Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH AREA 51 293
which was opened after its founder (Glenn Campbell, who is largely responsible
for Area 51’s recent cultural icon status, and who wrote the definitive book, Area
51 Viewer’s Guide) got kicked out of the Little A’Le’Inn. Their headquarters is now
in Las Vegas, and their store is open only during spring and summer but stocks all
manner of Area 51 logo items and a number of related books.
There is no place to stay out here, so unless you want to camp (which could
be fun; aliens usually show up at night), plan this as a lengthy day trip. Be
sure to fill your tank before you head out, as there are few opportunities to do
so once you leave Vegas. If you’ll be doing this drive in the heat of the summer,
bring water, for your car and yourself. Along the way, keep your eyes peeled for
little green men (or weather balloons, jackrabbits, tumbleweeds, broken-down
cars . . . ), and should you spot one, don’t forget to write us all about it.
By the way, word is starting to spread of a really mysterious, secret base even
farther out in the desert. Just mention Area 58 and watch people go nuts.
To start, you take I-15 north to U.S. 93 north (paying close attention—it’s an
easy exit to miss; if you do, you can take State Rte. 168 at Moapa, and take that
west back to U.S. 93), and then get off at the E.T. Highway, a 98-mile stretch
of State Route 375. The town of Rachel is approximately 43 miles away; the
“black mailbox” (it’s now white) road, which leads you to Area 51, actually
comes first, about 17 miles down the highway. (We strongly suggest going to
Rachel first, to get your bearings, chat with knowledgeable locals and other
alien-spotters, and pick up some literature, including a good local map.) Turn
left, and keep driving; any of the dirt roads that lead off of it will get you to the
Area 51 fence and gates. Veer right at the fork in the road (not the ranch turnoff,
which you come to first) if you want to go to the most commonly talked-about
entrance, the one at Groom Lake (though you can’t see the lake from where you
are forced to stop.)
For more information, call the Nevada Commission on Tourism (& 800/
NEVADA-8), and ask them to send you their Pioneer Territory brochure and a
list of E.T. Highway services (gas stations, chambers of commerce, restaurants,
and more). On the Internet, check out www.ufomind.com (this is a huge site
maintained by the Area 51 Research folks, and contains countless links and all
sorts of information) and www.ufo-hyway.com.