Just north of Reno and not far from our state border, you'll find one of Nevada's largest natural lakes that has a truly chilling history. We may be the home of fascinating ghost towns and even possibly little green men, but there's nothing quite as haunting as the bizarre legends that surround this one body of water:

For as long as most of our residents can remember, there have been terrifying tales told about Pyramid Lake.

Growing up in the surrounding areas outside of Pyramid Lake meant hearing local legends from your family members about all of the reasons why this place so terrifying. Reaching depths of over 350 feet, as adults we can only look back and hope that the stories we were told were only meant to discourage us from fooling around in this hazardous water. Key word, hope

Speculations are made about the strange activity that takes place here, but many believe the lake is haunted by the Water Babies.

The bizarre legend goes that ancient members of the Paiute Tribe tossed premature and disabled babies into the water to drown. The spirits of the abandoned babies are said to still linger around Pyramid Lake. Stories of visitors coming to the lake and hearing the voices of children and noises of babies have long been spoken of, creating the Water Babies legend.

So, what activity has taken place here that has locals so freaked out? Almost every year, most notably during the spring, fisherman out on Pyramid Lake go missing and are almost never found. The locals will tell you that those who have gone missing were taken by the upset Water Babies of Nevada. If you find yourself having a hard time believing in Water Babies, then you may be one of the several people who believe that this disturbing urban legend was created solely to make the Paiute Tribe look bad.

Another popular legend often told involves a heartbroken mermaid that continues to haunt the lake.

Perhaps created to tell visitors a less terrifying story, many believe the negative energy that haunts Pyramid Lake is simply from that of a brokenhearted mermaid. Locals will tell you that a mermaid married one of the members of the Paiute Tribe, only to have the marriage disapproved, leaving her banished from the area. The rest of the story? The saddened mermaid promised revenge to any of the tribe members that came near the shores of Pyramid Lake.

You don't have to believe in the paranormal to understand that something unusual is going on here.

If you can't wrap your mind around the possibility that there could be evil infant spirits or unhappy mermaids forever looming over Pyramid Lake, we understand. While the thought of a mermaid being right here in Nevada sounds more than intriguing, there's still much to be considered. Every year unexplainable and tragic situations happen here at the lake, leaving many confused on what's really going on here. Even those who don't believe in strange phenomena tend to have their own stories of feeling uncomfortable at this lake and wondering what exactly is going on here.

Were you ever told about the urban legends of Pyramid Lake while you were growing up? Feeling brave enough to explore some of our state's other creepy locations? Then now is the perfect time to read about This Creepy Ghost Town In Nevada that will absolutely frighten you!