Idaho's most haunted places don't have the nationwide reputation of our neighbors - but they definitely exist if you know where to look. The stories that surround these hotbeds of paranormal are eerie, passed down through the generations, locally respected... and oftentimes, the product of a Native American source.
But one look at this foggy, densely forested lake and you'll see exactly why this gem is considered one of the spookiest places in Idaho.
On an ordinary day, this overlooked lake town - engulfed by the dense forests and waterfront beauty North Idaho has come to be known for - is quiet and self-sufficient.
While opportunities to explore the town are year-round, many folks come here for the Empire Trails: a network of biking trails that takes you deep into the trees.
But the lake is without a doubt the heart and soul of the community.
Since the lake and town share the same name, few people realize that there is an eerie story behind these deep, dark waters - a haunting local tale that has been passed down for generations.
In fact, Spirit Lake is reputed to be one of only two lakes in the world with a sealed bottom -- making it a perfect location to hold the earthly-trapped souls and phantom spirits that are said to haunt its beautiful depths.
Legend has it that the lake was once called "Clear Water," but a tragic story experienced by the Kootenai Indians who once lived by the lake to its name change: "Tesemini" or "Lake of the Spirits."
The legend: A chief of the Kootenai tribe had a gorgeous daughter, Hya-Pam (Fearless Running Water) who loved a young Kootenai warrior, Hasht-Eel-Ame-Hoom (Shining Eagle). Unfortunately, Hya-Pam was promised to a rival tribe's chieftan as a peace marriage, which Hya-Pam's father had consented to to avert war.
The two young lovers vowed their eternal love, nevertheless. Binding themselves together with the 'marriage chain of rushes,' they leapt into the lake.
The two lovers were never found, and local folklore tells that on moonlit nights, when the wind is still, you can see their ghostly silhouettes as they drift slowly across the lake in a phantom canoe.
Every spring, low, mournful, and haunting sounds can be heard drifting through the foggy mist that hovers above the water. Many claim the voices are actually the cries of the two Native American lovers as they seek freedom from the Lake of the Spirits. But it never comes.
Are the stories true? Have you ever experienced anything unusual or unexplainable at Spirit Lake?
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