MAGNA, Utah — The Great Saltair, a concert venue perched on the shores of the Great Salt Lake, is known for pulsing live music and panoramic sunsets — but after dark, its legend takes a far eerier turn. For years, staff and visitors have reported shadowy figures, ghostly voices, and chilling encounters that have earned the historic site a reputation as one of Utah’s most haunted places.

Strange Occurrences at the Great Saltair

“Doors open and close. Lights flicker for no reason. It’s pretty active all the time,” said Brandon Barrick, the venue’s manager, who has worked at Saltair for nearly 15 years. “I wasn’t a believer when I started, but now? There’s just too much I can’t explain.”

Barrick isn’t alone. Workers describe unsettling experiences — hearing footsteps in empty rooms, laughter echoing from the rafters, and seeing translucent apparitions that vanish as quickly as they appear.

Event operator David Ramos recalled seeing “a tall shadow” disappear down a stairwell, while merchandise manager Maile Roberts listed multiple ghostly sightings: “I’ve seen a little boy, a woman in a white nightgown, a military man near the bar, even an elderly woman in the restroom who peeks out from the stalls.”

Children’s Laughter and Salt-Locked Spirits

One recurring phenomenon involves the laughter of unseen children. “We were cleaning one afternoon and heard kids laughing up in the rafters,” Barrick said. “There’s nothing nearby that could explain it. It’s unnerving.”

Theories about the haunting abound. The current Saltair — the third iteration of the venue, rebuilt after fires destroyed its predecessors in 1925 and 1970 — was constructed from a former Air Force hangar. Some staff believe that’s why a “military man” spirit is frequently spotted wandering the halls.

But others think the haunting is tied to Saltair’s location. The area near Interstate 80 has seen numerous fatal crashes and unsolved crimes over the decades. Another theory holds that the salt itself — deposited when the Great Salt Lake receded — acts as a supernatural barrier.

“Salt is believed to trap spirits,” Barrick explained. “They can’t cross it. So once they’re here, they’re stuck here.”

Paranormal Activity on the Rise

Investigators say that spiritual activity at Saltair has intensified. Barrick recounted one incident where a man was pushed down the grand staircase by an unseen force. “Some spirits here are friendly, but others… not so much,” he said. “We’ve had people pushed, hair pulled. It’s not always peaceful.”

Paranormal investigator Sam Arky from the Western Association for the Science of the Paranormal (W.A.S.P.) described a disturbing personal episode during an overnight investigation. “I was staring into a mirror and completely lost track of time and myself,” he said. “When I came out, my team said I wasn’t me anymore.”

The W.A.S.P. Investigation

During a joint investigation with KSL-TV, the W.A.S.P. team used specialized equipment to detect energy shifts, motion, and sound anomalies throughout the building.

Among the tools:

• EMF detectors to measure electromagnetic fields.
• Spirit boxes, which scan radio frequencies to capture disembodied voices.
• Structured light sensor cameras to map figures invisible to the naked eye.

One investigator brought along Ali, a trained dog with heightened sensitivity. Ali refused to enter the women’s restroom — a known paranormal hotspot — and reacted strongly to an empty area where “hissing” sounds were later captured on audio.

Later, the spirit box delivered eerily direct responses. When KSL reporter Andrew Adams sat nearby, the device blurted, “Andrew.” Moments later, a voice instructed, “Go upstairs.”

Investigators followed, recording fluctuating cold spots, sulfuric odors, and even a glowing orange light darting across a window — none of which could be explained by environmental factors.

Communication From Beyond?

Using dowsing rods and the Estes method (a form of sensory deprivation that isolates an investigator while using a spirit box), the team attempted to communicate with what they believed to be the spirit of a young girl. When asked who she wanted to speak to, the response was immediate: “Him.”

All rods pointed toward Adams. When asked if he reminded her of her father, the rods again moved in affirmation.

A Venue Steeped in Tragedy and Mystery

Originally opened in 1893 as the “Coney Island of the West,” the Great Saltair was once a glamorous destination attracting half a million visitors annually. But repeated fires, flooding, and economic decline transformed it from a symbol of Utah’s golden age into a monument of mystery and loss.

Today, it serves as one of the state’s premier concert venues — and, some say, a resting place for souls that never left.

“I think there are spirits who’ve died on or near the property and can’t move on,” Barrick reflected. “Until you’ve experienced it yourself, it’s hard to believe what goes on out here.”