The Legend of Spirit Lake

The legend of Spirit Lake takes place in the High Uinta Mountains of Northeastern Utah. Unlike the Rocky Mountains, and other similar mountain ranges, the Uinta Mountain range runs east to west. This is the only mountain range of its kind in the continental United States that runs east to west. However, the Brooks Range in Alaska also runs east to west.

The Fremont culture roamed this region around 400 AD, hundreds of years before the first settlers pioneered this land. Pioneers, trail blazers, frontiersmen, trappers and Native Americans like Chief Washakie of the Eastern or 'Wind River Shoshone, Jedediah Strong Smith, Jim Bridger, Thomas Fitzpatrick (The Rocky Mountain Fur Company), William H. Ashley, David E Jackson, William Lewis Sublette (Ashley, Smith, Jackson & Sublette) Kit Carson, John C. Fremont, Peter Skene Ogden, and Etienne Provost came to this region in the 1800's. Jim Bridger canoed down the Bear River in 1824 and William Ashley along with six men used bullboats and rode the Green River through the Uinta Mountains in May 1825. William Ashley and his men were the first white men to travel through the Uintas.

On their journeys, these brave pioneers met with the Ute, Paiute, Goshute, and Shoshone Indian tribes. The Numa or ancestors of the modern Shoshone split into three branches. The Northern Paiute, the Shoshone, and the Southern Paiute. These three branches were called the Shoshoneans. It is interesting to note that the Eastern Shoshone who moved south became the Comanche, the Northern Paiute and neighboring Shoshone joined to become the Bannock Shoshone. In southwestern Utah, a branch of the Southern Paiute split away to become the Ute. It has long been told that the Spanish Conquistadors traveled this region and enslaved the early native people to help work their gold mines. Many Spanish treasures are believed to be buried in the Uintas. The Spanish brought horses to the region, which the Shoshoean people did not accept. The horses ate the wild grasses so impol1ant to their diet. If the Shoshone caught or traded for a horse, they usually ate it.

During this time, Wakara traveled three days into the back country up the Provo near rvlirror Lake to fast and pray the Chief Wanka. During his prayers, the Ute God Towats spoke to him in a vision, revealing a place where a great amount of gold was hidden. Wakara was lead into a cave by the great spirit. Inside, he found an elder Navajo Indian who had been waiting for Wakara and once he appeared to this wise one, the old man vanished leaving Wakara alone in the cave surrounded by gold. Although the white man called him Wakara., his given Indian name was In-Carre- Winker, but after discovering the hidden gold, his name became Yah-Keera, keeper of the yellow metal. The white man couldn't pronounce his new name, calling him Wakara or Walker.

The later travels of Wakara, finds him back in the mountains in search of a wife from one of the other tribes. He soon found a Shoshone Indian maiden picking buffalo berries on a hill side. The Shoshone had learned to live in harmony with nature. The Great Basin was one of the most hostile regions in the country, and the Shoshone were masters of desert survival. Few people anywhere in the country had lived so long and so successfully in such a harsh land. For several days, Wakara watched this maiden without her ever knowing of his presence. Finally, Wakara approached her and learned that she was 14 years old and that her name was Sasquina.

An old timer that lives in Birch Creek by the name of Al Elmer tells the story of visiting Hickerson Park and seeing some 300 huts and tepees. The Indians hunted lizards, snakes, insects, birds, rodents, squirrel, duck, geese, and cottontail rabbits. Antelope, deer and rabbit hides were used as clothing. They fished for salmon, shiner, bullhead, sucker, and trout, and harvested buffalo berries, seeds, yampa plants, roots, and pine nuts, in preparation for the fast approaching winter months.

As the legend goes, these two young Indian teenagers fell in love with one another. Wakara and Sasquina married in Hickerson park and came to Spirit Lake on their honeymoon. Near their camp, Wakara discovered a dead Elk and fashioned a necklace from the back bone as a gift of love for Sasquina. Shoshone women traditionally wore earrings and necklaces made of bones and shells. To the Indians, the Elk was a very spiritual animal and every part of the animal was utilized.

Soon thereafter, Wakara left for several days on a hunting trip. When he returned to the camp by Spirit Lake, he discovered that his beautiful bride Sasquina was missing. He searched everywhere for her, and then traveled to Hickerson Park with hopes of finding her there. Overcome with sorrow and thoughts of his bride fallen prey to some wild creature of the forest, he returns to Spirit Lake with hopes of finding Sasquena safe and sound.

As Wakara walks around Spirit Lake, he sees a herd of Elk swimming in the swells. As he watches, a beautiful great white Elk sees him and swims over to him. As the great white bull comes out of the water, Wakara notices hanging around this beautiful animals neck, the necklace that he made for Sasquena.

The Indians believe Wakaras beautiful maiden wife tuned into this great white Elk and her spirit lives on today in Spirit Lake. It is believed that
trus area is a great Indian burial ground and cruefTakawanas remains are buried somewhere in the area of Spirit Lake. In death, the Shoshone burned the hut and the dead warriors possessions with the body. The tools a hunter had used in life would help him on his journey to the land of the dead. The burning of his body protected the living, for the spirits of the dead were greatly feared.

Since those days past, many spiritual events have taken place at Spirit Lake. Some say, if you rise early in the morning you'll witness a mist hovering over the lake and if you look real close, you may catch a glimpse of Sasquina's face fading in and out of the swells. The Indians believe the mist that hovers over the lake is Sasquinas' spirit searching for her long lost love, Wakara.

Today people come to Spirit Lake to experience the special spirit and love that exists here. Some even find their own lost love while visiting this spiritual place in the mountains. Cherish the love that embraces you and the spirit and happiness that flows with the wind through the pines and engulfs Spirit Lake for all to behold.