America hosts notable UFO hotspots, with sightings all over the country. Recently, the government has started taking these sightings more seriously, with the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) set up in 2022 to investigate these claims. Here are 17 of the best hotspots for UFO sightings in the U.S.
King and Yakima Counties, Washington
King and Yakima counties in Washington have a high number of UFO reports, making them key destinations in the Pacific Northwest for alien enthusiasts. Yakima County is especially known for a large number of sightings per capita. Both regions’ lush landscapes and clear skies provide ideal conditions to observe UFOs.
Horry County, South Carolina
Horry County is famous for its high number of UFO reports, with an average of 43 reports per 100 residents. The scenic locales of Conway and Myrtle Beach provide the perfect blend of relaxation and mystery for tourists wanting to enjoy a trip to the beach with a chance to spot a UFO.
Area 51, Nevada
Perhaps the most famous UFO hotspot in the world, Area 51 is the site of numerous UFO tales. Britannica notes it is a “secret U.S. Air Force military installation located at Groom Lake in southern Nevada,” whose “only confirmed use is as a flight testing facility.” But many UFO believers think the site is used to store, examine, and reverse engineer crashed alien spacecraft.
Wanaque Reservoir, New Jersey
In January 1966, over the Wanaque Reservoir in New Jersey, police officer Joe Cisco responded to a call asking him to look into a bright light spotted close to the Raymond Dam. Cisco arrived in time to see the light hovering over the reservoir before it moved away. NorthJersey.com reports that later that year, “hundreds of calls to police flooded in with reports of an even brighter light near Dead Man’s Curve on Clinton Road. Denials and conflicting explanations followed.”
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix was the site of the famous 1997 “Phoenix Lights” incident, a widely witnessed and highly publicized UFO sighting. Observers saw a massive, V-shaped array of lights that moved across the sky, sparking widespread media coverage and public interest. ABC News notes that while “the entire sighting lasted for only about a minute and a half,” hundreds of people saw it.
Denver, Colorado
Denver, with its high altitude and clear skies, has been the site of numerous notable UFO sightings, with 79.93 sightings per 100,000 residents from 2001 to 2020. The Mile High City’s proximity to the Rocky Mountains offers a unique backdrop for observing unexplained aerial phenomena.
Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell is home to the famous 1947 UFO incident, which saw the military announce that it had retrieved the remains of a crashed UFO from the nearby desert. Forbes reports that ever since then, “alien conspiracy theorists have claimed the remains of a flying saucer, and even dead aliens were secretly taken into storage.” The city of Roswell now organizes a UFO Festival every Fourth of July weekend, where thousands of people celebrate all things extraterrestrial.
Marfa, Texas
The city of Marfa sits on a desert plateau in western Texas. National Geographic notes that it is known for the Marfa Lights, “reddish-orange spheres that are three to six feet (one to three meters) in diameter and travel at high speed. They are said to glow like a distant star at first, then brighten to the intensity of a flashlight, sometimes flickering on and off.” On Highway 90, there is a public viewing platform for those hoping to spot the lights.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach are known for their high UFO sighting rates, with 1,223 and 1,111 sightings per 100,000 residents, respectively. The region has embraced its extraterrestrial fame, with former attractions like the “Encounters UFO Experience” attracting enthusiasts from across the U.S.
Levelland, Texas
Levelland is the site of a 1957 UFO encounter. On November 2, patrolman A.J. Fowler took a call at 11 p.m. that described a bright, cigar-shaped object following a pair in a car. As the object got closer, their engine cut out. Multiple calls followed that described a color-changing egg-shaped craft landing in the area.
Turkey Springs, Arizona
Turkey Springs is the site of a reported alien abduction in 1975. Logger Travis Walton claims he was taken by aliens in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. Six of Walton’s colleagues claimed they had fled after seeing a disk hovering above him. Walton reappeared five days later, telling a story that National Geographic notes was the basis of “what would become one of the first mainstream accounts of alien abduction, 1993’s Fire in the Sky.”
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles is known for its Hollywood glamor, but it’s also known as a UFO hotspot. Mapquest reports, “With more than 1,400 reported UFO sightings in the first four months of 2015, Los Angeles County has one of the highest numbers of sightings in the country.” While the high volume of sightings may be linked to the city’s dense population and vibrant storytelling culture, the city offers a unique UFO-spotting experience.
Piney Woods, Texas
In 1980, Betty Cash, her friend Vickie Landrum, and Landrum’s grandson were driving home through Piney Woods when they had an alleged UFO encounter. After coming across a heat-emitting diamond-shaped UFO and seeing military helicopters circling above it, Cash and Landrum were treated for radiation sickness, with Cash developing skin cancer.
Stephenville, Texas
In 2008, the small city of Stephenville attracted national attention when dozens of locals reported light patterns in the night sky, with some claiming they were a mile long and pursued by military aircraft. The Air Force Reserve states that fighter jets were training in the area at the time, but many remained skeptical.
Sedona, Arizona
Sedona is primarily known for its stunning red sandstone formations, but it’s also a magnet for UFO sightings, with 1,608 sightings per 100,000 residents. The presence of several observatories paired with the clear desert sky makes it an ideal location to spot unexplained aerial phenomena. According to Visit Sedona, Sedona UFO and Vortex Tours have operated UFO tours of the area for the past decade.
Highland, Illinois
In January 2000, Highland, Illinois, was the site of a UFO sighting known as the “St. Clair Triangle.” Observers reported seeing a large triangle in the sky with three white lights and one red one. The incident inspired several television investigations and a Sufjan Stevens song, but was reported to have been an American Blimp Company advertising blimp.
Joshua Tree, California
Joshua Tree National Park in California is well known for its Yucca trees and multiple UFO sightings, with Demi Lovato famously claiming to have had a close encounter in 2021. With its clear skies, this national park is the perfect place to camp and look for alien spacecraft.
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