Park City Mythbusters

Getty Images

Park City, Utah is a short exhilarating ride up the wintry slopes of Highway 80, some thirty miles southeast of Salt Lake City. The old mining town is located 7,000 feet above sea level and glistens like an opal, set deep within the pine-covered Wasatch Mountains. The wilds of Utah, and this entire mountain range, are steeped in mystery and urban legend. So read on as we explore a few Park City mythbusters.

First, a bit of history. Accounts of Bigfoot sightings, lost gold mines, and evil spirits are well-known scary urban legends in Park City and have been recounted for as long as settlers have lived here. Park City still allegedly entertains the occasional apparition, and all its 1860s architecture resembles a stereoscopic plate of the Old West. Brick and wooden buildings line Main Street, adding a pictorial backdrop to the fascinating drama surrounding one of the richest areas of precious metals ever mined in the U.S. The mining industry declined in the area, however, and by the 1950s Park City was virtually a ghost town. Now, risen from the ashes, it's been revitalized by the thriving ski trade, which has made this unique hamlet a year-round destination for recreation. Once dubbed "Sin Town" due to the annual Sundance Film Festival and its celebrity appeal, Park City still harbors numerous myths, some more outrageous than others.