The legend of the Bear Lake Monster started with the Native Americans who lived in the valley and has been an exciting part of Idaho and Utah history for hundreds of years.  Some people say they have seen it.  Some have described it.  The Indians spoke of the monster when the early settlers arrived in 1863, saying that it had carried off two braves as they swam. 

More and more people reported seeing the monster.

It has been described as a ninety foot look snake with ears that stick out from the side of its head and a mouth big enough to eat a man.  Sometimes the monster skulks up on swimmers and blows water at them.  Other times it carries off swimmers.  Whether real or imaginary, the monster is definitely good for tourism in the Bear Lake area.

Writer Mark Thiessan says,”Nothing can boost a slow tourist season like claims that the Bear Lake Monster has resurfaced.”  When business owner Brian Hirschi recently announced that he had seen the creature, the tale took off again.  Hirschi claimed he saw two humps in the water as he was anchoring his pontoon boat one night in June 2002.  Fearing that people would think he was crazy, he decided against telling anybody at that time.

A Mormon colonizer named Joseph C. Rich wrote a series of articles that popularized the legend of the Bear Lake Monster.  Kathy Weiser writes that some people have seen the creature crawl up on the beach with flipper-like legs.  Once on the beach, it holds its head high and turns it from side to side as it looks around. 

SUMMARY

Native Americans near the Idaho-Utah have long told of a strange, reptilian monster that inhabits Bear Lake.  With a mouth big enough to eat a man, the creature looks like a ninety foot long snake with ears that stick out from its head.  If nothing else, the Monster of Bear Lake is good for tourism.