Area 51 is not a difficult place to visit on your own. The number one issue is knowing exactly where you are at all times. The perimeter is not a place that is clearly marked. Here are the basic directions to Area 51 from beautiful Las Vegas. Any type of rental car will do just fine. The dirt roads are kept in fairly good condition. Make sure the car or truck has a spare tire. There is the possibility of getting a flat tire on Groom Lake Road or the road to the back gate due to the loose gravel. Start the trip by traveling Northeast on U.S. Interstate HWY 15 toward Salt Lake City, UT. After about 23 miles past downtown Las Vegas heading towards Salt Lake City, you will take the exit to U.S. HWY 93 for 93 miles. The intersection of HWY 93 and Extra Terrestrial HWY 375 is 93 miles from the exit for HWY 93. Before you get to the intersection with the ET HWY, you will want to stop at the small town of Alamo. In Alamo, you can stop for gas and snacks. Alamo and Ash Springs are the only towns with gas. Fill up before leaving Las Vegas and then "top off" at Alamo or Ash Springs. Alamo is the location where the White Government bus for the Area 51 workers is parked on the weekends. You can find the bus in the dirt lot of the Lincoln County Alamo Sheriffs Substation. This is also where the sheriff comes from if you get arrested for crossing the restricted perimeter. After leaving Alamo, it is a short distance to the intersection of HWY 93 and the ET HWY. Take a left at the intersection of HWY 93 and HWY 318. You will see the remains of an old casino to the right of this intersection. Once you take the left, you will quickly see that in less than a quarter of a mile you will see the left turn for the world famous ET HWY (HWY 375). Veer towards your left and you will be fine. At this point where you veer to the left onto HWY 375, you will see the first ET HWY sign on your right. There is a dirt lot where the sign is located and during the week you will see maybe 5-7 worker's cars parked there. Once you finish taking pictures at the ET HWY sign, you will get back onto HWY 375 and within a mile to your right you will see the New Area 51 Research Center. This souvenir store and future museum is open only on Saturday and Sunday from 10am until 6pm. In about 11 miles you will be at the top of Hancock Summit. Another three miles along HWY 375 brings you to Groom Lake Road. It's a gravel road, but well maintained and no problem for any car to navigate. Set you odometer at zero once you hit the gravel road. You drive 13.8 miles on Groom Lake Road (GLR) until you reach the warning signs and the "Cammo Dudes". DO NOT DRIVE PAST THE SIGNS! There is no gate or guard shack in view at this location. The border is marked with orange posts only. There is no fence. The "Cammo Dudes" will be on a small hill to the right. They are on the restricted side and will stay there unless you cross the restricted side. There is a small lot to the left just in front of the warning signs. It is safe to park there and get out for photos. Once you get back on HWY 375 you will come to the "white mailbox" on your left side. THe mailbox is located near Lincoln County HWY marker 29.6 at the intersection of HWY 375 and Mailbox Road. Rachel, Nevada is a little more than 20 miles from this location. Just before you get into the town of Rachel, you will see a stop sign to the left of the road and a gravel road similar to GLR. This is the road to the back gate or Rachel Gate. The guard shack is located 10.4 miles down this road. There are large white semi trucks that often use this road to supply Area 51. This guard shack is manned by the "Cammo Dudes" and is a great place for some photos. Once the photo session is finished, you will find the Little A Le Inn in Rachel. Stop in for great souvenirs, stories, and a burger. Be very aware of where you are at all times. Most of HWY 375 is open range. Cows can wander across the road at any time. There is very little if any cell phone service. It is very desolate and harsh surrounds. A perfect place for a highly guarded military base! Enjoy, but please know where you are going. Do the research first, so the experience will be rewarding. Email me at a51tours@aol.com or call me at 702-858-4264 with any questions you might have. If I am available, I would be happy to give you a private tour.
Click to enlarge the map to view the directions to Rachel, Nevada
Our opinion of what should be seen while visiting Area 51
The average trip usually takes between six and ten hours to complete. The length of the experience depends on how long you choose to stay at each of the stops. After leaving Las Vegas, head for HWY 93 and the Great Basin HWY. The following are the stops I recommend:
* Stop for gas and snacks at the Sinclair Station in Alamo, Nevada.
* The Lincoln County Sheriff's Annex to take pictures of the "white bus". The Area 51 worker's "white bus" is usually parked here on the weekends.
* The intersection of HWY 93 and HWY 375 (Extraterrestrial Highway). This is a great spot to take pictures of the ET HWY sign and see where some of the Area 51 workers park their cars and ride the bus.
* The "New" Alien Research Center. It is open on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. They have a wide variety of souvenirs to choose from.
* The intersection of the ET HWY and Groom Lake Road.
* The most exciting stop on the tour; Groom Lake Road warning signs, the security equipment, and the "cammo dudes".
* The Rancher's Black Mailbox (now painted white).
* The ET HWY sign near the town of Rachel, Nevada.
* The Little A' Le Inn in Rachel, Nevada for an Alien Burger and plenty of souvenir shopping.
* A quick tour around Rachel, Nevada.
* The Area 51 Rachel Gate.
After these stops, it is a great time to find one of the gravel parking lots along HWY 375 and set up some chairs and an ice chest for some star viewing. For a real experience, I recommend, spending the night in the area to get a real sense of the awesome beauty at night. The following photos of are the common sights in the order I usually follow:
Here is a quick video showing the sights of Area 51 and the surrounding area!
Aliens, UFO's, or Top Secret Projects are by "luck" only!
Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. -Carl Sagan
is not a place that is clearly marked. Here are the basic directions to Area 51 from beautiful Las Vegas. Any type of rental car will do just fine. The dirt roads are kept in fairly good condition. Make sure the car or truck has a spare tire. There is the possibility of getting a flat tire on Groom Lake Road or the road to the back gate due to the loose gravel. Start the trip by traveling Northeast on U.S. Interstate HWY 15 toward Salt Lake City, UT. After about 23 miles past downtown Las Vegas heading towards Salt Lake City, you will take the exit to U.S. HWY 93 for 93 miles. The intersection of HWY 93 and Extra Terrestrial HWY 375 is 93 miles from the exit for HWY 93. Before you get to the intersection with the ET HWY, you will want to stop at the small town of Alamo. In Alamo, you can stop for gas and snacks. Alamo and Ash Springs are the only towns with gas. Fill up before leaving Las Vegas and then "top off" at Alamo or Ash Springs. Alamo is the location where the White Government bus for the Area 51 workers is parked on the weekends. You can find the bus in the dirt lot of the Lincoln County Alamo Sheriffs Substation. This is also where the sheriff comes from if you get arrested for crossing the restricted perimeter. After leaving Alamo, it is a short distance to the intersection of HWY 93 and the ET HWY. Take a left at the intersection of HWY 93 and HWY 318. You will see the remains of an old casino to the right of this intersection. Once you take the left, you will quickly see that in less than a quarter of a mile you will see the left turn for the world famous ET HWY (HWY 375). Veer towards your left and you will be fine. At this point where you veer to the left onto HWY 375, you will see the first ET HWY sign on your right. 
There is a dirt lot where the sign is located and during the week you will see maybe 5-7 worker's cars parked there. Once you finish taking pictures at the ET HWY sign, you will get back onto HWY 375 and within a mile to your right you will see the New Area 51 Research Center. This souvenir store and future museum is open only on Saturday and Sunday from 10am until 6pm. In about 11 miles you will be at the top of Hancock Summit. Another three miles along HWY 375 brings you to Groom Lake Road. It's a gravel road, but well maintained and no problem for any car to navigate. Set you odometer at zero once you hit the gravel road. You drive 13.8 miles on Groom Lake Road (GLR) until you reach the warning signs and the "Cammo Dudes". 
your left side. THe mailbox is located near Lincoln County HWY marker 29.6 at the intersection of HWY 375 and Mailbox Road. Rachel, Nevada is a little more than 20 miles from this location. Just before you get into the town of Rachel, you will see a stop sign to the left of the road and a gravel road similar to GLR. This is the road to the back gate or Rachel Gate. The guard shack is located 10.4 miles down this road. There are large white semi trucks that often use this road to supply Area 51. This guard shack is manned by the "Cammo Dudes" and is a great place for some photos. Once the photo session is finished, you will find the Little A Le Inn in Rachel. Stop in for great souvenirs, stories, and a burger. Be very aware of where you are at all times. Most of HWY 375 is open range. Cows can wander across the road at any time. There is very little if any cell phone service. It is very desolate and harsh surrounds. A perfect place for a highly guarded military base! Enjoy, but please know where you are going. Do the research first, so the experience will be rewarding. Email me at 
weekends.
