How We Drove Up to the Gate of the World’s Most Secretive Base: Area 51, the Town of Rachel and Nevada’s Extraterrestrial Highway

Area 51 – there is probably no one who has never heard of it.

A secret U.S. military base in the middle of the Nevada desert, where UFO remains were allegedly kept, where alien technology was supposedly reverse-engineered, and whose very existence the U.S. government denied for decades. That combination of words alone sounds like the plot of a Hollywood movie – and yet Area 51 is a real place that you can drive to, stand at its entrance gate, and see with your own eyes why it is surrounded by so much secrecy.

I have been there twice now, and I have to say that the second time the place captivated me just as much as the first. The atmosphere, the empty plain, the dusty roads, and the feeling that someone is constantly watching you – it simply cannot be described; it has to be experienced.

And if you are planning a trip through the southwestern United States – whether you are coming from Las Vegas or perhaps from Death Valley, which is about a three-hour drive away via the town of Tonopah – Area 51 is definitely worth the detour.

How to Get to Area 51

You reach Area 51 via the famous Extraterrestrial Highway, officially Nevada State Route 375. This road was renamed in 1996 as a tribute to the movie Independence Day and runs through the desert between the towns of Warm Springs and Crystal Springs. It is approximately 158 kilometers of road where you will encounter very few cars – reportedly fewer than 200 pass through each day – and the maximum possible extraterrestrial atmosphere.

It takes about two and a half hours to get here from Las Vegas. Head north on US-93, pass through the towns of Alamo and Ash Springs (where I recommend filling up, because there will not be another gas station for a long time), and then turn onto SR-375. Right at the beginning, you will be greeted by the iconic green “Extraterrestrial Highway” sign covered with dozens of stickers from visitors from all over the world.

Extraterrestrial Highway sign by a Nevada road, surrounded by trees and desert.

Along the way, you will encounter various attractions – from souvenir shops and UFO-themed jerky stores (such as the legendary ET Fresh Jerky, which claims to have the “cleanest restrooms in Area 51”) to enormous flying-saucer models stuck into the ground. The entire area is geared toward people who come here because of UFOs and mysteries, and the locals have turned it into the perfect tourist attraction.

Colorful ET-FRESH JERRY sign by a desert road, mountains, and blue sky. Little A’Le’Inn desert motel near Rachel with a Restaurant Bar Motel sign and an old tow truck. White UFO model, pickup truck, and RV by a road in a desert landscape.

E.T. Fresh Jerky sign in the desert, space-themed decor, and a satellite dish near Rachel, Nevada Man standing in front of a mural featuring aliens, a UFO, and a carriage in the Nevada desert. Blue shack with a UFO model near trees in the Nevada desert Man standing beside a giant UFO model in the Nevada desert.

Roswell and How It All Began

But to explain why there is so much hype surrounding Area 51, we need to go back for a moment to 1947, specifically to the city of Roswell in New Mexico.

In July 1947, farmer W. W. “Mac” Brazel discovered strange debris on his ranch near the town of Corona – pieces of metal, foil, broken wooden beams, and heavy paper. He reported it to the local sheriff, who contacted Roswell Army Air Field, and on July 8, 1947, the military issued a press release announcing that it had “a flying disk in its possession.” But the following day brought a reversal – General Roger Ramey stated that it was merely the debris of a weather balloon. It was this sudden change in the explanation that launched one of the greatest conspiracy theories in history.

The truth, as later emerged, lay somewhere in between. In 1994, the U.S. Air Force admitted that the debris came from the secret Project Mogul – a system of high-altitude balloons intended to detect sound waves from Soviet nuclear tests. But by then, the story of a crashed UFO, alien bodies, and a government cover-up had been circulating for so long that it had become part of American pop culture.

The city of Roswell eventually embraced it. The International UFO Museum opened there in 1992, and an annual UFO festival has been held there since 1996. And it is this story that explains why the entire area around Area 51 has become a magnet for everyone who believes – or at least wants to believe – that something really did happen out there on that desert plain.

Black Mailbox – the Landmark You Need to Find

If you are driving along the Extraterrestrial Highway from Ash Springs toward Rachel, the key landmark is the so-called Black Mailbox.

It stands at the intersection of SR-375 and an unmarked dirt road called Mailbox Road, and its GPS coordinates are: 37°27'25" N, 115°28'57" W. I recommend saving them in advance while you still have a signal, because GPS navigation (without internet access, unless you have offline maps) and cell service work extremely poorly in this area.

Google Map with a blue dot and coordinates 37°26'25.3

Originally, an ordinary mailbox belonging to local rancher Steve Medlin stood here; he owns a cattle ranch in Tikaboo Valley. But in 1989, when alleged former Area 51 employee Bob Lazar began claiming that he had worked at the base reverse-engineering alien spacecraft, he started bringing people here, saying they could observe scheduled UFO flights over the base from this spot. The mailbox then became a cult meeting place for ufologists from around the world.

Since then, the mailbox has had quite a turbulent history. People dropped letters addressed to aliens into it, stole Medlin’s mail, and even shot at the mailbox. Medlin therefore replaced it with a bulletproof white version and added a second, smaller mailbox labeled “Alien.” The original black mailbox was stolen and replaced several times – the latest version was installed in March 2024.

When I was there most recently, the mailbox looked completely different from how most people know it from the internet. It was significantly smaller and less conspicuous. We searched for it for about half an hour – I drove slowly along the road because there is simply nothing to help you navigate in this wilderness. But eventually we found it, and it was worth it. There are various objects that people leave there – stickers, letters, and small souvenirs. It is a strange sort of pilgrimage site in the middle of nowhere.

This is what the mailbox looked like a few years ago, and these are also the photos you will usually find on Google:

Stone memorial, American flag, and mailbox in the Nevada desert Stone shrine with graffiti, bottles, and cans in the desert near Area 51

And this is what it looks like today (2025-2026):

Barren Nevada desert with an improvised post covered in stickers and a stone cairn. Man in the desert beside a post covered in stickers, with mountains in the background. Letter and photographs lying on rocky ground in the desert near the Area 51 Black Box. Cans with stickers hanging from a branch in the Nevada desert, with blurred mountains in the background

The Road to the Front Gate

From the Black Mailbox, you join a dirt road leading to the so-called Front Gate of Area 51. It is also known as the Groom Lake Road entrance because it runs toward the drying Groom Lake, on whose shore the base itself is located.

This route is important: from the Black Mailbox, head left and continue straight. The road gradually bends to the right toward the mountains. Do not take the road leading to the nearby ranch – you will not find anything there (although, paradoxically, that ranch has Starlink and password-free Wi-Fi, which I used on my last visit to load satellite maps and figure out where I actually was).

Be prepared for a long drive – several miles along a dusty desert road where the most you are likely to encounter are cows. Incidentally, locals warned us that these cows can be aggressive and have already rammed several cars. So if you see them on the road, definitely do not honk or try to pass them too closely.

Dusty road in the Nevada desert beneath dramatic clouds and mountains. View from a car of an empty desert road, side mirror, and Nevada landscape. Three black cows in a desert landscape, with a fence and mountains in the background. Dead animal lying on a dirt road in the Nevada desert near the mountains. Desert landscape near Area 51 at sunset, with mountains and shrubs. Three cows standing beside a road in the Nevada desert beneath an overcast sky

After a while, you will reach a small hill with a view of the valley and, in the distance, Groom Lake – the drying lake around which Area 51 itself is located. There are now signs at the top of the hill warning that entry is prohibited. You used to be able to drive all the way down, but a warning sign has now been added. You can still walk past that sign without any problem. At the bottom of the hill is the main entrance gate itself, with a barrier, stop sign, and warning signs.

Desert road near Area 51 with a WARNING sign and hills in the background

Desert road to the Area 51 gate with a camera tower and mountains in the background Dusty road to the Area 51 gate with warning and stop signs in the desert. STOP warning signs along the road to Area 51 in the Nevada desert Man standing at the Area 51 gate beside warning signs and a stop sign. Warning sign near Area 51, stop sign, and desert road in Nevada Warning signs near Area 51, STOP sign, and no-photography sign in the Nevada desert Two cars on a dirt road in the Nevada desert, surrounded by low hills and blue sky.

Area 51 entrance gate with warning signs and a stop sign in the Nevada desert

Empty desert road in Nevada, with a car raising dust beneath a blue sky.

And be warned – they are watching you. The first time I was there, I met a group of Mexicans at the Black Mailbox who, like me, had no idea how to get there. We drove together and somehow managed to find it. When we got out of the car, a tarantula ran past my leg – an experience I will not forget anytime soon. And when we later walked around the entrance gate and up to the lookout hill, a white vehicle soon appeared on the opposite hill and watched us. They are the so-called “Camo Dudes” – private security personnel in camouflage who guard the base perimeter. Motion sensors, cameras, and infrared detectors are positioned around the gate, so they will detect you before you even realize it.

Desert slope near Area 51 with a distant view and a white vehicle on the ridge

White pickup truck on a dirt road in the Nevada desert with hills in the background White vehicle on a winding road in the Nevada desert landscape with Joshua trees and mountains. Desert landscape near Area 51 with Joshua trees and a dramatic sky.

Back Gate – the Rear Entrance near Rachel

The second entrance, the so-called Back Gate (also known as the North Gate), is located only about 2.5 kilometers southeast of the town of Rachel. The access road is an unmarked dirt road branching off Highway 375. Unlike the Front Gate, here you will find an actual guard booth, a barrier, a fence, and complete security equipment – cameras, floodlights, and usually a parked security vehicle.

This gate looks much more like the entrance to a real military base. The final two kilometers of the road are even paved. Everywhere you look, there are signs reading “WARNING – Restricted Area,” “No Trespassing,” and “Photography of this area is prohibited.” Of course, I filmed all of it – but I really recommend being careful.

Strong warning: Do not cross the marked boundary. Ever. Definitely do not go past the “No Trespassing” signs or the stop sign. This is no joke – the fine can be enormous, and if you are traveling under ESTA or on a visa, doing so will automatically disqualify you from any future U.S. visa or ESTA. That is something that could affect you for the rest of your life. So look, take photos (carefully), but definitely do not go beyond the gate.

Gate with a STOP sign and warning signs in the desert near Area 51. Fence near Area 51 with warning signs and a drone ban in the Nevada desert Area 51 gate with warning signs, a stop sign, and desert landscape. Barrier and STOP sign at the entrance to Area 51 in the Nevada desert. Area 51 entrance gate in the desert, fencing, warning signs, and a stop sign Fence at the entrance with warning signs near Area 51 in the Nevada desert Area 51 gate with a red stop sign and warning signs in the Nevada desert Desert road to the Area 51 gate, guard post, and mountains in the distance

Gate and fenced entrance to Area 51 in the Nevada desert, with warning signs and a stop sign Entrance gate to Area 51, fencing, STOP sign, and warning signs in the desert Entrance gate to Area 51 with a fence, stop sign, and warning signs in the desert Warning signs by the fence of the Area 51 base in the Nevada desert Area 51 gate in the desert with warning signs and a stop sign. View from a car of the Area 51 gate in the mirror, surrounded by desert landscape.

The Town of Rachel and the Legendary Little A'Le'Inn

Rachel is a tiny town with fewer than 60 residents, located directly on the Extraterrestrial Highway, and it is the closest outpost of civilization to Area 51. And honestly – it is one of the most bizarre places I have ever visited.

The heart of Rachel is the Little A'Le'Inn (a pun on “Little Alien”) – a restaurant, bar, and motel all in one. Outside, you are greeted by a tow truck carrying a “crashed” flying saucer and an alien statue holding a “Welcome Earthlings” sign. Inside, dollar bills cover the ceiling, the walls are filled with UFO memorabilia, photographs, and souvenirs, and the menu includes items such as the “Alien Burger.”

The last time we were there, we struck up a conversation with the owner. We asked him whether he had ever seen a UFO during all the years he had lived and worked there. He said he had, many times. He said it was “definitely real” and that he had seen it repeatedly. Whether that is true or whether he only says it to entice tourists to come back – I cannot judge. But the atmosphere when someone who lives in the middle of the desert, just a few kilometers from the most secretive base in the world, tells you this is simply indescribable.

At the restaurant, they will also give you a map of the entire area – it was designed by Chuck Clark, a local Area 51 expert. The map shows both entrances, the location of the Black Mailbox, Groom Lake, the former viewpoints White Sides Mountain and Freedom Ridge (both now located within the restricted perimeter), as well as the mysterious S-4 site near Papoose Lake, where Bob Lazar allegedly worked on reverse-engineering alien spacecraft.

Little A’Le’Inn desert sign reading Restaurant, Bar, Motel and featuring an alien. Welcome to Rachel Nevada sign with the text Population: Human YES Aliens? and a UFO icon

Dusty Nevada plain with a tow truck, Little A’Le’Inn sign, and tall weather tower. Little A’Le’Inn sign with the text Earthlings Welcome and a UFO crane in the desert of Rachel, Nevada Building in Rachel near Area 51 with a Little A'Le'Inn sign and a parked van. Project Oxcart memorial plaque in front of a blue-and-white building with an aircraft model and American flag. Man posing beside alien statues in front of Little A'Le'Inn in Rachel, Nevada. View of Little A’Le’Inn in Rachel with alien statues and Earthlings Welcome signs. White UFO model in a yard, beside a black Jeep and alien paintings on a wall. Man standing beside a UFO model and a black off-road Jeep beneath an overcast sky. Blue building with colorful alien graffiti in the desert town of Rachel, Nevada. Man standing in front of a colorful wall with alien graffiti and the words AREA 51. Little A'Le'Inn building with an Earthlings Welcome sign and alien figures in a desert landscape

Inside the restaurant, you can also enjoy some good food or buy souvenirs, and I recommend “chatting” with the locals as well.

Girl standing beside a shelf of colorful alien-themed figurines and souvenirs. Souvenir shop with Area 51 T-shirts, posters, and alien toys. People toasting with cans of Guinness and a red cup in a restaurant. Two cheeseburgers with potato salad on a plate in a restaurant. White SUV on a dusty plain beside a road, with a sign and the mountainous Nevada desert landscape in the background

Here is another map I received, showing the entrance gates to Area 51.

Area 51 guide with a Restricted Area warning and a price of 33 cents Map of the Area 51 region with Rachel, the Extraterrestrial Highway, and the Restricted Zone Boundary Map of Area 51, Rachel, the Extraterrestrial Highway, and surrounding locations in Nevada

How Employees Get to Area 51

This is one of the things that fascinates me most about Area 51. Employees do not drive to the base – they fly there.

There is a highly secret airline unofficially known as JANET Airlines. The acronym allegedly stands for “Joint Air Network for Employee Transportation” or – and I like this version better – “Just Another Non-Existent Terminal.” A fleet of six white Boeing 737-600s with a single red stripe along the fuselage flies every day from its own restricted terminal at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas directly to the runway at Groom Lake.

Interestingly, these aircraft were originally purchased from Air China and previously served with the now-defunct Chinese airline China Southwest Airlines. Today, they transport an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 workers each day – military personnel, civilian Department of Defense employees, and contractors. Even the flight attendants must have “Top Secret” clearance. And there is simply no way to reach the base other than by air.

But buses go there too – along the same dirt roads we drove on. When I was there, I saw one such white bus traveling through the desert. It is a strange feeling – you are sitting in a car in the middle of nowhere, and a bus full of people drives past on their way to work at a place the government claimed for decades did not exist.

Project Oxcart and What Really Happened at the Base

Near Little A'Le'Inn stands a memorial plaque dedicated to Project Oxcart – a secret CIA program under which the A-12 spy plane, the predecessor of the legendary SR-71 Blackbird, was tested at Area 51 between 1962 and 1968. The A-12 was designed to fly higher and faster than any other production aircraft – it reached speeds exceeding Mach 3, or more than 3,700 km/h.

And these secret flights by high-altitude supersonic aircraft are among the most likely explanations for UFO reports throughout the region. When people in the 1950s and 1960s saw strange objects in the sky flying at speeds and altitudes that were unusual at the time, they logically interpreted them as something extraterrestrial. In reality, they were looking at prototypes of American spy planes – the U-2, A-12, and later stealth aircraft such as the F-117 Nighthawk.

That does not mean, however, that the mystery surrounding Area 51 has been solved. In 2019, a Facebook event appeared called “Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us,” and more than two million people signed up. In the end, only a few dozen brave individuals showed up at the gates of Area 51, and no one attempted to break in – but the very fact that this base can still provoke such madness in the 21st century says something.

Practical Tips for Visiting

If you are planning to visit Area 51, here are a few things you should know:

Fill up in Alamo or Ash Springs. There will not be another gas station for a long time, and you will be driving on roads where fuel consumption increases.

Save the GPS coordinates in advance. The signal in the area is very weak or nonexistent. Relying on real-time mobile navigation is a gamble. GPS coordinates of the Black Mailbox: 37°27'25" N, 115°28'57" W. Coordinates of Area 51 itself (Groom Lake): 37°14'03" N, 115°48'24" W.

Be prepared for dirt roads. Your car will be covered in dust from roof to wheels. I recommend an SUV or at least a vehicle with higher ground clearance – the road to the Front Gate is badly damaged in places.

Driving time. From Las Vegas, allow about 2.5 hours to reach the Extraterrestrial Highway. From Death Valley (or more precisely, from the town of Beatty on its edge), it takes about 3 hours to reach Rachel via Tonopah. The entire trip to both gates and back will take you at least 6–7 hours.

Do not bring drones. Drones are strictly prohibited around Area 51, and signs warn you of this everywhere.

Respect the boundaries. I repeat – do not go beyond the “No Trespassing” signs. You risk arrest, a fine, and problems obtaining future visas and entering the United States.

In Conclusion, What Else Is There to Say?

Area 51 is one of those places you simply have to visit if you enjoy mysteries, unexplained phenomena, or just the unusual atmosphere of the American desert. The combination of the endless empty plain, dirt roads, warning signs, UFO themes, and the knowledge that just a few kilometers beyond the hill lies a base the government lied about for decades – that is simply something you cannot experience anywhere else.

I will definitely return for a third visit. And if you are in Nevada, whether you are coming from Las Vegas, Death Valley, or anywhere else in the Southwest – go there. It is worth it. The journey, the atmosphere, the feeling – it is truly something special.

And if you do end up seeing a UFO there? Let me know.