The New Hampshire Couple Who Lost Two Hours and Couldn’t Explain Why

Welcome to Garret's Creepy Fact Storytime, where we explore the strange, mysterious, and sometimes downright disturbing stories hiding in New Hampshire's history.

From unexplained encounters to local legends and real-life horrors, every weekday through Halloween we're uncovering another reason the Granite State might be a little creepier than you think.

It's spooky season so this makes sense. Garret's Creepy Fact Stories from New Hampshire takes a look at the strange, mysterious, and sometimes downright unsettling stories that have become part of the Granite State's history. Some are true, some are unexplained, and some might make you think twice about turning off the lights.

Have you ever driven somewhere, gotten to your destination, and realized you barely remember part of the drive? It's happened to me.

Maybe you were tired. Maybe your mind was somewhere else.

Now imagine getting home and realizing there are almost two hours you can't account for.

That's what a Portsmouth couple said happened to them back in 1961. And what started as a strange drive through New Hampshire's White Mountains eventually became one of the most famous alleged alien abduction stories in American history.

Just Another Drive Home... Until It Wasn't

On the night of September 19, 1961, Betty and Barney Hill were heading home to Portsmouth after a trip to Canada.

They were just driving through the White Mountains along Route 3, near Franconia Notch, when they noticed something unusual in the sky.

A bright light.

At first, it didn't seem like anything too concerning. Maybe a star. Maybe an airplane. Nothing to think to much about.

But according to the couple, the light started moving in ways they couldn't explain.

And it appeared to be following their car.

READ MORE: 7 New Hampshire Places That Don't Feel Like New Hampshire

Now, personally, if I'm driving through the White Mountains in the middle of the night and something unidentified starts following me, I'm probably going to pick up the pace a little.

Barney, however, decided to stop the car and get a better look.  I have no idea why he would do that.

He later claimed that he could actually see figures through the windows of what appeared to be some kind of spacecraft.

That's probably the point where I'd decide I've seen enough of New Hampshire for one evening.

Credit: Getty Images

The Missing Two Hours

The couple continued driving and eventually made it home to Portsmouth.

But something wasn't adding up.

The drive had taken approximately two hours longer than expected.

They couldn't explain the missing time.

Imagine explaining to your boss that you're two hours late because you may have been abducted by aliens. That's a tough one for HR.

According to accounts of the incident, they also noticed some unusual things after getting home, including watches that had stopped working and unexplained marks on their vehicle.

And over the following months, things apparently got even stranger.

Betty began having disturbing dreams about the experience.

Eventually, the couple underwent hypnosis with a psychiatrist in an attempt to better understand what had happened that night.

During those sessions, both described what they believed was an encounter with extraterrestrial beings aboard a spacecraft.

Let's be honest, kinda scary but kinda cool at the same time.

They even described medical examinations.

Now, it's important to point out that hypnosis isn't considered reliable evidence of an actual event. Memories can be influenced or even created during hypnosis.

Still, the Hills maintained that something extraordinary had happened to them.

Credit: Matthew Bowman/Yale University Press - 1

A New Hampshire Mystery That Made History

Their story eventually gained national attention and helped shape the way people think about alien abductions. History Channel even did a piece on it.

The couple's account became the subject of a 1966 book, *The Interrupted Journey*, and has been discussed in documentaries, television programs, and UFO investigations for decades.

Credit: John Fuller (Author), Phil Thron (Narrator), Random House Audio (Publisher) - 1

There's even a historical marker along Route 3 in Lincoln, New Hampshire, recognizing the incident.

And here's something interesting.

The Portsmouth Historical Society has an exhibition called "Betty & Barney," running through November 2, 2026, exploring not only the famous UFO encounter but also the couple's lives as civil rights activists and community leaders.

Credit: Weiser/Stanton T. Friedman (Author), Kathleen Marden (Author) / - 1

So What Really Happened?

That's the question people have been asking for more than 60 years.

Were the Hills looking at something that could have been explained by an aircraft, a planet, or an unusual light?

Was the missing time simply a matter of fatigue and confusion during a long overnight drive?

Or did something happen that neither of them could explain?

There's never been verified evidence that Betty and Barney Hill were abducted by aliens.

But the couple's reported experience is a documented part of New Hampshire history.

And here's what I keep coming back to.

Imagine pulling into your driveway after a long trip and realizing there's a two-hour stretch of your life that you can't remember.

If aliens abducted me and then brought me back two hours later, I'd honestly be a little offended. What, I wasn't interesting enough?

I don't know about you, but that would bother me.

Then again, if aliens are coming to pick me up, I'd appreciate a little advance notice.

I usually have plans.