‘Skinwalker’ Ranch Details – The Location, Owner Info & More

When a Utah property becomes more famous for unexplained phenomena than its actual acreage, you know there’s something extraordinary happening. Skinwalker Ranch has captured global attention as one of America’s most scientifically studied paranormal locations, transforming from a quiet agricultural property into the center of ongoing investigations into unidentified aerial objects and strange occurrences. The 512-acre estate has become synonymous with mysterious events that have puzzled researchers, scientists, and government officials for decades.

Located in northeastern Utah’s remote high-desert landscape, the ranch sits within a geological feature known as the Uinta Basin, an area that has generated hundreds of UFO reports since the 1950s. The property features dramatic terrain, including sandstone mesas, pioneer homesteads, and Dry Gulch Creek, which winds through the landscape, creating an almost otherworldly setting that has fascinated both visitors and researchers who have come to the area.

The ranch’s ominous name derives from Navajo folklore about shapeshifting witches called skin-walkers, evil entities believed to possess the ability to transform into animals or humans. According to legend, these supernatural beings were unleashed upon the local Ute Tribe during ancient conflicts and continue to inhabit the area, Utah.com notes.

The Fugal Era: Scientific Investigation Meets Modern Technology

Current owner Brandon Fugal, a prominent Utah real estate mogul and tech investor, purchased the land from aerospace billionaire Robert Bigelow in 2016 for approximately $500,000. Fugal initially kept his ownership secret for four years before revealing his identity in 2020. It coincided with the launch of History Channel‘s documentary series “The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch.”

Fugal has transformed the ranch into what he calls the greatest science project of our time. He installed an extensive network of military-grade surveillance equipment, sensors, and monitoring devices across the property. The technological arsenal includes hyperspectral imaging systems, magnetometers, forward-looking infrared cameras, geophone-based seismometers, and laboratory-grade thermographic imaging equipment, per Popular Mechanics.

The investigation team, led by principal investigator Erik Bard and astrophysicist Dr. Travis Taylor, conducts ongoing experiments to document and understand the unusual phenomena reported at the location. Their research has detected bizarre energy spikes, electromagnetic anomalies, and signals at frequencies that may represent unknown forms of communication.

Fugal’s approach embraces complete transparency. He shares all findings publicly through the television series and live camera feeds available to subscribers of the Skinwalker Ranch Insiders program. For eight dollars per month, fans can access 24-hour webcam feeds from over 50 audio-enabled security cameras positioned throughout the property, essentially creating a community of volunteer citizen scientists, Popular Mechanics notes.

Historical Ownership and Government Interest

The property’s modern reputation began with the Sherman family, who bought the ranch in 1994 seeking a peaceful rural lifestyle. Instead, they reported experiencing two years of unexplained phenomena, including UFO sightings, cattle mutilations, encounters with wolf-like creatures, and mysterious lights, before selling to Bigelow in 1996.

Bigelow, founder of the National Institute for Discovery Science, used the ranch as a research hub from 1996 to 2016. He conducted extensive investigations that documented over 530 instances of paranormal activity experienced by more than 150 people. His work later connected to the Pentagon-funded Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, which received $22 million in government funding to study UFOs and abnormal events, IFLScience notes.

The ranch gained additional credibility when officials from the Defense Intelligence Agency visited the property in 2007. This led to meetings with Senator Harry Reid that ultimately resulted in government contracts for paranormal research. Despite years of investigation and millions in funding, official explanations for the reported incidents remain elusive.

Recent visitors, including journalists and television crews, have reported experiencing equipment malfunctions, battery drainage, electromagnetic interference, and other unexplained events during their stays. KSL-TV reported multiple technical difficulties during a nine-hour visit, including drone connectivity issues, camera malfunctions, and possible UFO sightings captured on surveillance equipment.

The ranch continues to operate as both a scientific research facility and a working cattle operation, while maintaining strict security protocols. Public access remains restricted, although nearby campgrounds offer UFO-themed tours that bring visitors to the closest legally accessible points to the mysterious property.