Idaho

Idaho stretches from the jagged Sawtooth Mountains to the volcanic plains of the Snake River Valley, a landscape shaped by both wilderness and distance. Boise’s bustle contrasts with the wind-swept plateaus, quiet lakes, and deep forests that define much of the state. Each region carries its own character, cryptids and stories, rooted in Indigenous traditions, frontier settlement, and encounters with the wild.

From remote mountain passes to river canyons along the Canadian border, Idaho’s folklore lingers in places where people and untamed land meet. Tales of strange creatures, haunted sites, and unexplained phenomena remain tied to the state’s rugged geography.

Sharlie (Payette Lake / McCall)

Sharlie is Idaho’s best-known lake monster, said to inhabit Payette Lake beside McCall. Early reports date to 1920, when logging workers watched what seemed like a floating log begin moving. During 1944, several groups reported a large serpent-like creature with humps, a raised head, and dark skin. The story reached Time magazine and Stars and Stripes, carrying Payette Lake’s monster far beyond Idaho.

In 1946, a group of twenty people reported another sighting, describing a creature between thirty and forty feet long. The creature was known earlier as Slimy Slim before a 1954 newspaper contest gave it the name Sharlie. Later sightings kept the legend alive, and Sharlie became a beloved symbol of McCall and Payette Lake. Today, the creature appears in local celebrations, children’s stories, souvenirs, and community folklore.

Water Babies of Massacre Rocks (Snake River / American Falls)

Water Babies are supernatural beings found in Shoshoni and Bannock traditions throughout the Great Basin and Snake River country. Shoshoni sources describe them as mysterious beings associated with rivers, springs, and other waters. Their cries are said to resemble those of human infants, sometimes drawing attention toward the water. Around Massacre Rocks, local folklore places Water Babies in the Snake River near the historic trail site.

Modern stories from Massacre Rocks describe infant-like cries heard along the river and unseen beings moving near the water. The legend has become closely associated with the park’s dramatic cliffs, Snake River currents, and long history of travelers passing through the area. Water Babies remain one of southeastern Idaho’s most distinctive supernatural traditions.

Pocatello High School Haunting (Pocatello)

Pocatello High School opened in 1892 and survived a major fire in 1914. The damaged school reopened in 1917, with later additions reshaping the campus. Ghost stories include slamming doors, an unattended piano playing, perfume odors, and a woman reportedly seen near the library. Former principal Don Cotant recalled hearing an unexplained classroom door slam after hours.

On December 19, 2014, security footage showed lights flickering as a dark figure crossed an empty hallway. The video spread nationally and renewed attention to decades of school ghost stories. A&E’s Ghost Hunters featured Pocatello High in a 2019 episode titled “School Spirit.” In 2025, students continued the tradition with annual Haunted Evenings tours through the historic building.

Bear Lake Monster (Bear Lake / Idaho-Utah Border)

Bear Lake straddles Idaho and Utah and has hosted monster stories since at least 1868. That year, Joseph C. Rich published several local accounts in the Deseret News. His report described enormous serpent-like animals moving through the lake at extraordinary speed. One group near Fish Haven claimed to see ten creatures, including four large animals and six smaller ones.

Reports continued through the nineteenth century, with later witnesses describing long, undulating bodies and fast-moving shapes. In 1881, one party reported about thirty feet of a light-colored creature moving across the water. The legend became a lasting part of Bear Lake tourism and regional folklore on both sides of the border. Modern retellings still feature the creature in local history, souvenirs, and lake-monster storytelling.

Seven Devils Mountains (Hells Canyon / Nez Perce Tradition)

The Seven Devils rise above Hells Canyon along Idaho’s western border and feature prominently in Nimíipuu oral tradition. One story tells of seven giant monsters that traveled eastward from the Blue Mountains and preyed upon children. Coyote and Fox devised a trap, digging deep pits and filling them with a boiling reddish liquid.

The giants fell into the pits, where Coyote condemned them for terrorizing the people. He transformed them into seven mountains and opened Hells Canyon to prevent their relatives from crossing. The scattered red liquid became the region’s copper deposits in the story. The legend remains closely associated with the dramatic Seven Devils landscape above the Snake River.