Nestled within the Uintah Basin of northeast Utah, Skinwalker Ranch stands as a vortex of unexplained phenomena, a 480-acre property synonymous with UFO sightings, cattle mutilations, mysterious creatures, and ancient Native American curses. This remote ranch, also known as Sherman Ranch or the UFO Ranch, borders the Ute Indian reservation and has captivated researchers and the public alike with its relentless barrage of paranormal activity.
For centuries, the Ute people have warned of the ranch, calling it “on the path of the skinwalker” and forbidding anyone to approach its boundaries. A skinwalker is a malevolent shapeshifting witch in Navajo lore, a belief taken with utmost seriousness by the Ute. The historical tensions between the Ute and Navajo, stemming from past conflicts and slave trade, are believed by the Ute to have resulted in a curse, manifesting as skinwalkers plaguing their lands for generations. These entities are not thought to live on the ranch itself but to hide in the nearby Dark Canyon.
The Terrifying Legends of the Skinwalkers
Accounts of skinwalker encounters near the ranch and on the Ute reservation are numerous and chilling. Witnesses describe these beings with dog heads on human bodies, others as large, black, hairy humanoid figures possessing incredible speed and enormous, “coal red” eyes. Large, unidentifiable tracks have also been reportedly seen and photographed, attributed to these elusive shapeshifters, adding another layer to the ranch’s enduring mystique.
Early Encounters and Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
While the Myers family, who homesteaded the ranch from 1905 to 1987, reported no strange occurrences, their neighbors certainly did. By the 1950s, the Uintah Basin became a hotspot for UFO sightings, continuing for decades. Intriguingly, reports of strange aerial craft date back to the late 1700s when Spanish explorers witnessed unusual lights over their campfires. Hundreds of UFO reports poured in, describing objects ranging from 20-30 feet to the size of a football field, in various shapes and emitting peculiar lights and beams. A retired science teacher, Joseph “Junior” Hicks, meticulously investigated over 400 sightings, often noting a disturbing correlation between UFO appearances and cattle mutilations.
The Sherman Family’s Ordeal: A Catalog of Horrors
In 1994, Terry and Gwen Sherman purchased the ranch, unaware of the nightmare that awaited them. They discovered the previous owners had installed an alarming number of deadbolt locks on every door and window, even inside the house, hinting at a deep-seated fear. On their very first day, they encountered an unkillable, wolf-like creature attacking a calf. Despite multiple point-blank shots from a .357 magnum, the animal remained unharmed, eventually trotting away and vanishing without a trace. This was merely the beginning.
Bizarre Creatures and Vanishing Livestock
Over the next two years, the Shermans and their neighbors witnessed an array of inexplicable phenomena:
- Mysterious Animals: Exotic, multicolored birds not native to the region, tall, dark creatures resembling Bigfoot or Sasquatch, and a hyena-like beast with curly red hair that attacked a horse before vanishing.
- UFOs and Cattle Mutilations: Frequent sightings of strange lights and flying objects often coincided with the death or disappearance of their prime cattle. Seven cows either vanished without a trace or were found dead and grotesquely mutilated.
- Gruesome Details: Mutilated cows displayed peculiar, surgically precise holes in their eyes or rectums, extending deep into the body cavity. There was no blood, no footprints, no tire tracks, and a distinct chemical odor lingered. One cow’s hoofprints simply ended in the snow, as if it had been lifted into the air.
Poltergeist Activity and Unseen Forces
Beyond the creatures and aerial phenomena, the Shermans experienced poltergeist-type activity, items disappearing and reappearing, disembodied voices speaking unknown languages, and the sounds of heavy machinery operating underground. Crop circles of flattened grass appeared mysteriously. The ultimate terror struck in May 1996 when Terry Sherman’s dogs chased a blue orb into the brush, only for him to hear three yelps, and find three greasy, scorched lumps the next morning; the dogs were never seen again.
Robert Bigelow and Government Investigation
After two years of terror, the Shermans went public, catching the attention of millionaire businessman and ufologist Robert Bigelow. Bigelow purchased the ranch for $200,000, contingent on a non-disclosure agreement, and established the National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS). This initiative brought PhD-level scientists, field investigators, and a 24-hour security detail to the ranch, employing high-tech sensing equipment to study the paranormal. While NIDS was disbanded in 2004 with “little apparent success,” its efforts laid the groundwork for future, more secretive endeavors.
Bigelow then founded Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS), which quickly garnered a government sponsor. In 2007, the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program (AATIP) was launched, a clandestine investigatory effort funded by the United States Department of Defense to study unidentified flying objects, primarily focusing on Skinwalker Ranch. Over $22 million was allocated to this program, run by Pentagon official Luis Elizondo, at the behest of then-Senate majority leader Harry Reid, a longtime friend of Bigelow.
The existence of AATIP remained a classified secret until 2017 when the New York Times broke the story, forcing the Department of Defense to confirm the program and Senator Reid to admit his involvement. Although the DOD officially claims the program was shut down in 2012, parts of the study remain classified, fueling speculation about what was truly discovered on the enigmatic property.
Conclusion: An Enduring Mystery
Skinwalker Ranch continues to be a focal point for researchers and enthusiasts of the unexplained. The confluence of ancient Native American legends, consistent eyewitness accounts spanning generations, and concrete evidence of government interest underscores the unique and profound nature of the phenomena. From shapeshifting entities and unkillable predators to UFOs, cattle mutilations, and poltergeist activity, the ranch remains an active laboratory for the unknown, challenging our understanding of reality and leaving us to ponder the secrets hidden within its desolate landscape. The enigma of Skinwalker Ranch endures, a testament to the persistent mysteries that lie beyond the veil of our comprehension.
