• Groom Lake Facility
  • Operations
  • Security
  • Restricted Viewpoints
    
    
• Groom Lake Road
  • Restricted Area Boundary
    
    
• The Extraterrestrial Highway
  • Rachel, Nevada
  • Black Mailbox

Groom Lake Facility

Until 1994, the Federal Government would not admit that this base, partially pictured above, even existed. Even today the Air Force, which owns and operates the facility, refuses to discuss what goes on there. Couple this with a decades-old tradition of UFO-related Goverment conspiracies and strange lights and vehicles in the sky above Area 51, a phenomenon was born.

Rumors, speculation and hype ran rampant in the news, TV shows, movies, and the Internet. This desolate spot in the Nevada desert became an overnight mecca for UFO-faithful, military afficianados and pop-culture buffs alike.

Operations

Area 51 is a flight test center for exotic and prototype aircraft, operated by the US Air Force. Although it has been suggested that Area 51 has been shut down or moved elsewhere, recent additions such as a lengthened runway seem to indicate otherwise. (The newly lengthened runway is the longest in the world at 30,000 feet.) Flights of unmarked 737s still fly personel from Las Vegas on a regular basis, and shuttle vans or buses can be seen traveling in and out of the base. (For the curious, it passes along Groom Lake Road on the way to Ash Springs at around 4-4:15.) Even with the military cuts seen in the last few years, it still seems that Area 51 has plenty of development work to do.

Security

The security operations at Area 51 are almost legendary, and the guards that patrol the entrances and adjacent grounds have been given the nickname 'Cammo Dudes' for the desert cammoflage they occaisionally wear. At any given time, one or more sets of Cammo Dudes will be parked on lookout spots above the entrance to the restricted area on Groom Lake Road. They had long used white Jeep Cherokees but recently have switched to white Ford F150s.




Taken March 14, 2001

Security, as well as the rugged desert terrain, has effectively and consistently stopped any would-be Area 51 observers from wandering around the restricted zone. If you feel the need to get out and look around, be sure to always have an eye on the sticks with the orange balls on top - they mark the border, but not very well. There are very few fences anywhere along the border of the restricted zone. There are sensors on Groom Lake Road and at all places roads enter the restricted zone, so it is very difficult to get close undetected.

Restricted Viewpoints

Two very popular vantage points to look down onto the base at Groom Lake were closed down April 10, 1995 during some of the most intense public curiosity about the base. They allowed an unobstructed view from the remarkably short distance of 10-12 miles. White Sides and Freedom Ridge were acquired from the Bureau of Land Management in a controversial move. You can still see White Sides while traveling down Groom Lake Road. It is the small peak with white sides directly north of the road about 3 miles before the point the road enters the restricted zone. Freedom Ridge is on the South side of the road. Both will now get you detained and fined for trying to reach them.

Groom Lake Road

There is a road that leads directly from Highway 375 to the base at Groom Lake, appropriately named Groom Lake Road. It is the main artery for ground transportation in and out of the base, though there is another entrance accesible from the North. You can see the dust clouds kicked up by vehicles for miles, so don't plan on sneaking up on the Cammo Dudes this way.




Groom Lake Road during Late Afternoon

Restricted Area Boundary

Where this road dead-ends into the restricted zone, you will see the signs and probably the cammo dudes moving down from their perch to watch you. You can take pictures of the signs, despite the 'No Photography' wording - no taking photographs of the base is what it means. This is where the above photo of the Cammo Dudes in their truck was taken. There is a turn-around the the right that you should use. Wave to the Dudes before you go, just to be friendly.

The Extraterrestrial Highway

Dedicated on Apr 17, 1996, Nevada Highway 375 became known as The Extraterrestrial Highway. This was a move by Nevada's governor to boost tourism and get some publicity. Signs are now posted along the length of the highway. Below is the sign at the entrance to 375 in Ash Springs. A sign in Rachel has a more elaborate design featuring saucer-shaped UFOs.





Rachel, Nevada

Originally a base for mining operations in the hills to the North and East of the town, Rachel is still little more than a collection of mobile homes next to the world's most famous secret base. There are, however, two notable places to stop in Rachel which have made it a must-stop for anyone visiting Area 51: The Little A'Le'Inn and the Area 51 Research Center.

A comprehensive history of Rachel is online that covers the early days of a mining town to 'UFO capital'. It is a fascinating read if you have a few spare minutes and an interest in what life is like in this part of the country.





• Little A'Le'Inn
  
  Originally The Rachel Bar and Grill, the The Little A'Le'Inn was renamed in 1990 after Bob Lazar appeared and the area started receiving large numbers of visitors. You can still stop and eat though the selection has been disappointing small since their deep-frier was shut down for fire-code violations. Of more interest is the number of photographs of military flares ('UFO's), classic UFO shots, and a large panorama of the base from White Sides before it was closed.
  
  The 'Inn does have plenty of merchandise for you to peruse and you will probably see the owners, Joe and Pat Travis. You might catch Pat running the new mail-order business or Joe drinking at the bar by the window.
  
  
• Area 51 Research Center
  
  On the other side of Rachel from the inn there is a yellow mobile home which houses the Area 51 Research Center. Originally founded by Glenn Campbell, a larger-than-life figure in the history of Area 51 (see Other Resources), it is now operated by others like Donald Emory and his father. It is open most all the time, but you should see the web site to make sure it won't be closed when you are in Rachel.
  
  The Research Center is packed with books, posters, maps, models, and almost everything else Area 51 related. Be sure to add a thumb-tack to the map of visitor's homes. The US map was virtually covered, as was a surprising amount of the world map. (There was a visitor from Mongolia!) This is a good place to hear about the latest goings-on, with a decidedly more rational bent than the Little A'Le'Inn. Joe Travis reportedly has sent many past the warning signs on Groom Lake Road to their detainment and $600 fine.
  
  
The Black Mailbox

Originally black, this mailbox was the place that Bob Lazar led groups to view the strange aerial displays above Area 51 in the early 1990s. It belongs to the sole inhabitents of the Tikaboo Valley, a rancher and his family by the name of Medlin. Like the Statue of Liberty for visitors to New York, it has attracted many visitors to Area 51. Often, they will leave hastily-scratched messages which are amusing and revealing. A high-resolution version of the below picture is available, with Badger Mountain and Tikaboo Peak in the background.