Looking To Get Scared? To Quote Brigham, This Is The Place!

The other day I told you about the Monster of Bear Lake. Well, in doing a little more looking around it turns out there is a lot more intriguing legends in our state, some of it more scary than the annual meeting of the state legislature.

For example there is the Lost Rhoades Mine, a fabled treasure trove said to be hidden in the Uinta Mountains. According to the story, a man named Thomas Rhoades discovered a wealth of gold in the 1800s and concealed it in the mountains before his death, leaving behind a series of mysterious maps and clues that have fueled treasure hunters' imaginations for centuries.

A chilling legend is that of the White Lady, a ghostly apparition believed to haunt the historic Ben Lomond Hotel in Ogden. The story goes that a young woman committed suicide in the hotel after her lover failed to return from World War II. Her spirit allegedly lingers in the halls, and guests have reported encountering her ghostly figure, creating an aura of mystery around the hotel.

If that's not enough to keep you awake, the legend of the Hatchet Lady has intrigued Utahns for years. It is said that a vengeful spirit roams the Provo River, seeking revenge for her brutal murder. According to the tale, she appears as a beautiful woman but transforms into a terrifying hag, wielding a hatchet and striking fear into the hearts of those who encounter her.

Maybe she will be appeased if BYU gets another Big 12 win.

A little closer to our neck of the woods, check out the Escalante Petrified Forest State Park. It's renowned for its fascinating geological formations, ancient petrified trees, and scenic beauty. While it is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and tourists, there are no credible claims or evidence to suggest that the park is cursed.

Curses, often rooted in superstition and folklore, are prevalent in many cultures and are typically associated with specific events, objects, or locations. In the case of the Escalante Petrified Forest, there is no historical or documented curse attached to the park. Yet.

And finally, for those who don't want to go to the Uinta basin to treasure you colud try to find the legend of a hidden treasure in Kanab, Utah. Here's a tantalizing tale that has captured the imaginations of treasure hunters and adventurers for decades. According to the legend, a group of outlaws, possibly led by Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch, buried a cache of stolen gold and other valuables in the vicinity of Kanab during the late 1800s or early 1900s.

The story goes that these outlaws, after committing a series of robberies, stashed their ill-gotten gains somewhere in the rugged wilderness near Kanab. The exact location of the treasure remains a mystery, with numerous speculations and theories circulating among treasure seekers. Some believe it is buried in a remote canyon, while others think it might be hidden in caves or crevices in the nearby cliffs.

So, whether you are seeking treasure or looking for scary, creepy things, Utah has a lot to offer. And you don't even have to wait for the legislature.