Groom Lake Nevada

Groom Lake: Area 51, the Extraterrestrial Highway, and What You Can Actually See

Groom Lake is a dry lakebed in southern Nevada’s Emigrant Valley, 83 miles north of Las Vegas. On its western shore sits the classified military installation officially known as the Nevada Test and Training Range, better known as Area 51. The CIA didn’t publicly acknowledge its existence until 2013. It tests classified aircraft and has been doing so since the U-2 spy plane program in the mid-1950s. Predictably, this history of secrecy generated decades of UFO speculation.

What you can actually see: the perimeter fence, warning signs, and the occasional white SUV belonging to security contractors who monitor the boundary. The installation is visible in the distance from a few vantage points, but is largely obscured by terrain. The perimeter is patrolled and the signs that say crossing will result in lethal force are genuine warnings rather than decoration. The 2019 “Storm Area 51” viral event resulted in about 3,000 people arriving at the gates; two were arrested for minor trespassing.

State Route 375 (Extraterrestrial Highway)

Nevada officially designated SR 375 as the “Extraterrestrial Highway” in 1996, a 98-mile stretch from Crystal Springs to Warm Springs passing through the most empty section of the Nevada desert. The road runs parallel to the eastern edge of the restricted airspace. The landscape is genuinely striking: flat valley floors between bare mountain ranges, no trees, almost no traffic. Driving it at dawn or dusk in particular light conditions gives an austere beauty that has nothing to do with alien mythology.

The highway passes through Rachel, a settlement of around 50-100 permanent residents depending on the season. Rachel is notable primarily for existing at all.

Little A’Le’Inn

The Little A’Le’Inn in Rachel is the only commercial establishment within any reasonable distance of Area 51’s northern boundary. It serves burgers and sandwiches (around USD 10-14 per meal), sells alien-themed merchandise, and has a few motel units at around USD 60-80 per night. The motel rooms are basic. The gift shop stocks the specific variety of kitsch that the location demands. The owner is usually present and will talk to visitors about the history of both the highway and the base.

The Black Mailbox

The white mailbox (originally black, famously replaced) at mile marker 29.5 on SR 375 is where UFO watchers used to gather to observe the airspace over the Groom Range. The actual mailbox was a working farm mailbox belonging to the White family; the original was replaced multiple times after being stolen. A replacement white mailbox is still there. The spot is approximately 12 miles south of Rachel and has no facilities.

What to See in Las Vegas First

The practical base for an Area 51 trip is Las Vegas, 83 miles south via US-93 and SR 375. The National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas (755 E Flamingo Road, admission USD 22) has serious exhibits on Nevada Test Site history including declassified information on nuclear testing that relates directly to the culture of secrecy around the adjacent classified programs. It is a better introduction to what happened in the Nevada desert than the alien themed establishments.

The drive from Las Vegas to Rachel takes about 2 hours. There is no fuel between Crystal Springs on US-93 and Tonopah on US-6, a distance of over 150 miles. Fill the tank before leaving Las Vegas. Carry water for the drive; summer temperatures in the valley exceed 40 degrees C and there is no roadside assistance for long stretches.