Since it's the spooky season with Halloween and all approaching, I've been considering spooky places in Utah. On my list, it would be the radio studio I walk into every morning wondering what the ghosts and goblins have been doing through the night time and what equipment they have made inoperative. But, that's another story.

So I did a Google inquiry into the “Spookiest Places In Utah” and got a great compilation.Utah is home to a variety of spooky locations that have captured the imaginations of locals and visitors alike. From eerie ghost towns to haunted buildings, the state offers plenty of spine-tingling spots for those seeking a supernatural thrill. Here are a few of the spookiest places in Utah.

Asylum 49 in Tooele

Asylum 49 / Facebook
Asylum 49 / Facebook
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Housed in the old Tooele Hospital, Asylum 49 is both a haunted attraction and a paranormal hotspot. The hospital, built in 1953, has a reputation for ghost sightings, disembodied voices, and inexplicable cold spots. Today, it’s partially a nursing home, adding an eerie juxtaposition of the living and the dead. Visitors to the haunted section report terrifying encounters with shadowy figures and ghostly apparitions. Paranormal investigators frequently visit the site due to its intense activity.

Mercur Cemetery (Ghost Town)

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You Tube - Mercur Cemetery VS--YouTube-IexploreMercurCemeteryTheOldestCemeteryinUtah-0’44”
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The once-thriving mining town of Mercur is now just a memory, with its cemetery being one of the few remnants left behind. Perched on a hilltop, the cemetery is a place of sadness and mystery. Ghost hunters have reported hearing whispers, seeing ghostly figures, and feeling an overwhelming sense of dread while visiting. Though the town itself is long gone, the restless spirits of its past seem to linger among the graves.

Emo's Grave in Salt Lake City

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You Tube - Emo's Grave VS--YouTube-EmosGrave-0’13”
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Salt Lake City Cemetery is home to the famous “Emo’s Grave,” one of Utah’s most enduring urban legends. The grave supposedly belongs to a man named Jacob Moritz, and the legend says that if you walk around it three times while calling his name, "Emo" will appear. Although there's no concrete evidence to support the ghost story, visitors continue to experience eerie sensations near the site, from flickering lights to sudden temperature drops.

Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City

University of Utah
University of Utah
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Fort Douglas, established in 1862 during the Civil War, is not only a historical landmark but also a hub of ghostly activity. Many believe the spirits of soldiers who once lived and died there still roam the grounds. Paranormal reports include phantom footsteps, disembodied voices, and objects moving on their own. The fort’s museum staff have often reported feeling watched or seeing shadowy figures darting between the barracks and officers' quarters.

The Ben Lomond Hotel in Ogden

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You Tube - Ben Lomond Hotel VS--YouTube-SinisterChillingEvidenceMostHauntedHotel-ringingshadowfigureHOTSPOTSOgdenUTAH25TH-5’38”
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The Ben Lomond Hotel, built in 1927, has long been a source of Ogden’s ghostly folklore. Some of the hotel’s rooms are said to be particularly haunted, with Room 1102 being infamous for strange occurrences. Guests have reported moving objects, sudden cold drafts, and even hearing knocks or whispers. The hotel’s history includes several tragic events, including suicides and unexplained deaths, contributing to its reputation as a haunted hotspot.

Crafton Ghost Town on the way to Zion National Park

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You Tube - VS--YouTube-TheGhostTownofGraftonUtah183-6’19”
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Grafton, a ghost town near Zion National Park, is often described as one of the spookiest places in Utah. Originally settled in 1859, the town was abandoned due to flooding, harsh living conditions, and a deadly diphtheria outbreak. The town’s cemetery, filled with gravestones of pioneer settlers, adds to the ghostly ambiance. Visitors to Grafton have reported hearing faint voices and seeing ghostly figures wandering the empty streets at dusk.

Silver Reef Ghost Town near Leeds

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You Tube - VS--YouTube-SilverReefUtahghosttown10-08-2017-1’21”
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Once a bustling mining town, Silver Reef was known for its silver deposits in sandstone—a geological rarity. Today, Silver Reef is a quiet ghost town with several preserved buildings, including a former Wells Fargo building and a few old saloons. Visitors to the area have reported seeing figures in old-fashioned clothing, hearing phantom horse hooves, and experiencing strange lights near the ruins at night.

The Rio Grande Depot in Salt Lake City

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You Tube - VS--YouTube-SaltLakeCityHistoryMinute-TheDenverandRioGrandeDepot-0’05”
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The historic Rio Grande Depot, a former train station built in 1910, is another haunted location in Utah. The “Purple Lady” is the most well-known spirit haunting the building, believed to be the ghost of a woman who died tragically in a train accident. Security guards and visitors have reported sightings of her ghost, along with unexplained footsteps and objects moving in the old depot. The building’s haunting presence has been enough to keep paranormal investigators interested.

The Old Mill in Cottonwood Heights

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You Tube - VS--YouTube-SaltLakeCityHistoryMinute-TheCottonwoodPaperMill-0’40”
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The Old Mill, originally built as a paper mill in 1883, is now an abandoned and crumbling structure, but its history is far from forgotten. Fires and accidents plagued the mill throughout its operation, and many believe the spirits of workers who died there still haunt the building. Although the site is closed to the public, thrill-seekers have often trespassed and reported seeing ghostly figures or hearing unexplained machinery noises, even though the mill hasn’t been in operation for decades.

And saving the best, or maybe worst depending on how you look at it Skinwalker Ranch in Northeast Utah

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You Tube - VS--YouTube-SkinwalkerRanch-TheFullStoryDocumentary-9’32”
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The Skinwalker Ranch absolutely deserves a place on the list of Utah’s spookiest locations. It's one of the most infamous paranormal hotspots in the country, known for a wide range of unexplained phenomena, including UFO sightings, strange lights, mysterious creatures, and even claims of interdimensional portals. Skinwalker Ranch has been the focus of numerous investigations, documentaries, and scientific studies due to its reputation for bizarre occurrences. Named after the Navajo legend of the "skinwalker"—a shape-shifting, malevolent entity—the ranch has garnered a mystique that goes beyond ghost sightings. People have reported encounters with otherworldly beings, strange animal mutilations, and technology malfunctions in the area.

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So there you have it, a potpourri of spooky place to see here in the Beehive state, some of them real close to us in southern Utah. Or, if you want real spooky, just come to work with me in the morning.

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