Brigham Young and other notable members believed in the Bear Lake Monster
Although there have been thousands of sightings and even the native Americans in the Utah region had stories about it, the Bear Lake Monster is still just a myth. But it is a myth that Brigham Young and many other notable church leaders believed in.
According to Utah historian, Will Bagley, on May 18, 1874, William Budge, a Mormon pioneer and wagon train captain, described seeing the Monster to Brigham Young. Along with Budge, three other respected citizens of Rich County claimed to have seen it.
Shortly after Budge’s report, Young entered into an arrangement with Phineas W. Cook of Swan Creek “to catch the serpent in the Lake at halves.” In 1868, Cook had come up with a plan to catch the Monster and needed a long rope. Brigham Young loaned him the rope. Young wrote in August 1876 to ask what had happened to his rope. “I spent my time faithfully during the seaon,” Cook replied in a letter, “but did not succeed.
In August 1881, Apostle George Q. Cannon reported having seen the Bear Lake Monster or something of that kind while strolling along the lake’s shore line.