“I’m going to be driving the Extraterrestrial Highway in Nevada.”
Blank stare.
“Huh? What is that? I’ve never heard of it.”
And thus began almost every conversation I had with someone who asked what my weekend plans were. In a weird way, it made me smile. Not because I thought myself superior to be traveling to a new place that was unknown to my friends and family, but because that was me just a few months ago. In my parochial mind, Nevada was a hurdle to jump over to get back to California. A place where Vegas is nestled in and not much else. A necessary pit stop and refueling station en route to my mom and brothers. But oh, how my eyes have been opened to the beauty of central Nevada.
No, you heard me right.
A blogger I follow had driven the Extraterrestrial Highway and I fell head over heels in love with his descriptions and pictures.
I needed to go.
I had to go.
Darn it, I put it on my bucket list and started outlining my expedition. And thankfully it didn’t take much convincing to enlist my friend Ashley (who is always down for an adventure) in the scheme. We made a weekend out of it: driving to Ely, Nevada, after work on a Friday, setting out early the next morning and spending all day on the road, returning to Salt Lake City after midnight.
With the exception of a few blog posts and Trip Advisor reviews, there’s not a lot of practical information out there about driving the Extraterrestrial Highway. Since I highly recommend the road trip to central Nevada, I’ve compiled everything I think you’ll need to know based on my own personal experience.
What is the Extraterrestrial Highway?
Highway 375 is a 98-mile strip of state highway in Central Nevada that connects Highway 318 at Crystal Springs and Highway 6 at Warm Springs. Built in 1976, the highway stretches through a barren desert terrain, providing life to the small town of Rachel, population about 40.
After the release of the wildly popular movie Independence Day, the highway was named the Extraterrestrial Highway, and a ceremonial time capsule was established on the property of The Little A’Le’Inn (pronounced “alien”). Numerous alien and UFO “sightings,” in conjunction with Area 51 being about 10 miles from Rachel, add to the quirky Americana feel of the area.
Preparing to drive the Extraterrestrial Highway
Fuel
Take my advice: literally stop for gas whenever you can, even if you’re just topping off a quarter tank. Ashley and I drove past signs that read “Next Gas: 118 Miles.” As city girls, we wildly underestimated this concept. We ended up having to hightail it to the small town of Tonopah, 45 miles west of the end of the Extraterrestrial Highway, because we weren’t going to make it back to the east side of the highway to refuel in Alamo.
We laugh about it now, but as we were driving, we crossed our fingers, toes, eyes, whatever we could: we were driving on fumes and were just hoping that we could find a gas station. And also hoping that my memory was correct. I just happened to read something online about Tonopah…and although I assured Ashley that there were gas stations in town, I was worried.
Don’t repeat our mistake. Fill up at every opportunity and bring a gas can in case of emergencies.
Cell Phones on the Extraterrestrial Highway
There will be multiple stretches of the highway where you will have no cell service. None. Embrace it. Part of the joy of the drive is being surrounded by expansive empty spaces, with a few cows, cacti, and possibly aliens. As you near the town of Rachel, you might get a few bars. Either take a screen shot of Google/Apple maps, carry an actual map, or write it down.
If you get too close to Area 51, your phone might start making weird noises.
Just kidding!
Packing
Don’t freak out, but we didn’t pass any Walmart stores along the way! That’s right. Pack a cooler with some drinks and snacks, just in case you decide to stop along the way and just take in the beauty all around. You’ll be in the desert, so plan accordingly for the weather. Make sure your vehicle is in tip-top shape.
And if you’re traveling with someone who has a teeny-weeny bladder, you wouldn’t be amiss in packing a bucket or large cup for those “emergencies.” There aren’t any trees or large boulders to block you for popping a squat on the side of the road!
Where to stop on the Extraterrestrial Highway
ET Fresh Jerky
Located on the junction of Highways 318 and the Extraterrestrial sits the unique ET Fresh Jerky store. Take a few minutes to admire the murals and sign just outside, and then “drop your toxic waste in the cleanest restrooms in Area 51.” Seriously, that’s on the sign outside the store. And it’s true…their restrooms were the cleanest we visited.
There’s tons of jerky, honey, and local treats for sale, as well as the customary alien-themed swag. Ashley and I may or may not have purchased too much jerky and alien drivers licenses. While there, chat with the person working the register. Find out their story. Ashley and I had the opportunity to talk to Dixie and loved it!
The Sign (cue “Ace of Base”)
I love taking pictures of entertaining signs from my travels. Not only are they individually unique, but they help me remember names and places and they are so much fun for photo albums.
Ashley and I pulled up to the green sign indicating the start of the Extraterrestrial Highway. It had a lot more stickers than I thought, and they almost completely obscured the lettering…which was printed in a different font than one normally sees.
The sign is on the corner of a gore-point, so there are places to park and a picnic bench under a few lonely trees. Picture the letter Y…with the Extraterrestrial Highway being the upper left portion, and Highway 318 being the rest. The sign is located in the middle point where the arms converge. Does that make sense?
Funny story: when Ashley and I approached the sign, we blew right by it! You couldn’t see the sign from the direction we were heading (south on Highway 318), so take care to look for it. We were surprised and then frustrated to see that a semi was parked right behind the sign and the driver was nowhere to be found, which meant that it would be photo-bombing every picture we took. Ugh.
As we were taking our pictures, we heard the familiar rumble of a group of motorcycles, with at least one large Hog leading the pack. Ashley was uneasy and eager to leave, in case the bikers were planning on stopping and harassing us.
We were in the middle of the desert – it could happen!
I’m not usually a stubborn person, but I held my ground. I wasn’t done taking pictures, we’d come too far to be driven away, and, secretly, I really wanted to see the bikes! Also, as a solo female traveler, I’ve been honing my 6th sense. It’s nowhere perfect, but I’ve learned to trust my intuition and felt completely at peace with my decision.
As the bikers got closer, I noticed 2 things:
#1 – A few of the guys were wearing New Balance-white-dad-shoes
#2 – 4 of the 5 bikes were made by Honda – only the leader was on a Hog
At that moment, I knew we were fine. Now, I’m not saying that all bikers who choose to wear New Balance shoes or ride a Honda are harmless, nor am I saying that clothing determines how a person acts…but I would have been on my guard a lot more if they were all riding Hogs wearing matching leather jackets with a skull and wings logo.
All of the buildup was for naught – the guys were super nice and asked me to take their pictures with the sign and bikes, and then offered to return the favor. We had a few laughs…and then they asked me if the rig parked behind us was mine. We laughed and I replied that it wasn’t and I had no idea how to double-clutch.
Alien Research Center
The Alien Research Center is going to be the first large alien-themed building on the actual Extraterrestrial Highway that you’ll run into. Trust me, you won’t miss it: a larger-than-life metallic alien guards the front door and is wonderful for pictures. Inside is a unique alien-themed gift shop, stocked with clothing, trinkets, postcards, and everything alien-themed you can imagine!
The hours here are a little skewed: the website says they’re open from 11-7 most days, but didn’t open until almost 1 when we were there. Cross your fingers and aim for the middle of the day. We started our drive too early in the morning and had to hit it on the way home. Chat with the owner and her dog. You won’t be sorry.
Also, if you’re around the store right before sunset, you’ll have a front-row seat to some amazing views!
The Little A’Le’Inn
Located in the town of Rachel, The Little A’Le’Inn is one of the most typical, kitschy restaurants/souvenir shops that you will ever visit. The inside consists of a bar, complete with pool table and Pac Man, along with more seats than the town has population. After watching the movie Paul, Ashley and I were very eager to see if it was as awesome as one of the scenes from the movie.
IT WAS.
Betty was our barkeep/waitress, and was extremely pleasant to talk to. We overheard another patron ask her if she believed all of the “hype” about aliens and extraterrestrial activity. Extremely serious, Betty leaned in and said, “how can I not?” Awesome.
The restaurant-side of the Little A’Le’Inn is what you would expect from a diner in the middle of the Nevadan Desert: basic with tons of ingredients coming from cans and long-shelf-life containers. That said, it’s the atmosphere that you really want and what you really are paying for.
Buy some swag, order a burger, fries, can of soda (or water in my case), and chat up Betty. Soak up the ambiance, ask for directions to Area 51 (she drew us a map, which we really didn’t need, but the gesture didn’t go unappreciated), and soak in where you are: the middle of Nevada at an alien-themed diner.
Outside of the Little A’Le’Inn is just as amazingly weird as the interior. Take tons of pictures with the aliens scattered around, the UFO being “towed” away, read about the time capsule on the corner, and hang out in the rocking chairs. Behind the restaurant lay a few trailers that you can stay in, if you so choose.
The Black Mailbox
A few miles before you reach the town of Rachel is a black mailbox on the side of the road, literally known as The Black Mailbox. Here’s what I know from various websites:
The mailbox was originally black, then painted white.
The owner was a local rancher named Steve Medlin, and the original black mailbox had his name on it.
Steve Medlin later added a small mailbox, marked “Alien.”
The spot of the mailbox has been a gathering point for the extraterrestrial-obsessed for years.
Steve Medlin got so fed up with people messing with the mailbox, shooting at it, camping near it, that he removed it.
Fortunately for us, there was another black mailbox put it its place.
Ashley and I had passed it before we realized that’s what it was. We were under the impression that the mailbox was gone, but were ever so pleased to find out that it was back. Of course, we hit it up on the return journey…and may or may not have written a letter to the aliens…
Anywhere on the side of the road
You’ve heard people say something along the lines of the joy is in the journey, right? A road trip on the Extraterrestrial Highway embodies that phrase in the best way possible, similar to the Road to Hana.
Most people begin their journey on the eastern side of the Highway, where you can find the sign and a few shops (that’s what we did). Once you drive the 98 miles, you reach Highway 6, and a whole lotta nuthin’. Seriously, there’s nothing at the end of the Highway, nothing to indicate that you’ve “made it,” other than a STOP sign.
The majority of our fun was had when Ashley and I pulled off of the road to take pictures, and sometimes, one of us would grab an amazing shot out of the sunroof while the other was driving.
Although we must warn you: the Extraterrestrial Highway runs through an open range. We saw tons of cows while Ashley was driving, and took care to pull off far enough away from them (who knew if they would charge us??). But it wasn’t until I got behind the wheel that the cows decided to cross the highway in front of us.
Area 51: What’s the deal?
Before you all get ahead of yourself, note that there are two Area 51s: New Mexico and Nevada. Rumor has it that the Area 51 in Nevada is where the “UFOs” were taken after they crash-landed outside of Roswell. Allegedly.
After Ashley and I stopped at the Little A’Le’Inn, we doubled back a mile to the dirt road that would take us to the gates of Area 51. Hearts thumping like a Skrillex beat, we turned off of the paved road and began the 10-ish mile drive to the gate, unsure of what we’d find. The road curved this way and that, and we had a difficult time trying to figure out which way the gate actually was. Well-played government. Well-played.
About halfway down the road, we overtook a small little turd of a car, leaving them in our dust. Oh, how happy I was that Ashley decided to buy a Subaru! As we neared the 10-mile marker on the odometer, we saw it.
The gate was looming, with quite a few warning signs, visible buildings, and formidable barbed-wire fence. They really don’t want people trying to hop over and have a look.
When it came down to it, we chickened out. We stayed in the car and high-tailed it out of there. Even though I jokingly told my friends and family that if I didn’t return from this trip it would be because I’d either been abducted or arrested, I really didn’t want to go to jail.
You can get out, but don’t get too close to the gate. If it opens and cars/trucks start barreling out, they won’t deviate from their course. IE: they will run you down, so get out of their way. Take your pictures, and marvel at the solitude of the location.
Then laugh about it, because you just visited Area 51: one of the most controversial locations in Western America.
Takeaways
I love road trips, and this one was no exception. There’s nothing more humbling than finding yourself in the middle of the desert, with little more than a sun to chase and cows to avoid. You pull off the side of the road in the Nevadan Desert, get out and turn off your car.
If you strain your ears hard enough, you’ll hear the wind calling your name through the cactus right next to you. Or, at least that’s what I thought I was hearing.
Nothing is more awe-inspiring than being in the desert as the sun starts to set over the horizon. The sky lights up and sets the mountains on fire.
Go. Drive the Extraterrestrial Highway.
“Purpose is the reason you journey. Passion is the fire that lights your way.”
Have you ever driven The Extraterrestrial Highway? Would you ever if given the chance?
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