Culture: Utah’s Loch Ness Monster

About a seven-hour drive from Colorado Mesa University (CMU), Bear Lake is a scenic weekend getaway for students who have a car and plenty of friends who are willing to pitch gas money.

From boating to drinking the region’s signature Raspberry milkshake, Garden City, the area of Utah in which Bear Lake resides, has a lot to offer to visitors looking for a relaxing holiday.

The freshwater lake spans about 109 square miles, and many visitors are drawn to this quiet corner of Utah specifically to visit Bear Lake, which is considered by some to be the “Carribean of the Rockies.” While tourists enjoy the numerous activities offered by this massive body of water, many locals are a bit more wary of what lies beneath the surface…

Since the 1800s, there have been numerous sightings of a large creature that lurks in the depths of Bear Lake. As these sightings began to pile up over the years, the lake became infamous for possibly housing a gigantic cryptid. With so many different accounts of the beast, (coined the Bear Lake Monster), its physical depiction has varied. Most commonly, the Bear Lake Monster is described as a crocodile-like sea creature, similar to a Mosasaurs (a prehistoric reptile that once existed around 96 million years ago).

In 2002, Brian Hirschi, a local businessman, was spending a day on the lake when he allegedly came face to face with the creature. When it approached the boat, Hirschi described the monster as having “dark green, slimy skin and beet red eyes”, along with “two humps” on its back. Sightings of the Bear Lake Monster date as far back as 1868, where Native Americans warned about a “water devil” that inhabited the lake.

However, the region has benefited from the hype surrounding their local cryptid, as it has brought an influx of tourists each year. In recent years, the legend of the monster has become more of a cultural piece of the town surrounding Bear Lake than being considered an actual possibility.

Tourists flock to the region to relish in all the paraphernalia oriented around the Bear Lake Monster. In fact, there is even a Bear Lake Monster boat that is shaped like the creature. The boat takes tourists on the lake and discusses the possible existence of the cryptid.

Recently, however, filmmaker Matthew Havertz wanted to reopen the case and explore the possibility that an unidentified species inhabits the waters of Bear Lake. According to Havertz, he decided to pursue the film because, “I love legend and folklore! That kind of stuff really intrigues me and drove me to do this project. I usually do corporate promotional videos and training videos, so this is a little different than anything else I’ve done.”

“The latest sighting I know of was reported to have happened in 2018 and is featured in depth in my documentary. Essentially, the Bear Lake Monster is some kind of large aquatic creature in the lake that has not officially been described by the scientific community, but has been reported to exist by eyewitnesses since the 1800’s. Many believe it’s all a hoax, but you’ll have to watch my documentary and make a decision for yourself,” Havertz said.

According to Havertz, from inception to release, it took him roughly three months to complete his documentary. He was apprehensive to reveal the most compelling evidence that he’d heard from his sources. Instead, he preferred to let his brand new documentary explain the evidence of the monster’s possible existence.

“I don’t want to speak on behalf of any of the experts I interviewed for my documentary. However, I will tell you that a geologist and biologist working for Utah’s Department of Natural Resources spoke in my documentary. They talk about the age and uniqueness of Bear Lake, which others suggest may be evidence of a monster in the lake,” Havertz explained.

The surrounding area is Garden City, which is a quaint little town that has enjoyed the benefits of a booming tourism industry as a result of local businesses capitalizing off of the allure of the Bear Lake Monster. While many tourists like to consider the possibility of a massive cryptid residing in the depths of the lake, Havertz says that locals are split on whether or not the creature actually exists. The Bear Lake area seems to be mixed well with believers and skeptics.

Many people dismiss the monster as a hoax. Others have had their own strange experiences that make it hard for them to be so skeptical,” Havertz said. Matthew Havertz also explained that the documentary had opened his mind to the possibility of the creature’s existence.

“The process of making this documentary opened up my eyes! For example, after I announced I was working on the project, my uncle came forward with a story about a very strange experience he had on Bear Lake years ago. My uncle has had a credible career where he has been called on to be an expert witness in Federal Courts.

I highly doubt he’s making up his story,” Havertz said. Ultimately, Havertz didn’t want to go too in depth on the topic. He felt that the film was the best way to help people interested in the Bear Lake Monster reach an understanding of the lore surrounding the cryptid.

“I think my documentary speaks for itself. I want people to watch the video and decide for themselves if they believe in the Bear Lake Monster,” he said. “Based on the evidence I’ve gathered, I think it’s difficult to believe there are no undiscovered species in Bear Lake. Watch the video and see for yourself what the Fisheries Biologist at Bear Lake says about yet-to-be-discovered species in the lake. Most reasonable people doubt there’s any kind of 90-foot whale living in Bear Lake, but that doesn’t mean we know everything about the lake or even all the species that live in the lake.”

Matthew Havertz’ documentary was officially released on October 29th, 2019. The film can be found on YouTube called “In Search of the Bear Lake Monster,” and produced by the channel Purpose Pictures.