---
category: Landmark
summary: Skinwalker Ranch is a 480-acre property in Utah known for a long history
  of paranormal and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena-related events.
tags:
- Place
- Landmark
- Utah
- UAP
- Paranormal
---

[Skinwalker Ranch](/places/skinwalker-ranch/) is a 480-acre property in Utah known for a long history of paranormal and [UAP](/concepts/unidentified-anomalous-phenomena/)-related events. The ranch was a subject of investigation for the [Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program](/programs/advanced-aerospace-threat-identification-program/) (AAWSAP), the precursor to the [Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program](/programs/advanced-aerospace-threat-identification-program/) (AATIP).[^1]

### Phenomena and Investigation

The ranch has been the site of a wide range of anomalous activity, including UAP sightings, strange apparitions, and other terrifying experiences. Visitors have reported seeing a variety of UAP, from orbs to larger craft, and have experienced equipment malfunctions and other strange occurrences.[^1]

In the mid-1990s, the ranch was purchased by [Robert Bigelow](/people/robert-bigelow/), who established the [National Institute for Discovery Science](/organizations/national-institute-for-discovery-science/) (NIDS) to study the phenomena. When AAWSAP was established with Bigelow's company, [Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies](/organizations/bigelow-aerospace-advanced-space-studies/) (BAASS), as the primary contractor, the investigation of Skinwalker Ranch became a part of the program's portfolio. Teams of researchers were sent to the ranch to collect data on the anomalous activity.[^1]

One of the most disturbing phenomena associated with the ranch is the "hitchhiker effect," a term coined by [Jay Stratton](/people/jay-stratton/). This refers to the tendency for the paranormal phenomena to "follow" investigators home, harassing them and their families long after they have left the property. [Luis Elizondo](/people/luis-elizondo/) notes that his own experiences with orbs in his home began after he started working with the program, and that other members of the team had similar experiences.[^1]

### The Blue Orbs

One of the most dangerous phenomena reported at the ranch are the blue orbs. In one incident, two dogs owned by a rancher chased a blue orb into a field and were vaporized, leaving behind only grease spots on the sagebrush. The orbs are believed to emit a form of directed energy that can be harmful or even lethal to living tissue.[^1]

### Connection to AATIP

The investigation of Skinwalker Ranch was a controversial aspect of the AATIP program. While program leader [James Lacatski](/people/james-lacatski/) believed that the paranormal events at the ranch were inextricably linked to the UAP mystery, the focus on such phenomena drew criticism from within the [Pentagon](/organizations/pentagon/) and contributed to the internal opposition that ultimately led to the program losing its official support.[^1]

[^1]: Elizondo, Luis. *Imminent*. William Morrow, 2024.