The thundering hooves and neighing of abandoned mustangs in Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park are said to haunt the canyons. Abandoned by cowboys trying to tame them, the Ghost Horses were abandoned to starve and thirst.
Canyonlands National Park in Utah, with its otherworldly rock canyons and immense landscapes, offers visitors a journey through the remnants of the Old West. Yet amidst the breathtaking landscapes still whisper a haunting tale—a haunting legend that evokes the mournful echoes of ghostly mustangs.
Dead Horse Point State Park in San Juan County offers a dramatic view of the National Park, often called Utah's Little Grand Canyon, where the movie Thelma & Louise was filmed. According to legend, the park got its name because it was used as a natural corral by cowboys in , where horses often died from exposure. Dead Horse Point has often appeared on lists of unusual place names
Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park, located in southeastern Utah, is a stunning expanse of dramatic desert landscapes carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries. Divided into four distinct districts—Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and the rivers themselves—the park offers a variety of geological features, including high plateaus, immense canyons, unique rock formations, and antique petroglyphs. Each district offers a unique experience, from the breathtaking panoramic views at Island in the Sky to the intricate sandstone spires at The Needles and the remote, rugged wilderness of The Maze.
Dead Horse Point State Park is much smaller and under different administration. It is located near the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands National Park and is easily accessible from Moab, Utah.
Abandoned Mustangs
In the moonlit solitude of Canyonlands, the air is said to stir with the ghostly clatter of hooves and the mournful whinnying of ghostly horses among the juniper trees. These apparitions are believed to be the spirits of a once-thriving herd of wild mustangs, whose tragic fate was sealed by the neglect of heartless herders in the 19th century.
The story begins with a group of cowboys rounding up dozens of wild mustangs in a part of the park now known as The Neck or The Gooseneck, intending to break them up and sell them to the highest bidder. Life in those days was tough, and only those with spirit and determination survived. This was also at the cost of the innocent animals they used.
Having selected the few who promised the greatest profits, the herders heartlessly abandoned the remaining horses or simply forgot to turn them out. Left to their own devices in the rugged canyons, the abandoned mustangs found themselves in captivity without food.
Trapped in a makeshift corral, they failed to reach the nearby Colorado River. They slowly starved to death, many jumping to their deaths because they could see and smell the river, and their haunting cries filled the desert landscape.
Ghost Horses
Now, as the moon graces the night sky, the Ghost Horses of Canyonlands are said to gallop through the park, their ethereal forms unbound by the earthly limitations that once betrayed them. The haunting echoes of their hooves serve as a poignant reminder of the cruelty they endured, seeking solace in the afterlife with fierce abandon.
People visiting Dead Horse State Park, as well as Canyonlands National Park, come back with stories of hearing the mournful neighing of horses and thundering hooves on the ground. Visitors are always advised to give them their space if they ever hear them, following their eternal path to the Colorado River to drink, to freedom.
References:
12 Haunted National Parks | Shaka Guide
National Park Legends: Dead Horse of the Canyons by Aaron Johnson, Joel Anderson, 2022
Dead Horse Point State Park – Wikipedia
Canyonlands National Park – Wikipedia
Image Source: Pixabay.com
