Subject: a skeptic speaks out! 40,259 views

[Nate Greene]

I live in Indiana north of Indy. I come up to the U.P. for 2 months in the winter and also a few times in the summer also. One night sometime around deer hunting me and my cousin Paul decided to take a gander to the light. When we got there about 10 pm there was nobody there at all. It was a Tuesday night and there was a significant amount of snow on the ground. We barreled up to the guard rail and shut the Tahoe down and just chilled. There was not very much activity from 10 pm till about 3am. Just the twinkle of it at the top of the hill between the trees. Anyways, sometime right around 3am the light appeared all of a sudden and seemed to be bigger than normal and brighter. I woke my cousin up in the backseat and told him to check it out. Well he did. It took about 3 minutes for it to come from what it looked like the top of the hill and it slowly came all the way down the hill and then it looked as it leveled out and just kept on pursuing toward the car and the guard rail. It kept coming and coming, finally it could not come anymore. It stayed still for about 15 to 20 secs,it felt like a long time, I was stunned. I was in a 1997 Chevy Tahoe four door, red with 5 percent limo tint. With the car off in the middle of that place you cannot see your hand in front of your face because the tint is so dark. There was also not much of a moon that night. That light got so close that it lit up the entire inside of the vehicle. I could not believe it. I have been there many times since that night and I have never seen nothing like that again. There is no way that it was a cars headlights. If I had to guess what it was and I knew for sure it was the light, I would have to say it was a snowmobile at the guard rail shining its lights on the car. But the only thing, it was silent. What the hell was it?

[AStar]

I haven't made it out to see the lights myself yet, so I'm not posting on whether or not I think it's real. What I'm pointing out is that everyone says that Ripley's did an episode, and that they are offering a reward, which isn't true.

www.ripleys.com/core/answers/?p=303

That comes directly from the website. They never did any of that. I just thought that was interesting. But like I said, I'm not debating the light itself, just sharing some information

[adie17]

I'm from southern wisconsin, near the madison area. i'm a student at Northern michigan, and i hadn't even heard of the Paulding light, until january of this year. I'm really into debunking "haunted" places and all of that stuff. I went out to the paulding light last night with a group of about 7 people, and what i saw, it defiantely just looked like car lights. the only thing that stumps me is, the fact that people have claimed to see this light way back in the horse and buggy time. obviously, it wasn't cars back then. this light occurs every night. obviously, now, it is just car lights that people are seeing every single night. but maybe there is a "real" paulding light that people talk about. i can't explain that one. or the fact that people saw it before cars were invented. but i can tell you - what you see every night? like the lights i saw last night? it's nothing spectacular. its just cars. for the people that have supposedly seen the real light , kudos to you.

[Oklahoma Mike]

Not headlights, Ive been to the light dozens of times, and on 2 occasions have had whatever it is actually come within 20 feet of me, first time about 16 years ago it came rushing up the road at me and the car full of people that was with me, 6 years later i was married and had told my wife about it , we took a trip to the U.P. and my wife insisted on seeing it. While we were out there that night, it was pretty much standard at first just a few red lights fading in and out. About 20 minutes after being there i had a weird feeling like last time it had come at me, so i turned the car we were in around, the lights from the stereo were so bright i covered them with my hand, i heard my brother who was in the back seat say "Oh My God" and my wife gasp, i looked in the rear view mirror and saw the light moving extremely fast, to wards us, it disappeared for a second and then appeared as 2 orbs that literally filled the entire road, it was so bright it bathed the entire inside of the car with an eerie red glow, my wife screamed and started crying and my brother did too , so i gunned it out of there, haven't been back since then, dint plan to. Sounds outrageous But, its 100% true would stake my life on it.On one other occasion had some interesting electrical problems with a radio that kept shooting sparks out of the face of it every time the light would get brighter.

[oklahomamike]

Not headlights, Ive been to the light dozens of times, and on 2 occasions have had whatever it is actually come within 20 feet of me, first time about 16 years ago it came rushing up the road at me and the car full of people that was with me, 6 years later i was married and had told my wife about it , we took a trip to the U.P. and my wife insisted on seeing it. While we were out there that night, it was pretty much standard at first just a few red lights fading in and out. About 20 minutes after being there i had a weird feeling like last time it had come at me, so i turned the car we were in around, the lights from the stereo were so bright i covered them with my hand, i heard my brother who was in the back seat say "Oh My God" and my wife gasp, i looked in the rear view mirror and saw the light moving extremely fast, to wards us, it disappeared for a second and then appeared as 2 orbs that literally filled the entire road, it was so bright it bathed the entire inside of the car with an eerie red glow, my wife screamed and started crying and my brother did too , so i gunned it out of there, haven't been back since then, dont plan to. Sounds outrageous But, its 100% true would stake my life on it.On one other occasion had some interesting electrical problems with a radio that kept shooting sparks out of the face of it every time the light would get brighter.

[Browser]

I was browsing on the Internet to find out if the campsites at Bond Falls still exist. We used to go there when we were kids, and it's a few miles away from this spot. Anyway I stumbled across this discussion and it brought back a lot of fun memories. Thought I would toss in my 2 cents. I grew up in northern WI. and first visited the "light" about 35 years ago. Back then it was only a local attraction and when you went there you were almost always the only ones there. I've probably been there 15-20 times, and in all seasons. I hear now that when you go, there are usually 20-70 people at a time. Not like it used to be. Anyway, I read the headlight theories, and have to disagree. For those of you who haven't been there or don't know the lay of the land, highway 45 does run in a direction parallel to the direction you are observing from the site, however the highway at that point is anywhere from 7.5 to 8.5 miles out (give or take a mile). Now, at that distance a headlight would be very dim, tail lights probably not observable. I'm not disputing that headlights can't be seen from this site, but the intensity would be minimal. I've been to this site in winter, when the intensity from the "light" was so bright it was casting shadows on the snow from the surrounding trees. This was when there was no moon, or a cloudy night. Now if a headlight a 8 miles out could do that, I want that baby on my truck. I remember also one time when a buddy of mine brought a telescope/tripod along to get a better look at this thing. What we saw through the high power telescope was pretty spectacular. I have no better way of explaining it than it looked like a ball of fire. I've also been there when the light was shinning brightly for more than 1 hour without disappearing. Don't know how the headlight theory could explain that? On occasions when things are quiet at the site, the light will move toward the observation site. Now I've never seen it move to within 10 feet like others have claimed, but I have seen it move to within about a 100 feet. At this distance you can see behind it and it's obvious there is not a car generating the source of light. Anyway, believe what you will. You should go in the fall or winter when nobody is around and check it out, it's more fun. One more story. I was there once with a friend and our girl friends back when I was in high school. We were out there until about 3:00 a.m. The light was out almost the entire time. It would have taken the entire population of the UP driving their cars up Hwy 45 at 3 in the morning to produce that continuos light? Spooky!

[open minded]

I am constantly amazed how so many people think they are the smartest person alive and everyone else is an idiot. When i first went to see the light i had absolutely no idea what to expect. I had never heard of it before. It was a small item on a "places to go" map at the tourist stop. All the map said was "mystery light" with no descriptions. I had no preconceived notions of what i was going to see. In fact I figured it was going to be something corny but it was either that or climb in the tent and go to sleep early. Anyway, when we got to the spot there wasn't anyone there and we were not sure we were in the right spot until we saw the sign. We didn't even know if were were facing the right direction. This was a family expedition, no alcohol, no drugs, maybe a bag of lays. The lights first started, red and white and seemed a awful lot like car lights and i figured that i was taken in, ha ha mystery light. Then i wondered why anyone would even try to fool you like that since it wasn't like there was an ice cream shop there or someone selling t shirts or something. No benefit. Well it didn't take long before we got a good look at the real light and let me tell you I will honestly never forget it. I have detailed the experience in other posts on this forum and wont bother to do this again. This was around 5 years ago now and i think about it almost everyday. I am not the smartest person in the world but I do have a college degree in Accounting and my IQ is 140 so i am not some dumb hick either. That thing fascinated me, freaked my wife out (she is an Attorney) and brought my daughter to tears. Please don't insult everyone on here saying that they would not know simple car lights from this magnificent phenomena. I am going to say this again to all the know it alls out there. If you see the real thing you will know it and if you don't please just try again instead of making yourself look ignorant claiming it isn't real. I found out later we were very fortunate to see it the first time and in only about 25 minutes of waiting. If you see car lights, go back again and again until they turn into an experience of a lifetime because it is truly worth taking the time to see the real thing.

[Xman]

I never heard of it before, went with some friends. We got there, all I saw was what I thought was car lights. I was disappointed. In town we heard every reason under the sun for what this was.
But, once I started talking to people, I heard stories about how it comes up to the guard rail. How has chased some people. Finally after seeing these lights me and a friend joined some others and walked the trail. Instantly the lights disappeared and never reappeared until we returned back to the look out.
We went past the creek and up a hill. The the road kinda veered off and then there was an address for a cabin ... 5620 was the address. At this point, on top of the hill, we could clearly see the other people standing at the look out. What shocked us the most, was how often people started taking pictures. Our rule of thumb was, if they are taking pictures it must be there.
So looked down the road. Down the trail where the telephone poles where...and nothing. We stayed there for awhile and every once and again you could here cars, but we didn't see any lights.
And like I said. We were pretty much as far as you could go with out losing site of the people snapping photos.
My question is, why where people taking photos in the direction that we were, but we didn't see squat.

Also, I called one friend 3 times and got his voicemail 3 times, and his phone showed there was no new calls. I called another friend 3 times on his cell phone, and got a busy signal every time. I don't think I have ever got a busy signal by calling a cell phone.

Something was weird out there. And maybe 80% of the time it is headlights... I don't know. But I plan on taking better equipment next visit. But you don't keep a packed house out there, everyday...in every sort of weather condition, to look at cars.

[daYooper]

Yeah you probably did only see car lights. The thing is not predictable so even though i have had luck within a half hour it might take much more time. Each time i have been there my small group was alone so maybe that has an effect, maybe not. About not being able to see it when you walked the trail all i can say is that you are not the first to say that has happened to them. People at the viewing area could see the light but those on trail see nothing. Also might just be partly that there is that hill blocking the view. I have never walked up there so i can't say much on that. Personally if i were you i wouldn't worry about any equipment when you go back. Honestly you don't need anything. You will know for sure when you see the light and you wont forget it. I will say it is nice to hear an experience from someone who didn't see the light and didn't automatically assume everyone else is stupid. I am guessing you are a little worldly wise than the fools who come on here spouting about how it is just car lights. Thanks

[part timer]

I am a part time yooper but have not been to the light in over 10 years. At that time, I saw smaller green, reg and white/yellow lights but nothing like some of the stories and videos I have seen regarding larger, bright moving lights. But I am a believer that there is something there. Personally, I think is some type of a reflection, not of car lights, but a reflection from something or somewhere unknown.

One thing no one is pointing out, that there is not enough traffic on any road or highway in the UP to cause the frequency and duration of the lights at all hours of the night.

[Baxter]

A reflection huh. I suppose that is as good of a theory as any. It does seem like if it were a refraction or reflection of moonlight off a pond or something that it would be a predictable thing (same time same place sort of deal) On top of that the moon in its full state is nowhere close to the intensity of the paulding light. It would have to be magnified somehow or stored and released. The car light stories that people throw out there are nothing more than people that have not seen the real deal. If you saw green lights you probably saw some of what the real light does but when you see the big light you will know without a doubt. I think you can see tail lights from cars and headlights but it is pretty easy to tell when that is what it is. The real bright light that you read about is real and it will blow you away when you see it. There have been investigations done and from the stories of the past the sightings were reported before cars were even invented. That is why when someone comes on here and posts about car lights it is clear that they did not bother to do any research before they put their post up solving the big mystery. I dont know what causes it either but i guess that is why it is a mystery light.

[matt]

it cannot be car lights because of these 2 reasons
1 they were seen before cars were invented (supposedly)
2 the light changes to consitently between red and white meaning you would have to have a steady flow of cars all night every night for atleast the past 40 years

the car theory is impossible

[me]

How come for the last two years the sign by the paulding lights is down? Why hasn't the dnr put them up?
I go to the races in Greenland, MI. and have stopped the last two years during the day. No sign up anymore. Why is the guard rail up? Why don't they let you drive down the road?
Are they trying to hide something?

[Conspiracy Theorist]

My guess on the guardrail would be that people probably get their vehicles stuck back there too often. Also, it would be a natural place for kids to go party and the cops don't like going back there to bust the parties up.

[me]

Going up there for the last two years the kids just party in front of the guard rail. I don't know how anyone could get stuck driving down the road.
I may have to stop and take a walk when I go to the races in Greenland, MI. this year to see what's beyond the guard rail.