May 3rd is National Paranormal Day, yes, there truly is a day for everything. Merriam-Webster.com describes the paranormal as “not scientifically explainable”. The term paranormal has existed in the English language since at least 1920. Because National Paranormal Day is on the way, I thought I would tell you about one of Utah’s paranormal hotspots. Also, on a personal note, if you read this and then decide you want to ask your Native American friend, particularly your Navajo friend about it, please don’t. I promise you that it’s awkward for them and they don’t want to talk about it. With that said, let's get started.  

Photo/Google Maps
Photo/Google Maps
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Photo/Google Maps
Photo/Google Maps
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The land Skinwalker Ranch sits on in the Uinta Basin has been traditionally inhabited by the Ute tribe and the term Skinwalker is a Navajo term that translates to “by means of it, it goes on all fours”. In the Navajo culture, Skinwalkers are evil witches with the ability to shapeshift into any animal or human. According to Utah.com, "there have been hundreds of reports of UFOs and unexplained phenomena in the area since the 1950s" and the stories of Skinwalker Ranch really began to take off when The Shermans bought the ranch in 1994, which they sold in 1996, and talked about the scary experiences they had on the ranch. 

 

Photo/Kevin Escate on Unsplash
Photo/Kevin Escate on Unsplash
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Photo/Leonardo Yip on Unsplash
Photo/Leonardo Yip on Unsplash
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Photo/Angel Luciano on Unsplash
Photo/Angel Luciano on Unsplash
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The scary experiences of The Shermans included everything from visits from abnormally large wolves that would disappear into thin air, flashing lights, mysterious objects in the sky, strange circles in their fields, hearing mysterious voices, and cattle mutilations. The Shermans sold the ranch to Robert Bigelow who turned it into a research center for NIDSci or National Institute for Discovery, the group he began in 1995. NIDSci disbanded in 2004 but maintained the property until 2016 when it was sold to Brandon Fugal. 

 

Once Fugal was announced as the property owner, it was also announced that the History Channel would be filming The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch on the property. The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch has just premiered its fourth season on the History Channel. I hope you've enjoyed this look into Utah's most famous paranormal hot spot.

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