When you think about Utah, some of the things that probably spring to mind might be the large Mormon community, skiing and national parks that are full of oddly shaped rock formations. However, Utah is also full of paranormal phenomena.
Let’s take a look at ten of the most haunted places in Utah:
1. McCune Mansion, Salt Lake City
McCune Mansion was built in 1901 and took around 3 years and $1 million to build. These days it is used as a venue for weddings and lots of other types of celebrations.
There are said to be two different apparitions that are haunting the building – a man in a black cape and a little girl of about 10 years of age who particularly enjoys when there are weddings taking place.
There is a picture of the girl hanging in the Mansion, so she was obviously a former resident. She is often spotted at weddings where she can be seen dancing and giggling. On the other hand, the man is usually seen around Christmas time.
2. Rock Canyon, Provo
Rock Canyon in Provo is a popular climbing spot, but only for experienced climbers.
There have been a number of deaths due to climbers losing their grip on the steep rock face and plummeting into the canyon below. These tragic deaths have contributed to the negative energy in the area and the surrounding campgrounds are believed to be haunted.
The most common sighting is of a man standing on one of the high rocky ledges. He is said to stare down at the living before running straight towards them at an impossible angle down the steep rock face.
He vanishes in to thin air just before he is about to make contact with the ground.
3. Devereaux Mansion, Salt Lake City
The oldest part of the Devereaux Mansion dates back to 1857 when it was built by William C Stanes, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who traveled to Salt Lake City from England with the first pioneer groups.
It changed hands several times over the next few years and was almost destroyed by fire in 1979. Since then it has been renovated and opened as a restaurant and wedding venue. It is also said to be incredibly haunted.
There are at least two ghosts who call the Devereaux Mansion home. The first is a young girl who has a particular affinity for playing tricks on the kitchen staff. She is also known to wave at people at night.
The second spirit is thought to be either the former lady of the house or a head housekeeper. In contrast to the cheerful little girl, she is said to be far more aggressive towards visitors although it is believed that she believes she is simply protecting the mansion from misuse!
4. Old Tooele Hospital, Tooele (Asylum 49)
In 1873, Tooele Hospital was built as a family home for Samuel F Lee. However, by 1913 it hand been turned into a home for the elderly. These days it is unique in that half of the property is still a nursing home and the other half is a haunted attraction.
It is also one of the most haunted places in Utah. Lots of people have described the ghost of a little girl named Jessica who will follow them around while others comment on a former patient named Wes.
There are also reports of the original owner Samuel F Lee haunting the building.
There is also a much darker and more malevolent force in the abandoned section of the hospital and no-one is keen to go there on their own.
5. Mercur Cemetery, Tooele
Old cemetery’s are pretty creepy at the best of times, but when there are reports of paranormal activity in the area it gets that little bit more terrifying. This is the case with Mercur Cemetery in Tooele, Utah which is said to be one of the most haunted cemeteries in Utah.
It has been said that a phantom horseman gallops across the cemetery at night and many visitors report hearing phantom footsteps and seeing shadowy figures.
Interestingly, it seems like most of the spirits haunting the cemetery are actually children, but it is not clear why.
6. Moon Lake, High Uintas
At first glance, Moon Lake is a beautiful and placid location. It is no surprise that it is a popular campsite. However, appearances can be deceptive and this spot is actually one of the most haunted places in the state.
Those who camp there often find themselves encountering the ghost of a young girl who has clearly been the victim of drowning in the lake.
She appears dripping wet and her skin is bloated and tinged with blue. It seems that she does not fully understand that she has passed and is looking for her family.
Moon Lake is also said to be home to a water dwelling cryptid that looks like a giant serpent.
7. Southern Utah University, Cedar City
Southern Utah University is allegedly very haunted and there have been plenty of tales of the paranormal from students and faculty members alike.
One of the most common occurrences is a ghostly pianist who regularly plays ‘Deep Purple’ in Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery. Apparently she had been due to play the song at junior prom, but died before she had the chance.
This is not the only musical spirit that is said to haunt the Southern Utah University campus. In Old Main there is said to be a specter named Virginia who plays unnerving flute music.
She has also been blamed for setting the building on fire in 1948 on the fiftieth anniversary of her death.
She was apparently found brutally murdered and draped over a large piece of sandstone.
That same rock was apparently used in the building which is why she is tied to the building making it one of the most haunted buildings in Utah.
8. Rio Grande Depot, Salt Lake City
The Rio Grande Depot is said to be haunted by a spirit known as ‘The Purple Lady’. It is believed that she died when she chased down an engagement ring which was thrown into the path of a train.
It is said that she haunts the ladies restrooms although she is often spotted in other spots around the depot.
The Purple Lady is not alone in haunting the Rio Grande Depot, there is also a man haunting the building.
It is said that he died during construction of the depot’s tunnel. He is now said to haunt the basement.
9. Bigelow Hotel & Residencies, Ogden
Formerly the The Ben Lomond Hotel, the Bigelow Hotel & Residencies was originally a boarding house and during the Prohibition Era a tunnel was built to smuggle alcohol.
It became a popular haunt among prostitutes and unscrupulous individuals. These days it is haunted by a number of spirits including those of a mother and son.
In Room 1102 a lady drowned in the bathtub on her wedding night. Now guests who stay in the room report the water in the tub running by itself and some have even described being pushed under the water by unseen hands.
See more haunted hotels in Utah.
However, there is more to the story. After the bride died, her son came to the hotel to collect her belongings and stayed in the room next door.
He was overcome with sadness and he took his own life. Now he is said to be haunting the hotel.
Learn more about the ghosts of the haunted Bigelow Hotel & Residencies, Ogden
10. Benson Grist Mill, Tooele County
Nestled in the shadow of Utah’s Cedar Mountains, the historic Benson Grist Mill transcends its 1854 pioneer origins to host a spectrum of haunting phenomena.
From the mournful spirit of Alice, a young girl who met her watery demise, to the diligent apparition of a former millworker whose toil transcends mortality, the mill’s spectral residents are as diverse as they are active.
Adding to its eerie allure, the mill was thrust into the paranormal spotlight when it became the subject of one of the highest-rated episodes of TV’s “Ghost Adventures” in 2021, where investigators encountered its infamous angry male spirit and captured the unsettling presence of a mysterious red mass, solidifying the mill’s status as a must-visit for seekers of the supernatural.
Utah Ghost Hunts
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