The 3 Creepiest Idaho Urban Legends

From giant lake-dwelling dinosaurs to a treacherous tribe of cannibals, Idaho is home to a number of urban legends about creatures. Dive deep enough into the lore, and you can find stories about a mythical beast of some kind coming from every corner of the Gem State, but here are three of the creepiest:

Sharlie the Payette Lake Monster

Perhaps the most famous Idaho creature is Sharlie, a 10- to 50-foot long dinosaur or dragon-like monster believed to be living in Payette Lake, and described as being similar to the world-famous Loch Ness Monster. The first documented sighting of Sharlie was in 1920, when settlers saw what they thought was a giant log moving in the lake, which reaches depths of nearly 400 feet. Throughout the rest of the century and into the next, there would be many purported sightings of Sharlie—and even a couple of books for children written about her—so if you’re taking a dip in the Payette and something starts nibbling on your toes, you might want to think about heading for shore.