Posted: 4/21/2026 11:39:07 PM EDT
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I'm in process of moving to Texas but am currently at Utah house. Rachel Nevada is only about 3.5 hours drive from me. Worth going for a gimmicky day trip? Anyone gone? Besides restaurant and the ift shop anything else to do? I figure worst case is I will get some goofy souvenirs and some t-shirts. Maybe I drive out to the sign warning you to turn around and snap a pic? If I dont do it now, I will likely never get back this way again. |
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There's not much there. The A'Le Inn is famous if you're a follower of the early/mid 1990s Area 51 folklore. Worth an hour of your time if you have lunch there. The "Black Mailbox" is a few miles down the road. I don't recommend going out to the actual border of the restricted area unless you actually spend time figuring out which specific place you want to go to, AND know exactly how to get there and go no further. You don't want an unplanned date with the Lincoln County Sheriffs out there. Even if you know where to go, there's not much to see. There's a guard gate inside the fence, and probably some contract security guys staring back at you....other than that, just a bunch of hills and desert well away from being able to see anything at Groom Lake. |
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Thanks for reply. I think I may wind up going in next few days. Something to do. I figure a local can tell me how to drive up to gate to get a photo. I wont be taking any gravel side roads that could lead me to trouble. Speaking of which that has to be the most shit guard duty of all time. Sitting out in that boring guard shack waiting for tourists and telling them to turn around and leave. LOL!!! |
| Take the ET tour road and get some bumper stickers and stuff at Little A'Lien in Rachel, NV to start with. Lots of the very first things going on and if you do hng out and skywathyou might see some awesome stuff flying there, could be F35sor anything |
The person who complains most, and is the most critical of others has the most to hide.
All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.
All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.
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I would recommend OP make a little detour and go see to the north of Rachel the Volcanic National Monument. And also not far from there is the Project Faultless undergoing nuclear test subsidence crater. You can drive right into the crater, and up to the pipe that was used to lower the device down. Its not a huge crater, maybe hundred yards diameter or less, and maybe 15' deep. But its neat to be able to do that nevertheless. You could easily spend half a day looking at and walking up the old volcanos (if you're able), but you can pretty much drive right up to other massive craters and lava fields there to check out,on foot. If you want to see some jets, you can wait to get down to Nellis and watch stuff take off. Or look up the website "Dreamland Resort" and they have some tips on where to go to watch jets. If I ever get to go again, I would head towards Death Valley and look for the Jedi Canyon and some of the other places where fight jets frequent - i dont think that website tells you much about where to go observe there as it well out of the area 51 range https://dreamlandresort.com/ Also if its in your timetable, go to the black mailbox (i think its gone now) at night and just take in the amazing dark night skies with almost zero light pollution And last I knew there was no gas station in rachel, so fill up when you can. I was last in rachel something like twenty years ago. But i was a little underwhelmed with their burger, I thought with all those massive beef cattle they raise out there (theyre HUGE), that this would be some nice big fresh ground burger, nope, it was al small obviously frozen burger patties. Instead, maybe order what the real cowboys that work on the ranches there are eating. |
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You have to go. It's neat enough that you should go since you're (relatively) close by, and as close as you'll get apparently. We went several years ago. It was worth it. |
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