The 1428 Vault: Skinwalker Ranch – playground for the paranormal
In Ballard, Utah on the outskirts of the Ute reservation there is a ranch. Some say skinwalkers inhabit the place. Others say it is a hotbed of UFO activity. Is any of this speculation true?
“There is a place the unexplained calls home.” – Tagline for Skinwalker Ranch movie
The Legend
Right on the edge of the Ute reservation in Ballard, Utah is a ranch. It may look unassuming except for the huge warning sign that emphatically states, “unauthorized personnel stay away.” However, looks can be deceiving.
This piece of property for as long as anyone can remember has been the focal point for numerous UFO sightings as well as paranormal events. Locals believe that “skinwalkers” or Navajo witches roam the grounds on a regular basis.
Anyone who has ever visited this land has reported that strange things happen to them. In Season 3, Episode 5 of Jesse Ventura’s Conspiracy Theory, two of his reporters go investigate the ranch at night. They both state that their car radio was taken over by a demonic voice and that mysterious lights appeared in the sky over the property.
Is any of this true? According to Thought Catalog, Terry and Gwen Sherman seem to think so. When the couple bought the ranch back in 1994, they didn’t know that their lives were going to be turned upside down.
From the moment they moved in, crazy things started happening. Cattle mutilations, crop circles, UFOs and disembodied voices just to name a few. According to the Shermans, they found deadbolts “on doors and windows that puzzled them.”
“Some of the doors and windows had deadbolts on both the inside and the outside. They also found large chains outside that looked like they may be for the purpose of restraining a heavy animal.”
Eventually, the couple couldn’t handle the constant barrage of supernatural and otherworldly activity so they moved out in 1996. Oddly enough, extremely wealthy hotel chain owner, Robert Bigelow set up shop there.
That Secret UFO Project
Several months ago, in an article that we did on X-Files showrunner Chris Carter, he had talked about Bigelow being involved in a covert space program. It also came to light that Harry Reid had allocated funds toward his UFO research.
Operating under the name The National Institute for the Discovery of Science until 2004 (currently Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies), his group apparently reported that, “UFOs seen in the area were not consistent with current military aircrafts.”
Out of all the locations in the world, why is this one in particular so dynamic? Does it fall on some sort of ley line? Does it align with other areas of spiritual significance?
Since the 1950s this ranch has been the scene for unusual extraterrestrial events. The Shermans even reported seeing a giant craft with seven-foot-tall aliens. While all of this seems implausible and right out of a Hollywood movie, what if it isn’t?
Visitors from the Stars
The Southwest in particular is known for attracting otherworldly visitors. This is because of the indigenous nations found in the various regions and their beliefs that they were descended from “star people.” Many reservations have sacred grounds where it is believed that spirits can make the leap into this world through portals to make contact with tribe members.
What exactly does Bigelow’s company do? There have been some rumors that he is actually re-engineering extraterrestrial technology. Apparently, he is also not afraid to tell people that aliens are here and living among us.
What do you think is behind the events at Skinwalker Ranch? Feel free to share your opinions. We want to hear from you.
Next: The X-Files: Chris Carter gives his take on the secret UFO program
Susan Leighton can be found on Twitter and Facebook @SusanontheLedge. She is also featured on Nerdrotics Podcast every Friday night at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on Friday Night Tights, the pop culture wrap up show. You can catch her coverage on IFC’s Brockmire at TV Series Hub.