The modern legend of Skinwalker Ranch started in 1994, when Terry and Gwen Sherman purchased the property in northeastern Utah. Soon after moving in, they reported a series of strange events, including seeing huge wolves that seemed bulletproof, unexplained lights in the sky, and repeated cattle mutilations. The Shermans claimed their livestock were being attacked, or they sometimes vanished without a trace. In one instance, Terry Sherman tracked the cattle prints to the middle of a snowy field, where the tracks suddenly ended. They heard eerie voices and saw glowing orbs floating around the ranch. After two years of escalating incidents, the Shermans sold the property because they were unable to deal with the constant stress of the bizarre activity.
In 1996, billionaire Robert Bigelow, founder of the National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS), bought the ranch with the express intent of investigating the strange phenomena. Bigelow brought in a team of scientists and researchers who installed cameras, sensors, and other monitoring equipment at various hotspots on the ranch. Despite capturing some unexplained anomalies, most of the phenomena seemed to avoid direct observation. Reports included strange electromagnetic fields, unidentified flying objects, and even portals that seemed to open in the sky. While NIDS gathered data, they struggled to produce definitive scientific proof, and the ranch’s reputation as a paranormal hotspot only grew.
After more than a decade of research , Bigelow sold the ranch in 2016 to a company called Adamantium Real Estate, which was later revealed to be controlled by real estate investor Brandon Fugal. Fugal at first kept his ownership secret but eventually went public in 2020. Under his leadership, the ranch became the focus of new scientific studies, combining modern technology with manual fieldwork to try and figure out the mysteries that had kept going for more than 15 years.
The ranch got even more attention when the History Channel launched the series The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch in 2020, documenting the investigations conducted by Brandon Fugal and his team. The show introduced a wider audience to the unexplained phenomenaon the property, including unusual radiation spikes, malfunctioning electronics, and strange aerial sightings. These televised investigations reignited public fascination with the ranch and helped cement its reputation as one of the most studied paranormal hotspots in the world.
Skinwalker Ranch to this day remains a site of active research and speculation to this day. While skeptics argue that many of the claims are exaggerated or the result of natural explanations, others believe the ranch could have secrets about UFOs, interdimensional activity, or advanced technology. With ongoing investigations, public curiosity, and its place in popular culture, Skinwalker Ranch continues to catch the interest of paranormal enthusiasts, scientists, and conspiracy theorists alike.
