Crestone, Colorado has emerged as a dark tourism destination, thanks to being one of the primary locations featured in the viral HBO documentary Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God.
But did you know there have actually been a number of unusual occurrences in Crestone, Colorado?
In this article, I’ll explore 5 other unusual occurrences associated with the town.
But first let’s talk about Love Has Won, its association with Crestone, and what all the (confusing) fuss is about.
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Table of Contents
Love Has Won and Mother God
The name of the town appears on screen in the opening scene, which is captured on a policeman’s body camera.
Red and blue sirens flash in the dark as law enforcement approaches a stand-alone home. Within moments, officers discover the blue-tinted body of Amy Carlson, mummified in a sleeping bag wrapped in string lights.
Carlson was known by her followers as Mother God.
She was a self-proclaimed spiritual savior who had been reincarnated 534 times. Presumably, she had lived as Jesus, Marilyn Monroe, and Cleopatra.
Her disciples believed that she was not deceased for twelve days but rather, “in resting.”
Naturally, this is why they transported her corpse from Ashland, Oregon to Crestone. She was to be taken by the Galactics, a group of divine spokespersons. Members include Michael Jackson, Steve Irwin, St Germain, and most notably, Robin Williams.
Confused?
That’s only a small fragment of the beliefs held by the Love Has Won cult.
Their doctrine is a muddle of QAnon conspiracy theories and New Age spirituality. Such manifestos appear on self-published online blogs and in live-stream sessions. However, there’s been less activity since Mother God’s passing in April 2021.
But Crestone had a reputation as one of the strangest Colorado mountain towns long before Mother God and her cult …
5 Other Unusual Happenings In and Near Crestone
Missing persons, unexplained natural features, and the supernatural bring an eerie energy to the San Luis Valley. Here are a few other unusual occurrences that make Crestone a bucket list destination for twisted travelers — but also the spiritual sort:
The Disappearance of Clairvoyant Crystal Reisinger
Crystal Reisinger was last seen at a full moon drum circle before she went missing in July 2016. The year prior, the self-described clairvoyant had relocated to Crestone from Denver in search of spiritual enlightenment.
Many regard Crestone as the “New Age religious capital of the world.”
She worked at what was Crestone Brewing Company, joined a local band, and began dating Nathan Peloquin.
But the week before she vanished, she attended a party at the home of John Keenan, one of her boyfriend’s friends. According to Peloquin, Reisinger told him that she was drugged and sexually assaulted that night [ Source].
It’s speculated that her attackers were involved in drug trafficking. Though, it’s also odd that Keenan skipped town shortly after Reisinger’s disappearance. But, of course, he first bleached his home and wiped his computers.
The Saguache County Sheriff’s Office and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation believe Reisinger is a victim of foul play. But the case remains unsolved more than 7 years later [ Source].
In 2018, it was featured on the Up and Vanished podcast and Reisinger’s medium weighed in on the cold case.
FOX31 Problem Solvers listened in, noting the tip that her body may be in a mine shaft. Several abandoned mines lie near Crestone, and the investigative team searched more than forty sites.
Reisinger’s remains were not found. But the psychic community was enraptured by the unaltered photo taken of the last-to-be-searched mine.
To many, it depicts the shadow of an angel — or perhaps a winged demon — guarding the shaft. Some believe it’s a sign from Reisinger, sending messages from the afterlife to help solve her own mystery [ Source].
The Inexplicable Crestone Crater
The Crestone Crater has puzzled scientists for decades. It lies on the north side of Great Sand Dunes National Park. The elliptical bowl spans 355 feet by 246 feet. It has an average depth of 23 feet and a consistent rim around its perimeter. This ejection rim debunked the former belief that this impression was carved from wind, like the park’s other features [ Source].
The shape is consistent with a meteor impact, but a mass of extraterrestrial rock has never been found. Scientists speculate that the meteorite may have been taken or is buried far beneath the sandy surface.
But a 1963 geologic investigation found little evidence to back the meteorite theory. Only trace amounts of nickel-iron spherules were discovered.
A 2012 study by the Colorado School of Mines also notes the crater’s small size and preservation in sand. It’s truly an anomaly if, in fact, it’s a meteor crash site [ Source].
The park service questions if the Crestone Crater could be a sand boil. This phenomenon occurs when “watery sand deposits are squeezed and pushed up along a fault line.” But tourists to this International Dark Sky Park have another theory: could this have been the location of a UFO landing?
UFO Sightings and Energy Vortexes
The San Luis Valley which encompasses Crestone is a hotbed for strange encounters, including UFO sightings. Many claim to have witnessed such from the UFO Watchtower. This roadside attraction with a 10-foot viewing platform lies along Highway 17, dubbed the “Cosmic Highway.”
I spent two nights camping at the UFO Watchtower a couple of years ago.
Sadly, no extraterrestrial beings paid a visit that weekend — or, at least, to my knowledge. But the owner of the site, Judy Messoline, has recorded 231 encounters since opening in May 2020. She claims to have personally observed 28 of these sightings [ Source].
Twenty-five psychics have told her that two vortexes lie on the east side of the watchtower. These vortexes, like those in Sedona, are said to provide visitors with good energy. Messoline has also been told that two spiritual beings protect these sites.
Additionally, psychics have informed Messoline that a crashed mothership spanning a mile long is buried beneath her property. Perhaps it’s the ship that was supposed to have picked up Mother God’s body.
The Bizarre Death of “Snippy”
Want more evidence of alien encounters in the San Luis Valley?
In 1968, an Appaloosa horse named Snippy was found stripped of its flesh from head to neck. But there was no blood on or surrounding the carcass, though investigators found scorched patches of land nearby. There were also fifteen small, round imprints on the ground, arranged in a wide circle [ Source].
Veterinarian Wallace Leary examined the body but the mare’s cause of death remained inconclusive. Leary then boiled Snippy’s remaining flesh and mounted the skeleton, which has gone through several hands. Interestingly, Messoline became its owner in August 2021 [ Source].
Her friend, Jay Young, restored the skeleton. He’s the general manager of the UFO Watchtower’s neighboring attraction: the Colorado Gator Farm. Truly, the “Bermuda Triangle of the West” only gets stranger the more you dig in.
Spiritual Diversity and Uncommon Funerals
Crestone is a self-proclaimed spiritual mecca. It features more than two dozen spiritual sites and centers. These include ashrams, monasteries, temples, stupas, and even a ziggurat inspired by the Mesopotamian era. Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Native American traditions, and New Age beliefs are practiced here [ Source].
The spiritual and religious diversity was dreamed up by Maurice and Hanne Marstrand Strong. This Canadian couple bought a large section of land in Crestone in 1977. They donated parcels to groups who agreed to construct places of worship.
Interestingly, Crestone is the only place in the entire United States to hold open-air cremations. Ceremonies are held by the non-denominational, community-based Crestone End of Life Project. Funeral pyres are traditionally seen in Hindu and Sikh religions [ Source].
Burial choices are personal and unique to individuals, spiritual beliefs, and cultures. But much of the Western world sees open-air cremations as taboo. In fact, this practice is illegal everywhere in the country but Crestone, adding one more unique element to this mountain town.
FAQs About Crestone, Colorado
What unusual occurrences have happened in Crestone, Colorado?
Unusual occurrences that have happened in Crestone, Colorado include the presence of the Love Has Won cult and the disappearance of clairvoyant Crystal Reisinger.UFO sightings have also frequently occurred in Crestone and the surrounding San Luis Valley.
What Colorado town is featured in the Love Has Won documentary?
Crestone is the Colorado town featured in the Love Has Won documentary. Mother God and cult leaders resided in Crestone periodically. The town is known for its spiritual diversity.
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I hope you found this overview of usual occurrences in Crestone to be fascinating. See our guide to Colorado destinations for more (mainstream) travel inspiration.
