The Forgotten Utah Gravesite That No One Ever Visits
If you’re interested in Utah history, you might enjoy walking through the Beehive State’s quiet, peaceful cemeteries to pay your respects to those who’ve passed on. To go way back in time, you can visit the heartbreaking little cemetery in the ghost town of Grafton, and for a baffling mystery, you can visit the gravestone of Lilly E. Gray, whose headstone reads, “Victim of the Beast 666.”
Here’s a gravestone with a legend that many Utahns have never heard, and few people know about this gravesite. Do you know about Old Ephraim?






It took all five bullets to fell the huge bear, but Old Ephraim finally died of his wounds with a final shot to his head. Frank Clark, who had hunted and killed grizzly bears for years, was said to be distraught when he finally ended Old Ephraim's life. He told a reporter, "Was I happy? No, and if I had to do it over I wouldn’t kill him. ... I could see the suffering in his eyes as he tried to climb that bank."

Part of the memorial is this ode, which reads, "Old Ephraim, Old Ephraim, Your deeds were so wrong yet we build you this marker and sing you this song. To the king of the forest so mighty and tall, we salute you, old Ephraim the king of them all - Nephi J. Bott."
You'll find the gravesite of Old Ephraim on the Old Ephraim trail. Take the Temple Fork dirt road and follow the signs. You'll find a small parking lot, and the gravesite is just 20 yards or so down the trail.
You'll find the gravesite of Old Ephraim on the Old Ephraim trail. Take the Temple Fork dirt road and follow the signs. You'll find a small parking lot, and the gravesite is just 20 yards or so down the trail.
Have you ever visited the gravesite of Old Ephraim? We’d love to hear what you think about this legendary bear!
Address: Old Ephraim's Grave Trail, Utah, USA