings and local celebration sustain the legend.
For listeners and visitors, the segment positioned the Bear Lake Monster as both a piece of regional heritage and a draw for seasonal tourism activities.
