UFOs, Ghosts, and Cryptids: Paranormal Wyoming
Just a short drive south of Casper, the town of Rawlins sits along the old Lincoln Highway, a spot where the skies have long drawn curious eyes. The Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum, housed in the original 1901 penitentiary, offers more than just a look at criminal history. Visitors report eerie sensations wandering its cell blocks, and tales of shadowy figures slipping through bars have made it a magnet for ghost hunters. The dimly lit corridors and the preserved solitary confinement cells create an atmosphere that’s palpably heavy with past lives. Exploring the museum in the late afternoon, just as twilight falls, adds a cinematic tension that amplifies the spectral stories shared by guides and local lore enthusiasts.
In the windswept foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, about an hour north of Sheridan, lies Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark. This ancient stone structure, perched at an elevation of nearly 9,600 feet, is a sacred site for Native American tribes and has sparked speculation about its origins and purpose. The Medicine Wheel Trail is a moderate 2.3-mile loop that leads visitors to the cairn and its surrounding outlier rocks. Clear night skies here reveal a tapestry of stars, and some visitors claim to witness unexplained light phenomena that feel otherworldly. The sweeping vistas of the Bighorn Basin below enhance the sense of standing on a threshold between worlds, especially during late summer when the air is crisp and the wildflowers bloom around the stones.
Traveling southwest from Jackson by roughly two hours, the expansive Grand Teton National Park offers more than just postcard-perfect mountain views; it’s also a hotspot for cryptid enthusiasts. The park’s dense forests and alpine meadows are rumored grounds for Bigfoot sightings, especially around Leigh Lake. The Leigh Lake Trail, a gentle 5.5-mile round-trip hike starting from the String Lake parking area, allows visitors to immerse themselves in the quiet wilderness where these whispered encounters take place. Early morning hikes in spring or fall, when mist clings low over the water, set a prime ambiance for spotting elusive creatures—or simply savoring the profound stillness that fuels such legends.
On the eastern edge of Wyoming, about a half-hour northwest of Cheyenne, the Curt Gowdy State Park straddles the Laramie Mountains with its rugged granite outcrops and serene reservoirs. Known for its extensive trail system, the park’s Crystal Ridge Trail offers hikers a 5-mile journey through pine forests and rocky ridges with sweeping views of the surrounding plains. At dusk, the park transforms into a haven for those scanning the skies for UFOs. The lack of city light pollution here, combined with frequent clear nights, has made it a favored spot among local astronomers and UFO watchers. The park’s varied terrain and open vantage points provide an ideal setting to contemplate the mysteries that linger just beyond our understanding.
Further south, about a 90-minute drive from Laramie, the small town of Medicine Bow is nestled near the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests. This area has a rich history of frontier tales and reported ghostly encounters, especially around the historic Sherman Summit on Interstate 80. Though not a typical tourist stop, the Sherman Summit Overlook offers a vantage point where travelers can pause and imagine the ghost stories tied to early railroad workers and settlers. The cold winds that sweep through the pass at night seem to carry echoes of the past, making winter evenings particularly atmospheric for visitors drawn to eerie histories.
Heading west from Riverton, approximately 45 minutes, the Wind River Indian Reservation invites exploration of a cultural realm where spiritual traditions and stories of the unknown intertwine. The Museum of the American Indian in Fort Washakie presents an extensive collection of artifacts and exhibits that touch on indigenous perspectives of natural and supernatural phenomena. Visitors can engage with narratives about spirit animals and sacred sites, grounding the paranormal in the lived experiences and teachings of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho peoples. Spring and early summer brings festivals and gatherings that provide additional layers of cultural depth to this unique place.
Finally, near Cody, about 50 miles east of Yellowstone, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West preserves the legacy of one of the West’s most enigmatic figures. Beyond the history of Buffalo Bill himself, the center’s Draper Natural History Museum and Plains Indian Museum delve into the wildlife and Native American myths of the region, some of which include mysterious creatures and unexplained phenomena on the vast Wyoming plains. Evening programs and ranger talks often touch on these themes, inviting visitors to consider the land’s mysteries amid the spectacular sunsets over the Shoshone River Valley. Visiting in late summer or early fall allows guests to experience the landscape in vivid color, enhancing the folklore that pulses through this storied place.