Utah Untamed

History

Town names, mining history, pioneer trails, origin stories.

Two dark humps and a serpentine wake breaking the calm surface of Bear Lake at dusk, mountains behind.
History

The Bear Lake Monster Was a Hoax — and Utah Has Loved It Anyway for 150 Years

A serpent in the turquoise water on the Utah–Idaho line, invented in an 1868 newspaper letter. The writer confessed it was a 'first-class lie.' The legend never cared.
A highway curving through red rock hoodoos past a green "Red Canyon" road sign on Utah's Scenic Byway 12.
History

How Utah Towns Got Their Names: 7 Origin Stories, From a Blown-Off Buggy Top to a 500-Book Bribe

Paiute words, the Bible, pioneer surnames, and one stranger who paid for the honor with a library. Seven of Utah's best-documented town-name origins — and how to tell fact from folklore.
Close-up of ancient Fremont petroglyphs carved into a red rock wall, lit by angular sunlight.
History

Reading the Rocks: The Fremont Culture of Utah

Deciphering the ancient narratives etched into the canyon walls by those who walked here centuries ago.