Meet ‘Smetty’ – Wyoming’s Lake Monster Legend

Do you believe there could be a prehistoric creature in a Wyoming lake?

In northeastern Wyoming, there is a legend of a prehistoric creature living in Lake De Smet that they've named 'Smetty.'

Wyoming's own Loch Ness Monster is said to have once lived or is still living, in Lake De Smet located in Johnson County just north of Buffalo. Early settlers and Native Americans both told the tale of the monster under the waters f the lake.

Edward Gillette wrote about just missing the creature in 1925 in his book Locating the Iron Trail. That's the same Eddie Gillette that the Wyoming town of Gillette is named for.

In his book, Gillette tells about his conversation with a ranch family that allegedly saw the creature. The family, the Barkeys, told Gillette that he had just missed seeing the creature in the lake. They said if he had been just a bit early he'd have seen the creature swimming as fast as a horse could trot.

A Native American legend, recounted in the 1966 book Indian Legends from the Northern Rockies, tells about a warrior named Little Moon who died in the lake and is said to haunt the water.

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Episode 1 of The Mystery Files by Ghost Hunter of Wyoming on YouTube investigates the possibility of a creature living in Lake De Smet.