Groom Lake, Nevada

Groom Lake and the Area 51 Pilgrimage

Groom Lake is a dry lakebed in the Nevada desert, part of the Nevada Test and Training Range, roughly 150km northwest of Las Vegas. The US Air Force installation on its shore - officially known as the Nevada Test and Training Range, historically called Nellis Air Force Base Detachment 3, universally known as Area 51 - is where the U-2, the SR-71 Blackbird, and the F-117 stealth aircraft were all developed and tested. None of that is disputed. The UFO mythology attached to the site grew partly from classified test flights being spotted by civilians who had no idea what they were seeing.

The installation is not open to the public. It is surrounded by motion sensors, armed guards, and warning signs stating that the use of deadly force is authorised. A small number of people have tested the boundary over the years; none of them have found it amusing.

What you can actually do

The Extraterrestrial Highway (Nevada State Route 375) runs along the eastern boundary of the test range for about 100km between Crystal Springs and Warm Springs. The highway was officially designated ET Highway in 1996 partly because the route was already attracting tourists and partly because Nevada is reasonably good at turning an eccentric asset into a tourism draw.

The turnoff to the back gate of Area 51 at Groom Lake Road (graded dirt, passable in most vehicles in dry conditions) runs about 25km from the highway junction near Rachel. The road dead-ends at the base perimeter: orange markers, a cattle grid, cameras on poles, and white guard vehicles in the distance. The guards will approach if you get too close to the boundary. They are polite but clear. The experience, such as it is, lasts about ten minutes.

Rachel, Nevada

Rachel is the closest town to the base: population around 54 people, depending on who has moved in or out recently. The Little A’Le’Inn (pronounced “little alien”) is the only functioning restaurant and bar. It has alien-themed decor, an alien burger, and genuinely decent food given its location. Rooms are available at the attached motel (around USD 60-80 per night). The guest book goes back decades and includes entries from Japanese tour groups, German journalists, and apparent regulars who return every few years. It is one of those American roadside places that has accidentally become a cultural institution.

Stargazing

This is the serious reason to come to the Groom Lake area. The Nevada desert at 1,500m elevation, with no city light for 100km in any direction, produces some of the darkest skies accessible by road in the continental United States. The Milky Way is visible to the naked eye on clear nights. Bring a sleeping bag, pull off on any dirt track off the ET Highway, and lie on your back. The clarity is striking. Clear nights outnumber cloudy ones about 4:1 in the summer months.

Base logistics

Coming from Las Vegas, take US-93 north to Alamo, then NV-318 north and NV-375 west. The drive to Rachel takes about 2.5 hours. Fill your tank in Alamo or Crystal Springs; Rachel has no petrol station. Mobile signal is nonexistent for most of the journey. Temperatures exceed 40°C in July and August; carry more water than you think you need and do not rely on finding any.

The September 2019 “Storm Area 51” internet event drew about 3,000 people to the area rather than the rumoured millions. The actual participants mostly gathered at the Little A’Le’Inn, looked at the sky, and went home. The site itself was unchanged.