UFOs, Bigfoot, and lake monsters…oh my! The unidentified “non-human biologics” recovered by the U.S. government in 2023 aren’t the only unexplained objects buzzing around – at least not according to the thousands of UFO sightings filed over the last century. But while Iowa’s endless cornfields and Roswell, NM tend to boast all of the extraterrestrial landings (and leave none of the exciting finds for the rest of us), we recently discovered that Wyoming has had a surprising number of historic UFO sightings of its own, dating back to the 1940s. Of course, we can’t vouch for the legitimacy of any of these events, but one account in particular piqued our curiosity, as it remains unexplained to this day.

Note that the photos below are for representative purposes only.

As any local Wyomingite knows, the I-80 route from Rawlins to Rock Springs is pretty brutal - even for the most hardy and prevailing of long-haul drivers. The multi-hour stretch is, let's be honest, one of the most boring stretches of road in the state.

There, we said it. You know it's true.
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
But on December 29, 1953, at just before 10 p.m., a little something extra seemed to flicker across the sky, brightening what was an otherwise black expanse of brush and nothingness. Captain David Porter, reportedly flying a large military aircraft, spotted two objects in a straight line just ahead of his C-47, the two separated by a few miles of empty sky.
Adam Baker/Flickr

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The mysterious objects flickered, changing color from red to white and back. Porter described the movement as, "like a heated metal or also like a blinking light.” Based on his own speed, the objects ahead were calculated to be moving at over 1,500 miles per hour.

Crazy fast, in other words. And definitely not Superman.
Kzoo Cowboy/Flickr
Of course, this is just one man's story, right? Nope! Additional sightings in Utah occurred around the same time, adding legitimacy to the claim. Especially when taking into consideration the color of the lights; meteors and space debris typically appear as blue or green. The objects in question flickered red and white - but well before modern satellite explanations.
gremlin/iStock Via Getty Images Plus
Flying saucer, UFO, UAP - could these lights have been something straight out of a sci-fi movie? Or were they just an early New Year's Eve celebration?

 

While official government UFO studies didn’t start until the 1940s, sightings of strange lights, apparitions, and flying objects have been heavily documented since well before the first Close Encounters episode. What are some weird or inexplicable things that you’ve spotted in Wyoming?

Alien enthusiast or not, you’ll definitely want to book a stay at this sweet glamping dome, which boasts dark skies and a skylight for epic UFO-spotting or plain ol’ stargazing. Craving more of the unexpected? Add a few more once-in-a-lifetime experiences to your Bucket List!

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