Estimated read time: 6-7 minutes
For some people, the best parts of fall are when the air gets crisp, pumpkin flavored drinks and treats abound, and the leaves turn brilliant shades of red and orange.
For others who prefer a more ghosts-and-horror-movies approach to fall, it's time to scare yourself a little by learning about some of Utah's creepiest legends.
These places are home to some of the most hair-raising ghost stories you've heard, so read on if you dare.
Rock Canyon — Provo
A popular spot for hikers and rock climbers east of Provo, many might be unaware the canyon is reported to be haunted.
Many people have died from falls and climbing accidents in the canyon. It was also the site where early pioneers massacred 40-100 members of a local native American tribe, according to Intermountainhistories.org.
Onlyinyourstate.com reports, "Some hikers have reported seeing a man dressed in clothing from the 1970s running down the trail and then suddenly disappearing. Others have heard footsteps behind them, but when they turn around, nothing is there."
Other hikers have also reported hearing a woman crying and multiple screams, which some speculate could be the native Americans killed in the canyon.
The Purple Lady — Salt Lake City
Bring up Utah's ghost stories to someone, and chances are they've heard of the Purple Lady at the Rio Grande Depot. The iconic railway station in downtown Salt Lake City is a familiar fixture in the city — and so is its ghost.
The station was built in 1910 for the Denver Rio Grande and Western railroads. The story goes that a heartbroken woman died on the tracks, either intentionally or accidentally while trying to retrieve a thrown engagement ring. The Purple Lady still haunts the station, looking angry and unhappy. There are even reports of people hearing her singing a somber tune in the women's bathrooms as she laments her lost love.
Colleen Murphy, manager of Rio Grande Café that used to be located in the building, told KSL in a 2017 investigation that she'd seen lights turning on by themselves at night in locked rooms and was locked out of the building "on multiple occasions late at night" with no explanation.
Dead Horse Point — Moab
All the ghost stories can't just be about humans — there are animal ghosts too! So, to be fair, here's the story of Dead Horse Point.
The famous rock peninsula sits high above the Colorado River with sheer sandstone cliffs stretching down more than 2,000 feet. Because of this natural geography, Dead Horse Point served as a convenient corral to hold wild mustangs once they'd been rounded up.
As the story goes, cowboys forgot about a group of horses left there, which quickly succumbed to the intense heat — dying in full view of the river of water flowing thousands of feet below them but unable to drink any.
To this day, campers at Dead Horse State Park report hearing whinnying echoing throughout the canyons at night. Some have also heard thundering hoofbeats and seen ghostly apparitions galloping through.
Asylum 49 — Tooele
Asylum 49 in Tooele currently stands as a haunted-house-style attraction that scares visitors each fall, but what makes it even scarier is its true haunted history.
According to Visit Utah, the structure was built in 1873 by Samuel F. Lee as a private residence. It later served as a county poorhouse for the elderly before being transformed into a hospital in the 1950s.
"Due to poor funding and limited resources, the deceased often did not receive the respect they deserved," writes Visit Utah writer Asha Pruitt. "Today, the grounds are said to be haunted by numerous ghosts including the original owner Lee and his son Thomas, a nurse named Maria, an elderly man named Wes and a mysterious man in black."
Paranormal investigators report apparitions, orbs and mists, and the feeling of being watched. It's a sure bet that the building's haunted past will add a layer of true creepiness to your Halloween experience at Asylum 49.
Emo's Grave — Salt Lake City
Any cemetery more than 100 years old is bound to have a few ghost stories. The Salt Lake City Cemetery is no exception at 177 years old. Nestled in the picturesque Avenues neighborhood of Salt Lake City and spanning a massive 120 acres, the cemetery is a resting place for famous people like Porter Rockwell, convicted outlaw Hiram Bebee, grave robber Jean Baptiste, and six Latter-Day Saint Prophets.
The one site you may want to avoid is the crypt of Jacob "Emo" Moritz. The early Utah businessman, politician, and brewery owner was buried at the Salt Lake Cemetery in 1910. The Dead History reports an urban legend that if you hold a lighted candle and circle the grave three times chanting "Emo, Emo, Emo," a pair of demonic red eyes will appear out of the mausoleum's window.
Even stranger is that Moritz's political rival Simon Bamberger is buried directly across from him, perhaps explaining the eternal haunting and glowing red eyes.
Ben Lomond/Bigelow Hotel — Ogden
Standing tall in downtown Ogden, the Ben Lomond Hotel is one of Utah's legendary haunted landmarks. There are whispers of various paranormal experiences, but the one most often told is of a bride who drowned in the bathtub of room 1102 on her wedding night.
Visit Utah reports that "Guests reported inexplicable sounds of running water when the room was unoccupied and feeling an unearthly chill as if the bride's spirit lingers."
Some guests have also reported bathtubs filling of their own accord, shadowy figures, and a ghostly woman wandering the hallways. Now called the Bigelow Hotel, perhaps avoid taking a bath if you stay in room 1102 of the haunted establishment.
Skinwalker Ranch — Uintah Basin
In the remote Uintah Basin lies one of the world's strangest hotspots for the unexplained — Skinwalker Ranch. This infamous stretch of desert has been host to decades of spine-tingling encounters: glowing orbs in the night sky, UFO sightings and horrifying, unexplained cattle mutilations.
Incredibly, the carcass of what is believed to be a prehistoric dire wolf was discovered in 2023 — so perhaps time travel is involved in the bizarre energy spikes on the ranch.
Skinwalker ranch gets its name from the Navajo legend of a malevolent shapeshifting witch, adding a layer of folklore to the enigma. The ranch has been studied by scientists, government contractors, and paranormal investigators, yet no one has been able to fully unravel its secrets.
The History Channel even turned all the spooky happenings into a smash hit television show that is currently airing its sixth season!
Unique expressions that immediately identify someone from Utah
Whether it's the unique slang, cultural quirks or devotion to specific beverages and get-rich-quick marketing schemes, these expressions will immediately reveal a person's Utah roots. Here are words and phrases that set long-time Utah residents apart from the rest of the world.Siegfried & Jensen
Since 1990, Siegfried & Jensen have been helping the people of Utah and surrounding states who have suffered needless injuries and death caused by car accidents, truck accidents, medical malpractice, defective drugs, dog bites, wrongful death, and other types of personal injury.
The firm is committed to keeping Utah families and communities safe by ensuring wrongdoers are held accountable. While a lawsuit isn't always the answer when it is needed having someone on your side can mean the difference between declaring bankruptcy and rebuilding your life and moving forward, especially when you're up against an insurance company or a hospital.
Siegfried & Jensen has represented more than 35,000 clients and recovered over $1.2 billion for them.
