UFOs in Jackson Hole
Wyoming has long been a hotspot for mysterious lights in the sky, strange aerial phenomena, and things that go whoosh in the night. Just look at Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind—the film’s epic climax takes place over Wyoming’s own Devils Tower. But did you know that Jackson Hole has hosted close encounters of its own? Over the years, locals and visitors alike have reported sightings of unexplainable objects hovering over the Tetons, zipping through the starry skies, or even engaging in what some call otherworldly maneuvers. Could it be secret military tech? Optical illusions? Or… something not of this world? We’ll let you decide. Here’s a partial list of UFO encounters in and around Jackson Hole—cue the eerie music.
2020
Did you know there’s a whole database full of UFO sightings around the world? Check out NUFORC (the National UFO Reporting Center) to see if anyone near you has ever seen weird lights in the sky. Spoiler alert: probably. Take this most recent sighting in Jackson Hole, where a procession of glowing orbs traveled in a single file line before disappearing over the horizon.
2019
One Sunday morning, a night shift worker watching for the Perseid Meteor Shower spotted a mysterious flying object on the Spring Creek Ranch webcam. It zipped across the sky, making an odd flash toward the end of its trajectory. The object moved too slowly for a meteor, had no recorded flights matching its timing, and ended with a bright flash that lit up the sky. Experts, including astronomers and drone pilots, ruled out a meteor and suggested it could be a drone—but that weird flash remains unexplained.
Watch the video here.
2018
In the early morning hours on a drive up Teton Pass, a traveler witnessed a formation of glowing orbs moving at high speed along the mountain summit. First, three bright white orbs, each the size of a compact car, flew low over the rugged terrain at an estimated 150 knots. (Anyone else wonder how the traveler managed to estimate the object’s speed in knots? What were they, an old sea captain?) The first orbs were followed by three more white orbs, perfectly spaced in a straight line. Then came six red orbs, moving with the same precision. The entire event unfolded in just 15 seconds.
2012
Ever heard of a fireball making a 90-degree turn? On June 6, 2012, at 9:45 pm, a mother and daughter driving south of Jackson Hole witnessed a fireball rising into the sky near Teton Village. Initially thinking it was moving up the mountain, they realized it had ascended past the peaks before making a sharp turn east. Suddenly, the light went out, and they watched the large, wobbling object free-fall, disappearing into a dark cloud.
As they continued driving on Highway 89, another fireball appeared—this time heading straight toward them. It flew low, below the mountain peaks, with a fiery trail illuminating its saucer-shaped body. The daughter, observing longer, saw 10–20 pink lights surrounding the fireball. The UFO ascended high into the sky again before its light vanished once more, leaving them unable to track it further.
2011
Two people were sitting by the campfire looking at stars when they noticed a triangular section “missing” from the sky where no stars could be seen. They estimated the triangle was perhaps two miles wide from corner to corner. The triangle lingered for ten minutes before disappearing. Half an hour later, in another section of the sky, two shapes that looked cloudish came together in the moonlight and made a strange saucer shape before flying away.
2003
A witness at the Jackson Hole ski area spotted a small, black, chevron-shaped object zipping through the sky. Initially mistaken for a plane, it circled the valley before accelerating at an astonishing speed, crossing the entire area in less than a second.
The witness thought the UFO might be a military drone, possibly linked to then-Vice President Dick Cheney’s residence nearby, but that didn’t account for the insane speed at which it traveled.
What do you think? Have you ever seen strange lights in the sky over Jackson Hole? Let us know in the comments.
This post is brought to you by Flat Creek Inn. Want to learn more about the weird side of Jackson? Check out our posts about Bigfoot and jackalopes.
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Ryan Kunz is a copywriter and freelance writer who writes on a variety of topics, including media, the outdoors, and whatever else strikes his fancy. He's never seen a UFO, but he wants to believe.
