Colorado’s UFO Watchtower has been waiting 26 years for the government to believe what it already knew

Somewhere between the sand dunes and the alligator farm, on a lonely stretch of highway in southern Colorado’s San Luis Valley, a metal platform rises out of the desert scrub. A hand-painted sign announces its purpose. This is the UFO Watchtower, and it has been open for business since 2000.

For 26 years, they’ve welcomed a steady stream of curious tourists, committed believers and the occasional skeptic to her observation deck, campground and gift shop in the tiny town of Hooper — population roughly 100, elevation 7,500 feet, cell service optional. Visitors have submitted more than 300 sighting reports over the years. The grounds are littered with trinkets, tokens and other items left behind by guests — a kind of alien-enthusiast lost-and-found that has taken on a spiritual quality all its own.

Now, the rest of the country is starting to catch up. The Pentagon has begun releasing declassified UFO files, including videos of darting orbs and photos of unexplained shapes, and the Watchtower’s phone has been ringing more than usual. Larry Messoline, who manages the site, participates in a Facebook UFO forum whose members are, as the Washington Post put it, “elated” by the disclosures. “At least things are being talked about now,” he told the International Business Times.

The San Luis Valley has always had a reputation for the unexplained. The region — sometimes called Colorado’s “Bermuda Triangle of the West” — has been a hotspot for UFO sightings, cattle mutilation reports and general high-strangeness since at least 1967. One of the valley’s most famous incidents involved a horse named Snippy, whose mysterious death launched decades of speculation. A CIA document describing a “frightening” UFO sighting in the valley is publicly available on the agency’s own website. Longmont, four hours north, has more than 100 UFO reports in the National UFO Reporting Center database going back decades.

Whether you believe in little green men or just enjoy a good roadside attraction, the UFO Watchtower is worth the detour. It’s open daily, admission is a few dollars, and the dark skies above the valley are genuinely spectacular — even if nothing unexplained shows up. Pack snacks. There is not a lot else out there.

The UFO Watchtower is located at 2502 County Road 61, Hooper, Colo. More information at ufowatchtower.com.