The legend of the Skinwalker, known as a shapeshifting being, has often been dismissed as a hoax. After all, it is hard to believe that a figure resembling a human has terrorized families in the American Southwest for decades, perhaps even longer, by transforming into a four-legged animal.

However, while there is no scientific evidence, the Navajo Skinwalker has deep roots in Native American mythology.

DoubleOurEfforts/redditAccording to Navajo mythology, a Skinwalker is a shapeshifter that can appear in all sorts of frightening forms.

The rest of America got a real taste of the Navajo legend in 1996. A newspaper reported on a traumatic experience a family in Utah had with a supposed creature involving animal mutilations and disappearances, UFO sightings, and the emergence of crop circles.

The family's most disturbing encounter with the legendary Skinwalker occurred one night just 18 months after moving to the farm. The family’s father, Terry Sherman, encountered a wolf while walking his dogs late at night.

But this was no ordinary wolf. It was three times the size of a normal wolf, had glowing red eyes, and stood there unaffected by the three close-range bullets Sherman fired at it.

Terry and Gwen Sherman sold the so-called Skinwalker Ranch in 1996, just 18 months after they acquired it. Since then, it has been used as a center for paranormal research.

The Sherman family was not the only ones traumatized on the property. After they moved in, several new owners experienced similar frightening encounters, and today, the farm has become a paranormal research center aptly renamed Skinwalker Ranch.

As paranormal researchers investigate the property with new inventions, what they are looking for has roots that go back centuries.

This is the Navajo Skinwalker legend.

What is a Skinwalker? Within Navajo Legend

Legends of AmericaSome reports say that a Skinwalker can take on the form of a wolf.

So, what is a Skinwalker? According to the Navajo-English Dictionary, the term "Skinwalker" is translated from the Navajo word yee naaldlooshii. This word means "he goes on four legs because of him" — and yee naaldlooshii is just one of many varieties of Skinwalkers, referred to as 'ánti'jhnii.

The Pueblo people, Apache, and Hopi also have their own legends regarding Skinwalkers.

Some traditions regarding Native American monsters believe that Skinwalkers originated from a benevolent healer who abused native magic. The healer then gains malevolent powers that vary among traditions, but the power mentioned in all traditions is the ability to transform into or possess an animal or human. Other traditions believe that a man, woman, or child can become a Skinwalker when they commit any deep taboo.

Wikimedia CommonsNavajos believe that Skinwalkers were once benevolent healers who reached the highest priestly level but chose to use their powers to cause harm.

In Native American mythology, Skinwalkers are physically often animalistic, even in human form. They are nearly impossible to kill, and can only be killed with a bullet or knife coated in white ash.

There is little information about this alleged being, as Navajos are extremely reluctant to discuss it with outsiders — and often even with each other. Traditional belief holds that talking about malevolent beings not only brings bad luck but also increases the likelihood of their appearance.

Edward Curtis/Library of CongressThe name for Skinwalker in the Navajo language is "yee naaldlooshii," which means "he goes on four legs because of him."

Native American writer and historian Adrienne Keene explained how J.K. Rowling's use of similar beings in the Harry Potter series impacted the indigenous people who believe in Skinwalkers.

“When Rowling included this, we as Native people are subjected to a series of questions about these beliefs and traditions,” Keene said, “but these are not things to be discussed or debated by outsiders.”

The 1996 Skinwalker Ranch Incident

In 1996, after a series of unexplained events, several outsiders became acquainted with the legend.

Prometheus EntertainmentThe 512-acre property where the Shermans once lived has witnessed unexplained animal mutilation events alongside crop circles and UFO phenomena for decades.

Terry and Gwen Sherman first saw UFOs of different sizes over their property, then seven of their cows died or went missing. One was reported to have a hole in the center of its left pupil. Another had its rectum cut out.

Each of the dead cows the Shermans found was surrounded by a strange, chemical smell. One was found dead among the trees, with the upper branches appearing to be cut.

One of the missing cows had gone to a spot where its tracks in the snow suddenly stopped.

“If there is snow, it’s hard for a 1,200 or 1,400-pound animal to walk away without leaving tracks or to stop and walk back and lose its tracks,” Terry Sherman said. “It just disappeared. It was very strange.”

The scariest part was the sounds Terry Sherman heard while walking his dogs. Sherman reported that the sounds were speaking in a language he did not recognize. He estimated the sounds came from about 25 feet away — but he could see nothing. His dogs had gone crazy, barking and quickly returning home.

After the Shermans sold their property, these events only continued, and discussions about Skinwalkers increased.

Are Skinwalkers Real?

YouTubeThe ranch is now fortified with barbed wire, private property signs, and armed guards.

After the 1996 incident, curious individuals stepped in to try to answer the big question: Are Skinwalkers real? UFO enthusiast and Las Vegas realtor Robert Bigelow purchased the ranch in 1996 for $200,000. He established the National Institute for Discovery Science on the land and set up significant surveillance systems. The goal was to assess what was really happening there.

On March 12, 1997, Bigelow's employee, biochemist Dr. Colm Kelleher, saw a large human-like figure sitting in a tree. As detailed in his book Hunt for the Skinwalker, the creature was 20 feet off the ground and about 50 feet away. Kelleher wrote:

“A large creature lying motionless in the tree. The only indication of the monster's presence was the glowing yellow light of its eyes staring fixedly at the light.”

Kelleher fired a rifle at the supposed Skinwalker, but it fled. It left behind claw marks and tracks on the ground. Kelleher described the evidence as "a predator bird, perhaps a predator track, but massive and, from the depth of the tracks, a very heavy creature."

Wikimedia CommonsOne of the entrances to Skinwalker Ranch in Utah.

This was just a few days after another disturbing event. The ranch manager and his wife noticed that their dogs began to behave strangely after they tagged a calf.

“They came back 45 minutes later and found the calf in the field, in daylight, and the body cavity was empty,” Kelleher said. “Most people know that when an 84-pound calf dies, blood spreads everywhere. It was as if all the blood had been very carefully removed.”

Disturbing activities continued until summer.

“Three witnesses saw a very large animal in a tree and another large animal at the base of the tree,” Kelleher continued. “We had video camera equipment, we had night vision equipment. We started searching around the tree for carcasses but found no evidence.”

In total, Bigelow and the research team experienced over 100 incidents on the property — but they could not gather evidence of the kind that scientific publications would accept. Bigelow sold the ranch in 2016 for $4.5 million to a company called Adamantium Holdings.

Skinwalker Ranch, now owned by Adamantium Holdings, is patrolled by armed guards.

Still, research on Skinwalker Ranch is more complex and secretive than ever.

The Place of Skinwalkers in Modern Pop Culture

There are many stories about Skinwalkers on forums like Reddit. These experiences often occur in Native American reservations and are only prevented by the blessings of healers.

While it can be difficult to discern how accurate these accounts are, the descriptions are almost always the same: a four-legged monster with a disturbing human-like face and glowing orange-red eyes.

Those who claim to have seen these Skinwalkers also say they are fast and make a hellish noise.

YouTubeReports indicate that paranormal activities such as strange orbs of light have been observed at Skinwalker Ranch.

Skinwalkers have returned to popular culture through television programs such as HBO's The Outsider and the History Channel's upcoming documentary series The Secret Of Skinwalker Ranch. For horror-focused programs, an almost demonic entity roaming the countryside is quite perfect.

Ongoing Research on the Famous Navajo Shapeshifter

After taking over Skinwalker Ranch, Adamantium installed cameras, alarm systems, infrared devices, and more throughout the property. But the most frightening part is the reports from company employees.

According to VICE, employee Thomas Winterton was one of several people who experienced random skin inflammation and nausea after working on the property. Some were hospitalized, but there was no clear medical diagnosis for their conditions.

This and subsequent reports parallel some of the inexplicable events featured in science fiction programs like The Outsider. Winterton reported:

“I’m pulling my truck out and I start to really get scared as I get closer. I get this feeling on me. Then, at that moment, I hear a voice as clear as I’m talking to you, ‘Stop, turn back.’ I leaned out the window and started looking around. There was nothing.”

There are traces of missing people and animals along with crop circles and UFO sightings around Skinwalker Ranch.

Despite this frightening experience, Winterton is not considering leaving Skinwalker Ranch.

“It’s like the ranch is calling you, you know,” he said with a smile.