The Sinister Story Behind This Popular New Mexico Scout Camp Will Give You Chills

You'll find no shortage of haunted places in New Mexico, especially around Cimmaron, in northeast New Mexico. Cimmaron is primarily known for its connection to the Wild (and bawdy) West, and also its numerous ghosts. You'll hear stories of them taunting guests at the St. James Hotel in Cimarron, possibly the most haunted hotel in New Mexico. More than 20 people met a violent "old Western" end at the hotel, so it makes sense that some spirits might be lurking. While the St. James Hotel has a sinister past, it's the picturesque Urraca Mesa at Philmont Scout Ranch, just outside of Cimarron, that might win the award for creepiest place in New Mexico. Don't let the ethereal beauty of this mesa fool you. Despite its scenic vistas and awe-inspiring beauty, there are plenty of horror stories about Urraca Mesa in New Mexico. This place has a history that's much deeper and darker than it lets on.

Philmont Scout Ranch covers 214 square miles of rugged New Mexico wilderness.

More than one million scouts and adventurers have been through the camp, which was established by the Boy Scouts back in 1938. From stories of lost scouts to tales of eerie blue lights to the Urraca Mesa skull, many of the campers here have heard Anasazi camp horror stories about this place.

Urraca's history extends back to the time of the Anasazi, also known as the Ancestral Puebloans. They lived in the area from around A.D. 200 to A.D. 1300.

Before it became a scout ranch, Philmont was a stop along the Santa Fe Trail. It also was a prospecting camp after the Civil War, before being turned into a cattle ranch. Several Native American tribes also lived in this area. However, long before the Apache, Ute, and Europeans lived in this area, the Ancestral Puebloans called the region home... at least, until they all suddenly disappeared.

There are quite a few creepy things about Urraca Mesa in New Mexico.

For one, the word urraca means magpie in Spanish. Magpies are part of the cunning crow family. They are traditionally associated with deception. In many cultures, they are seen as messengers of death.

Compasses don't always work on Urraca Mesa.

It's said that the best ghost stories contain an element of truth. Since Urraca Mesa has large deposits of lodestone, which is naturally magnetic, it makes sense that compasses don't work. That means that scouts can easily get lost. Lodestone also attracts lightning, so it's not surprising that Urraca Mesa has the most lightning strikes in New Mexico.

When modern-era tribes moved to the area, they sensed evil spirits lurking here.

It is said that a medicine man studied petroglyphs at Urraca Mesa and determined that it was the site of a great ancient battle. Good against evil had been fought atop the mesa. To keep the dark forces at bay, it was believed that the Anasazi entered a portal to the underworld. A powerful shaman then sealed the portal behind them to keep the evil locked out.

In truth, Urraca Mesa somewhat resembles a skull, so it's easy to understand why there are so many horror stories about this place.

Even since the early days, people thought the north part of the mesa looked like a skull. An eye in the skull (to the west) is said to be the door to the underworld that the shaman sealed.

Cat totems guard the site.

The shaman placed cat totems around the mesa. The cats are said to scare away the magpies who can open the portal. Legend says that if all the totems are destroyed, the portal will open and evil will be unleashed. At last count, only two of the original totems remain.

Scouts report seeing weird things on Urraca Mesa.

In one account, a scout hiking the mesa at night found himself near the eye. He heard an unusual noise. When he turned, he saw a dark-skinned hairless figure watching him.

When the scout saw the dark figure watching him, he booked it down the mesa. About halfway down, he stopped to catch his breath. He looked back up the trail and saw a different figure, awash in glowing blue light.

Native people from the area say the shaman stands watch on the mesa, making sure the portal to the underworld stays tightly shut.

Urraca Mesa is privately owned by the Philmont Scout Ranch, so it's not open for public hiking. Unless you're a Boy Scout or a guest, you're out of luck for exploring this haunted trail in New Mexico - but that might not be a bad thing.

Any Philmont alumni out there? Did you experience anything out of the norm on the mesa? Which Anasazi Camp horror stories freak you out the most? We'd love to hear from you.