Tales of paranormal activity that occur at the ranch. From the spirits of miners working for eternity in the north country to the orbs, phantoms, and strange creatures that roam around Urraca Mesa to the south, the number of supernatural sightings cannot be purely coincidental. But why?

“There has been a lot of exciting things that have happened in this area that will lend itself to more paranormal energy,” Jared Chatterley said. “There has been a lot of life lived here.”

Chatterley worked seasonally at Philmont in the 1990s and took an interest in the ghost stories he heard here. Chatterley and his wife, Lori, published a book, “When the Sun Goes Down,” in 2000, a collection of ghost stories that occurred on the ranch. In the book, the two affirm that the history of Philmont and the surrounding area has left a deep, lasting impression still evident today.

In the south country, almost every ghost story surrounds Urraca Mesa. Long before the Spanish, Mexicans, or Americans laid claim to the area, the Ancestral Puebloans inhabited Urraca. According to Chatterley’s book, a common bird found on the mesa, the magpie (or Urraca in Spanish), was seen as a disembodied spirit in the Ancestral Puebloan culture. Some believe that on the mesa that now holds this name, there is a portal used by the Ancestral Puebloans to travel to a different world.

Many of the stories surrounding Urraca Mesa are consistent with those of other places. Glowing, blue lights, which Chatterley himself has seen, have been spotted near the rim of the mesa, sometimes accompanied by movements and audible chants. Lost Scouts in outdated uniforms and ghostly cowboys have been seen wandering around on the top. Even a small, two-legged, hoofed creature has been noticed stalking crews as they hike along the side of the mesa.

To the north, the legends are rooted in the industry that dominated the land in the mid-19th century: mining. Mining has always been a dangerous job. The town of Dawson, east of Philmont, was wiped out after two large mining accidents, both caused by explosions that instantly killed hundreds of miners. The Baldy mining district was a bustling hub of copper, silver, and gold mining. Many people lost their lives in the area due to the harsh conditions, many of whose graves can still be seen near Baldy Town.

Backcountry staff have reported seeing miners wandering through staff camps with lanterns or watching them from the cabin rafters while they sleep. Many have heard pickaxes and the voices of miners echoing from the depths of the Aztec Ponil mine or blowing in the wind through the pines. Some say they have experienced poltergeists moving objects around and knocking things off shelves, or slamming doors shut on hot days when the wind refuses to blow.

Regardless of the validity of these stories, the telling of ghost stories has become an important and memorable part of the Philmont experience.

“Having these stories and this kind of tradition here at Philmont totally broadens and expands the opportunity and the experience of coming to Philmont,” Chatterley said. “[It] gives it a richer history, which makes it cool for people to come here.”

Stories of the paranormal continue to be part of the oral tradition at Philmont as stories are passed down and changed over time. It is important to recognize that the truth within these stories lies with the people who inhabited this land before it became Philmont: the indigenous people, the miners, loggers, trappers, and cowboys. The ghost stories we tell around campfires help to serve part of Philmont’s mission, to keep the history of those people alive.